Meorot Yerushalayim Seminary

📍Eilat #טִיוּל

What a Shab with 2 of our amazing Madrichot🩷

What a Shab with our amazing Madricha🩷

What a meaningful experience in the kotel tunnels!! Truly unforgettable 🙏

Rachel Batya, Meorot Class of ‘20, was involved in NCSY during her senior year in public high school. She attended NCSY’s Yarchei Kallah and met Rabbi Lynn. She wasn’t 100% sure she wanted to go to seminary and spoke with a number of seminary representatives during the conference. “Rabbi Lynn was so kind and open, he just had a different aura from many of the people I spoke with. I just knew that Meorot was exactly for me. I didn’t want to go to a school where I would be behind. Meorot was going to help me start at the basics–the exact level I was on.” Aside from gaining valuable foundational Torah knowledge, Rachel Batya appreciated how much she learned about herself at Meorot and how she gained valuable life skills that helped her grow into an independent adult. Rachel Batya married Yaakov Goldenberg this past spring and is living in Bayswater, NY. She’s studying education through TTI and works in a local Jewish school as an assistant teacher and a 3rd grade secular studies teacher. “One thing is for certain, after being married for several months, I can seriously say that I would not have known how to handle a kosher kitchen without Meorot!”

Naomi-Yael was in the middle of a conversion process when she decided to attend Meorot in 2018. “I had been learning about Judaism–about Shabbos, Jewish law from books and was looking to gain the practical experience of living an experientially Jewish life with my peers–learning from classes, having mentors, going to other people’s homes for Shabbos.” Currently, Naomi Yael is a senior at Touro College School of Nursing and is scheduled to graduate in the spring of this year. She plans to take a few months off before starting her career as a registered nurse. “At Meorot, I gained an understanding of what it means to be a Jewish woman. I don’t think I would be who I am or at this stage in life without my seminary experience–the knowledge I gained is a constant source of strength. Meorot connected me with amazing teachers and mentors who are constantly encouraging me to become the person that I am today.”

When Libi Fine, Meorot Class of ’21, was considering seminary, a mentor of hers recommended Meorot. After exploring Meorot as an option, “it just felt right. Libi is currently back home in London, where she works at a Jewish high school and for a Jewish youth movement, inspiring the next generation. “Meorot gave me the knowledge and tools to come back to a difficult environment but be able to love and learn Torah. I am forever changed by my incredible teachers and friends who have helped me along my journey and still continue to give me advice or just chat with me. It gave me lifelong connections with great mentors as well as a passion to continue my learning whenever I can.”

Sarah Offenberg's NCSY advisor in Oakland, CA suggested that Meorot would be a good fit for her, but at the time, she had no idea what seminary was. After a lot of research and convincing herself to take the plunge, Sarah’s Meorot year was life transformational. “At Meorot, I gained a Jewish knowledge base and was given the space to freely ask questions and receive answers right away without feeling embarrassed or shy. I learned to better understand my Judaism and at the same time, better understand myself.”
Sarah is currently in her first year at Stern College majoring in psychology.
“Thanks to my experience at Meorot, I’m here at Stern with 8 other Meorot alumnae from my year. I'm now living Judaism in my day to day life where I didn’t at all have that consciousness before.” Sarah’s dream is to become a therapist and to build a Jewish home.

Though Alexis applied to Meorot by chance after a last minute decision to experience Israel and go on a gap year, she found much more than she expected in seminary. “My original plan was to chill in Israel, but in reality, my seminary year at Meorot completely jump started my growth in Judaism. Everything I have now is because of Meorot.” Alexis is now delving deep into Chumash Bereshis in a Shana Bet (second year) program at Darchei Binah and is writing a memoir about her personal growth experience to inspire others. In a few weeks, Alexis will be returning to America to attend Stern College. Her dream is to become a high school Torah studies teacher to ensure that kids like her high school self have the opportunity to be Jewishly inspired.

Daniella Abekassis, a graduate of the Meorot Class of 2019, first met Rabbi Lynn at NCSY’s Yarchei Kallah (fun fact: she’ll be there this year representing Meorot as an alumna — look out for her!) and Rabbi Lynn told her about Meorot. Daniella graduated from Stern College for Women and is now getting her doctorate in Child Clinical Psychology at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. “Meorot taught me all the beauties of Judaism and what it means to be a Jewish woman.”