Our Staff
Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum Director / Tanach / Women in the Bible
Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum, a native of Denmark, is founder and director of Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin: Holistic Torah Study for Women on the Land. She holds a Bachelor of Education in Bible and Jewish Philosophy from Michlala Jerusalem College for Women, and a Masters of Art in Jewish History from Touro College. Rebbetzin Chana Bracha creates curricula emphasizing women’s spiritual empowerment through traditional Torah values. In 2010 she published her first book, Women at the Crossroads: A Woman’s Perspective on the Weekly Torah Portion. Her second book Ruth: Gleaning the Fallen Sparks was published in 2012, and her third book The Seven Fruits of the Land of Israel with their Mystical & Medicinal Properties is published by Menorah Books in 2014. In addition, the Rebbetzin practices EmunaHealing as a gifted spiritual healer through Emunah, tefilah and energy work. Chana Bracha has a married son and several granddaughters, and lives with her husband and younger son on the land of the Judean hills, Israel.
Rabbi Mechael Siegelbaum, MD Rabbi of B’erot / Halacha / Jewish Meditation
Rabbi Dr. Siegelbaum holds a BA in Philosophy and Psychology from Yale University, and an MD from Rutgers Medical School, New Jersey. Rabbi Mechael received his rabbinical ordination from Toras Zekeinim, Jerusalem in 1987.
In addition to teaching Halacha in B’erot Bat Ayin, he practices medicine in various clinics.
Rabbi Avraham Itzkovitz Jewish Thought
Avraham spent the first 16 years of his life on American army bases in Europe and the United States while attending litvish style yeshivot, after which he made aliyah with his family to Jerusalem. After high school, he pursued his hobbies of rock keybordist/songwriter, creative writing and BMX biking while tutoring at Yeshivat Ohr Sameach and working in the optometry industry. His hobbies led him to Manhattan where he almost signed a record contract with Atlantic Records, but Hashem had other plans for him. Avraham returned to Jerusalem, worked as a landscape artist whilst studying psychology and anthropology at the Hebrew University. At the age of 27, he ‘retired’ to come study full time at the Bat Ayin Yeshiva for seven years. Avraham, his wife and 5 children live in Bat Ayin, where he teaches, practices safrut and therapy.
Rav Hillel Benchimol Parashat HaShavua
Born and raised in Gibraltar in southern Spain, Rabbi Benchimol at age 16 learnt in Sunderland Yeshiva, England and Beer Yakov, Israel. He received Semicha from Rabbi Shalom Messas זצ״ל, Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu זצ״ל and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach זצ״ל. Served as Rabbi of the Turkish, Iranian and Iraqi communities in Miami and Los Angeles for over 20 years. A certified active Mohel since 1992, Rabbi Benchimol is married to Keter, has 6 children and lives in Moshav Aviezer in the Ella valley Israel.
Tsipi Egert Neviim (The Prophets)
Tsipi Egert grew up in Israel where she attended high school. She received her B.A. in Jewish History from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Tsipi has been teaching Nevi’im (The Prophets) at Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin since 1998 and has a Master’s in Education in Tanach from Herzog College. She is currently obtaining a MA at Bar Ilan University towards a PhD in Tanach. Tsipi lives with her family in Efrat, Gush Etzion.
Sarah Prijs
Sarah has an extensive Torah education from various perspectives – from Old Gateshead seminary to B’erot Bat Ayin, Orayta summer program and learning at Shiviti. She has a BSc in psychology from BPP University in London. Sarah has been on her own internal journey to discover and receive the light, transformational wisdom and Divine connection available in the Torah. A lover of everything connected to the Torah of early chassidut, with a focus on the Torah of Rebbe Nachman and the writings of Rav Kook, she delves deeply into the texts of our tradition, while facilitating others to find their own connection and transformation as well.
Yedida Miriam Levy
Yedida Miriam grew up in UK and made aliyah early on. With a passion for education, and a background in theatre, she spent ten years teaching in Jerusalem, before returning to Bat Ayin in 2018. Her passion is ‘tutoring’, teaching the Holy texts, and Hebrew ~ making it accessible to students.
Devorah Konikov Tefilla
Originally from New York, Devorah made aliyah with her husband in 1996. She is currently studying Torat HaNefesh (psychology & Torah) based on the Ba’al Shem Tov. She has a close connection with and experience as a tour guide at Machon HaMikdash (The Temple Institute). In addition to classes on tefilla, we are privileged to be able to offer to our students her extensive knowledge of the past two Temples and b’ezrat Hashem the 3rd and final Beit HaMikdash (Temple).
Devorah lives in Bat Ayin with her husband. They have 10 children and one granddaughter.
Na’ama Gertsch Meditative Healing Movement
Na’ama Gertsch, born in Switzerland, is a certified midwife and a trained Yoga teacher. She received her 200-hour Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India in 2018, and 45 hours Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training with Deddou Schaller, Zurich, Switzerland in 2020. Na’ama is currently studying at Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin, while also attending the Jewish Yoga Course through the 12 Mystical Hebrew Months with Jenna Zadaka from Breath & Soul Yoga based in Jerusalem, Israel.