In This Issue:

A Personal Message from our Director, Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum

Seven Principles on Prayer learned from Chana the Mother of our Prayer
A Dvar Torah from Rebbetzin Chana Bracha

Gardening Emunah
Insights from Sara Malka Laderman

Dorm Mother and King of the Campus!
Meet Sara and Yochanan

"Berot is a Five Star Resort for the Soul"
The B'erot Student Experience

$10K Donation for the Sanchez Classroom
A special thanks

Donation Opportunities
We're waiting to hear from you!

A Message from our Director

I am happy to present you with our Elul 5771 Newsletter. We hope it will give you a glimpse of all the marvelous developments at Midreshet B'erot Bat Ayin. It is always amazing to watch the positive transformation of our manifold and varied students. At the moment we have students from USA, England, South Africa, South America, Australia, Russia, Holland, France and even Germany between the ages of 18-62. They all get along, learn and grow together and the atmosphere is high. The students this year put together two amazing drama performances based on what they had learned with me in Megillat Esther and Ruth. That gave me so much nachath!

Hashem has greatly blessed us with such dedicated students and staff, and the B'erot gardens are flourishing. We have a new couple living at the campus, who have made so many improvements that you won't be able to recognize the B'erot gardens and greenhouse. It is such a blessing, and I thank Hashem every day for sending such dedicated devoted people to help B'erot.

This year, in spite of the financial crisis, we ask you to continue your generosity towards our dear midrasha. It is only friends like yourself who ensure the continued growth of a Midrasha without which many Jewish women may have assimilated, G-d forbid. In fourteen years, Midreshet B'erot Bat Ayin has had a vital impact in establishing hundreds of observant Jewish families, both in Israel and the Diaspora. Your generous donation enables us to extend scholarships to suitable students in need, to improve our program and offer better conditions to the students. We offer you the opportunity to make a dedication or become a sponsor.

Please let us know when you will next be in Israel so that we can help organize transportation to make it easier for you to come visit our midrasha, and see for yourselves the women from all walks of life engaged in vibrant Torah learning at Midreshet B'erot Bat Ayin. You will see the amazing gardens the student are planting while learning Torah sources about the fruits of the land, native plants and herbs.

Wishing you a rejuvenating New Year, may it be a prosperous year for Am Yisrael, a year of building the Land of Israel, a healing year of Shalom! May you enter a year of Simchah, good health, and success in all your endeavors! May you enjoy nachath from your family!

May it be a good and sweet year for you, and yours, may you be inscribed in the book of Life!
With blessings of the Torah & the Land,
Chana Bracha Siegelbaum

Seven Principles on Prayer learned from Chana the Mother of our Prayer
On Rosh Hashana, all the “goods” of our year are determined. Our health, our material needs, finding our soul-mate, and conceiving children. No wonder we read about Chana, the mother of our prayer during the Haftorah of the first day of Rosh Hashana. Chana teaches us how to speak to Hashem in a way that opens us to receive all the abundance that Hashem has in store for us.

1. We learn from Chana, that a woman needs to pray for herself and not rely on the prayers of others on her behalf. Chana had relied on her husband's prayer since he was a tzaddik, but when she realized that he had lost hope, she decided to pray on her own (Malbim, 1 Shmuel 1:9). No matter how righteous our husband, and even if he spends Rosh Hashana in Uman, we, women, must not forget to pray and ask Hashem for our needs!

2. Chana, moreover, teaches us to rely only on Hashem. It did not state that Chana prayed to Hashem, but that “…she prayed on Hashem” (1 Shemuel 1:10). Rather than relying partly in our own efforts, the doctor or the medicine, we need to strengthen our emunah to recognize that it is only Hashem who gives us the strength to act and the doctor the ability to heal.

3. Chana invented a new mode of prayer: She prayed "on Hashem"- for that which Hashem prays and identified with the pain of the Shechina. Rather than praying only for herself, she threw her personal suffering from before her and flung the words of her prayer before Hashem. Her prayer was for the suffering Above that took place because she was now suffering (Rav Chaim of Vollozin, Nefesh Hachayim, Gate 2, Chapter 12).

4. The Hebrew word al which usually means “on” can also be understood to mean against Rabbi Elazar said Chana spoke boldly to G-d as it states: " she spoke against Hashem" (Yalkut Shimoni 78). Chana teaches us to pray like a warrior in a strong and forceful way, arguing with Hashem, demanding our needs by proving that we deserve them, the way of holy chutzpah!

5. On the other hand Chana prays simultaneous like a weak beggar completely dependent on Hashem’s mercy. Rabbi Elazar said, from the day when G-d created the world never had anyone called G-d “L-rd of hosts”, until Chana came and said before him: Master of the Universe from all the soldiers in your world, is it too difficult for you to give me one son? This can be compared to a king who made a party for his servants. One pauper stood in the doorway, and asked for one morsel of bread. They did not pay attention to him. He pushed himself forward and stood before the king and said: from the entire feast which you made is it difficult for you to give me one morsel of bread? (Yalkut Shmuel 78).

6. Chana teaches us to transform depression into prayer “She was bitter of spirit but she prayed…” (1 Shemuel 1:10). She realized that the purpose of her pain and bitterness was only to turn it all over to Hashem and pour out her soul to Him.

7. Chana teaches us not to be afraid to be creative and invent new ways of worship. She broke through normative behavior in her zeal and heartfelt prayer, without being concerned what others would think about her. The intensity of her prayer pierced through conformity, to the extent that Eli the Kohen Gadol thought she was drunk. Indeed she was drunk with prayer!

At Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin we teach women to follow the path of Chana in devout creative service. Our students learn to integrate their personal talents to produce new Torah expressions for the sake of connecting with Hashem and contributing to the greater Jewish community. By donating generously to Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin you earn a part of the Torah of our Mothers and create a vessel to receive all the abundance that Hashem has in store for you.
May your prayer bear fruit and may Hashem grant you all the good desires of your heart!

Gardening Emunah

“Beautifying the entryway to the midrasha with pansies and snapdragons and, in general, planting in Eretz Yisrael is the holiest thing I’ve ever done!”

This coming from a woman learned in gemara who had spent two hours in the garden during our Tu B’Shevat seminar. Here, she learned the emuna of placing plants in the ground, and trusting that Hashem will make them grow. She begged to do three hours of gardening the next morning, she just wanted to be here and breath the clean air.

I have seen women come alive in B’erot’s gardening program. The Torah that they themselves were able to derive from gardening will be with them permanently. I have travelled many hours over the last year to sit at the feet of Rebbetzin Chana Bracha and her wonderful staff – soaking up as much insight as I can before the next class. It's hard to imagine when I personally will have drunk my fill of Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin. I know it is a great privilege to be here and, even if not for what I personally have gained, to participate in the thrills of watching the other students grow and appreciate this place that is like no other.

Meet Sarah & Yochanan - Dorm Mother and King of the Campus!

It’s a sunny afternoon at Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin. Yochanan is sitting in the shade of his porch, while working on a new project. Indeed, since Sarah and Yochanan joined B’erot this year, many new and beautiful improvements came into fruition. Our holy Midrasha looks better each day. Sarah keeps the kitchen ‘‘lab’’ in order and Yochanan is busy hammering, gluing and installing features around the campus. A luxurious greenhouse was built where carrots, beans, watermelon and squash are eagerly waiting to bloom. Each window at the Midrasha campus is now secured with wooden Magen Davids, the ultimate symbol of a Jew’s protection. We enjoy sitting on our sky blue bench that Yochanan converted from an old table.

From where does Yochanan get his strength and creativity? We believe it’s the so-called ‘supreme sugarless chocolate cake’ that Sarah is baking him for Shabbos. The B’erot students too are spoiled with these delicious cakes for their birthdays. Twenty four years of military experience in the US and a successful career as a businessman in housing surely added to Yochanan’s perfection in craftsmanship. While Yochanan was busy building houses in Denver more than ten years ago, Sarah, who is originally from Wupperthal, Germany, was busy buying a house. That’s how they met, the rest is history. Sarah and Yochanan made Aliyah in 1997. The vision they have for B’erot is to make this place a focal point for the local community by teaching people emunah.

The Student Experience
By Esther Shimberg, Student

My name is Esther. I am originally from Berlin, Germany and I am now a proud student of Midreshet B'erot Bat Ayin. After having grown up in the urban environment of Berlin City and having spent some intensive years in New York City, I strongly felt that I needed to build myself, physically, spiritually as well as emotionally in a holistic environment.

I would debate with myself...isn't it more important at this point in my life to work on a career, to work on my future? But do I want to just work for the rest of my life...or do I want to truly live? I decided that I wanted to live. I knew I had to act now and decided immediately to join the wellsprings of learning in the Holy Land of Eretz Yisrael.

B'erot Bat Ayin is one of the most blessed and beautiful places on earth. It is a five star resort for the soul! Everyone who stops by feels the special energy and tranquility that fills the air of Bat Ayin.

Here I am learning to become a mensch. With each class I learn to become a healthier, more balanced and stronger woman, sensitive to the needs of others, to the needs of myself, and to the needs of the world.

The beauty of the nature gives me strength and peace. The meditation and yoga classes assist me to be more in tune with my inner self. Just as we plant the seeds in our Midrasha garden, so does Hashem plant, nourish and help each student grow at Midreshet B'erot Bat Ayin.

$10K Donation for the Sanchez Classroom

We appreciate all our donors who continually support our Holistic Women’s Torah Learning on the Land.

Special thanks go to Odile and Manuel Sanchez for their ongoing support and generous donation this past February of $10,000 to our building fund.

Odile and Manuel, from Eagle Pass, Texas are an inspiration for us all. Together with their three children Marina Shavit (5), Moshe (4) and Aryel Yaakov (2), they serve as a backbone to their community. Manuel and Odile, left the ranching business after years of back breaking work, to dedicate more time for raising their children and for Torah. Since their initial contact with B’erot, their interest and support keep growing. Manuel, who has a passion for "reading anything from Israel,” was immediately inspired by the Torah and humility radiating from B’erot. The holistic approach to bringing women closer to Torah was very appealing to the Sanchez family.

Their dedication to the Jewish education of their own children as well as to the young women at Midreshet B’erot who grow closer to Torah and the Land of Israel is paramount. The three best words one can use to describe the Sanchez family are emunah, ahavat Yisrael & chesed.

Thank you Sanchez family for your amazing generosity and support!
May we lay the cornerstone of our new building and herald the geulah this year!

Dedication Opportunities

We're waiting to hear from you!

Donations of any amount are appreciated!

Learn more about our Chai Club

Learn more about Student and Program Sponsorship

Learn more about Gardening Dedications

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DONATIONS IN ANY AMOUNT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE!
Whether you give a one-time donation or choose to make a monthly committment, your contribution is greatly appreciated!

DONATIONS BY MAIL

For a tax-deductible donation in the USA:
Please make checks out to: American Friends of MBBA

Mail to:

American Friends of MBBA

c/o Leah Gelber
6424 Folger Drive
Charlotte, NC 28270
Tax I.D.: EIN 20-1923745

For a tax-deductible donation in Canada:
Please make checks out to: The Tzaddik Foundation

Mail to:

The Tzaddik Foundation c/o Miriam Kreisman
6592 C. Kildare
Montreal, Quebec
H4W 2Z4
CANADA

For a donation in Israel:
Please make checks out to: Midreshet B'erot Bat Ayin

Mail to: Yishuv Bat Ayin
Gush Etzion 90913
ISRAEL

AUTOMATIC MONTHLY DONATIONS BY CREDIT CARD, BANK TRANSFER (HORA'AT KEVA) OR PAYPAL

PayPal To schedule monthly U.S. tax-deductible donations through PayPal, just click the Donate utton under the amount you would like to give:

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Note: Using PayPal, you can schedule the monthly donation to be payed from your U.S. credit card, debit card, bank account or PayPal funds.

Bank Transfer (Hora'at Keva) To schedule monthly donations from an Israeli bank, just fill out and sign this form and fax it back to us at (02) 993-1215. If you have any questions about scheduling a bank transfer, please call us at (02) 993-4945 or email admin@berotbatayin.org.

Credit Card To schedule monthly donations using your credit card but not using PayPal, including tax-deductible donations in Canada, please send your request to admin@berotbatayin.org