Join us in the Serene Natural Setting of Bat Ayin for a Holistic, Healing, Nutritious 1-Week Retreat Program!

Learn & Earn!
Learn in our Midrasha program, and find seasonal work with local families for Pesach Holiday preparation.

*Stretch your mind, body & soul through Torah learning, Prayer, Healing Movement, Song, and Nutritious Meals!
*Learn Spiritual Insights about Pesach!
*Dive into the depths of the Haggadah!
*Discover the freedom in the natural beauty of the Judean foothills, hike in the tranquil hills, and breathe fresh air!
*Connect to Eretz Israel the way only a gardener can!
*Make new friends and be part of our supportive community of like-minded women!

Join us for an intense mini-program with a special focus on the secrets of the freedom of Passover!

Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin: Holistic Torah for Women on the Land is for women who seek to delve deeply into their soul through intensive textual study and creative expression. We engage women of all ages and nationalities in intense Torah study. We offer classes suitable for both frum-from-birth as well as students whose interest in Torah has recently been ignited.

Do you want to fill the gaps in your basic Torah knowledge? And/or are you ready to reignite your personal Torah connection through discovering inner dimensions of the Torah? Then Midreshet  B’erot Bat Ayin is the right place for you. Our program offers learning for mind, body and soul!

Whether you are new in Torah, or you are seeking a wider perspective, Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin offers the opportunity to improve your learning skills while strengthening your commitment to Judaism within the parameters of halacha. The open-minded atmosphere at Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin will allow you to discover the rich variety of Torah approaches, while forming your own outlook and learning from the views of others.

Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum, Director
Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum, a native of Denmark, is founder and director of Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin: Holistic Torah for Women on the Land. She holds a Bachelor of Education in Bible and Jewish Philosophy from Michlala Jerusalem College for Women, and a Master’s of Art in Jewish History from Touro College. Rebbetzin Chana Bracha creates curricula emphasizing women’s spiritual empowerment through traditional Torah values. She has published the following books: Women at the Crossroads: A Woman’s Perspective on the Weekly Torah Portion; Ruth: Gleaning the Fallen Sparks; The Seven Fruits of the Land of Israel with their Mystical & Medicinal Properties; Parasha Meditations for Spiritual Renewal and Strengthening Communication with the Creator and My Memoir: The Story of a Danish Jew who Fled the Nazis. 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.

Ruth – Gleaning the Fallen Sparks
Why was Ruth, a convert from the lowest of people, selected to become the mother of Royalty? This question, together with topics such as: “The true Nature of Kindness,” “Love of the Land of Israel,” and “How to bring about Redemption” will be elucidated, as we analyze the text with classical and mystical commentaries, from midrash to Arizal. The book of Ruth takes place during the bleak period of “the Judges,” its lack of unity and central leadership foreshadowing our current time. Ruth the mother of Royalty is the perfect role model and inspiration for women who aspire to walk in her path of righteousness and make a difference in the world. She is explicitly a role model for the many righteous converts who join the Jewish people. Ruth inspires us through her special qualities with which she was able to shine her light in the dark times; and eventually bring about the sprout of Mashiach through the birth of her great-grandchild King David. The characters of the Book of Ruth will come to life through drama and art.

Women of Tanakh
A Textual, Mystical & Creative Exploration of Women Who Built the House of Israel
Chana Bracha Siegelbaum has been researching and teaching women in Tanach for about thirty years. Her teachings always empower women while bringing new sources and a fresh perspective highlighting the importance the Women’s role in the Torah. Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum offers presentations through selected texts. We will learn and discuss selected texts from the Torah, Midrash, Chassidut, and Kabbala to weave together and amplify the personalities of these holy women. Creative writing, art, & drama will help make the struggles and aspirations of these inspirational role models come to life. A comprehensive source sheet in Hebrew/English accompanies the textual study of each of the classes integrating, Bible texts, Midrash, Chassidism, and sometimes Kabbalah.

Netivot Shalom on the Parasha
Rav Shalom Noach Berezovsky, the Slonimer Rebbe, expresses a rare combination of gifts in his masterpiece the Netivot Shalom. Blending the warmth of the Chassidic approach with the sharp clarity of the Lithuanian yeshiva, the Slonimer Rebbe responds to relevant issues that pertain directly to dilemmas we struggle with today. His inspiring teachings foster ethical and spiritual growth for those who aspire to get closer to Hashem, as Rav Berezovsky addresses issues such as spiritual estrangement, wrestling with base desires and temptations, and serial failure. For each challenge of modern life, the Rebbe offers both prescriptions and encouragement. In this class, students will practice reading and translating the relatively easy Chassidic text, as well as discussing its concepts and how to apply them in life.

Herbal Workshop, Torah & Healing
The Herbal Workshop integrates vast information of the ancient wisdom of our Torah about plants, herbology, nutrition and health with traditional folk medicine and medical research. The course delves into textual Torah sources on herbs and healing, as well as general knowledge of the use of herbs. We will focus on the seven holy fruits of the Land of Israel with their mystical and medicinal properties. A comprehensive source sheet in Hebrew/English accompanies the textual study of each of the classes integrating, Bible texts, Midrash, chassidism kabbalah, folk medicine and medical research.

Rabbi Mechael Siegelbaum, MD, Rabbi of B’erot
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, Rabbi Siegelbaum learns Torah part time, is active in the Bat Ayin central synagogue, where he serves as the Gabbi and practices medicine in Bat Ayin and various other clinics.

Halacha
Rav Siegelbaum will discuss the halacha pertinent to the High Holidays. In addition, to learning the “how” of the mitzvot, the student will come to appreciate the process of the development and transmission of halacha from the written and oral Torah till contemporary halachic responsas.

Rav Daniel Kohn
Rav Daniel Kohn is the rabbi of Bat Ayin. He has taught hundreds of students, uniquely combining the world of Torah learning, Jewish mysticism, and deep psychological insight. A talented musician and composer, Rav Daniel’s own spiritual path took him from university studies at Columbia College to many years of yeshiva learning and to ordination by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, Rav Zalman Nechmia Goldberg and the “Crown of Wisdom” by Rav Avraham Farbshtein. Deeply rooted in Talmud and halacha, Rav Daniel also draws his innovative insights from his profound knowledge of Maharal, Kabbala, Rav Kook, and Chassidut, especially the teachings of the first Lubavitcher Rebbe and his student Rav Aaron Halevi. Rav Daniel lectures and conducts meditation retreats and personal growth seminars for groups, academic staff, and communities throughout Israel. Rav Daniel has produced three music albums and recently published a learning package and book (in Hebrew) called The Siddur as a Spiritual Journey soon to be published in English.

The Continued Path to Freedom
“There is no free person except one that is involved in Torah” (Pirkei Avot 6:2). We will continue our journey of freedom from the Pesach Haggadah telling the story of our passage from enslavement to redemption. The classes will excite your imagination and provide you with the basis for a powerful reception of the Torah on Shavuot.

Morah Tsipi Egert  
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 H*erzog College. She is currently obtaining a MA at Hebrew University towards a PhD in Tanach. Tsipi lives with her family in Efrat, Gush Etzion.

The Haftorah (The Weekly Prophet Reading)
Our Shabbat and holiday readings from the Torah are accompanied by parallel readings taken from the books of the Prophets. Each reading acts as a commentary or an expansion of an idea from the Torah reading, or one connected to the holiday at hand. In this course, we will take an intimate look at selected readings from the prophets chosen by our sages to illuminate the weekly Torah reading (Parashat Hashavua). We will study the special Haftarot of this time period in order to delve into the significance of the time flow of Elul and the Tishrei holidays and gain a deeper understanding of their significance to our lives. In this course, we will get acquainted with books we may have heard about, but never had the chance to learn. We will focus on selected Bible texts that will assist us in understanding the uniqueness of the Jewish Bible, the Tanach. We will explore questions such as “Who wrote what?” “When?” “How was it transmitted through the ages?” “In which ways has the Tanach revolutionized the spiritual outlook of the world?”

Rabbi Avraham Iskowitz   
Rabbi Izkowitz spent the first 16 years of his life on American army bases in Europe and the United States while attending litvish yeshivot, after which he made aliyah with his family to Jerusalem. After high school, he pursued his hobbies as a rock keyboardist and songwriter, creative writer, and BMX biker, 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 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.

Pirkei Avot – Ethics of our Fathers
Come join us with Our spiritual fathers as they guide us on a path that will ensure our continuous growth towards moral perfection and character refinement.

Morah Devorah Konikov
Devorah is a mother and grandmother, raising growing family in Bat Ayin for 21 years. She is striving and thriving with life skills ingrained from learning chassidut. Devorah is a long-time student of Rav Yitzchak Ginsburgh shlita.

Climbing the Ladder of Tefilah
Tefilla can be viewed as the ladder to self-transformation. We will learn the inner meanings of our daily tefilot, going deep into the words, to emerge rejuvenated and strengthened to fulfill our roles in life.

Morah Avital Gastwirth
Avital Gastwirth teaches at Ulpanat Orly and is a certified kallah teacher. She studied in Nishmat’s Yoetzet Halacha course and Machon Puah’s Yoetzet Refua V’halacha (halachic medical counselor) course. In addition to her degree in Tanach, Israel studies, and education from Michlelet Herzog, Morah Avital brings a wealth of fascinating experiences to our midrasha as a previous editor of Mizrachi Magazine, coordinator of various educational programs, and as a talented artist. She lives in Alon Shvut with her husband and children.

Parashat HaShavua
Delve into the depth of the weekly Torah portion integrating textual and inner dimensions of the Torah with practical takeaways for bettering ourselves. In this class you will receive a broad perspective on how the parsha pertains to our lives today.

Rav Kook’s Teachings on Torat Yisrael
“The revelation of the secrets of Torah in the last generation, in order to purify the hearts and to fill the minds with noble thoughts, whose source lies in the secrets of Torah, this is an absolute necessity in the last generation to ensure the survival of Judaism” (Orot HaKodesh, Part 1, P. 141). Rav Kook is known as our modern-day prophet, a visionary whose spiritual and redemptive teachings speak to the individual, the people of Israel, and humanity as a whole. Together we will explore Rav Kook’s outlook on the inner wisdom of the Torah based on his Letters, and in his books, Orot, Orot HaTorah, Orot HaT’shuva, and Orot HaKodesh.

Morah Kochava Rozenbaum
Kochava is the current Dorm Mother of Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin and lives on campus with her husband and three children. She especially enjoys teaching and one-on-one tutoring at the midrasha, going on special tiyulim and creating a lively and warm atmosphere on campus. Aside from her role as Dorm Mother she is a creative content writer and ceramics arts teacher.

Creative Expression
This class will focus on bringing Torah to life through various forms of artistic expression. In a warm classroom setting, we’ll express our Torah through creative expressions of various arts and crafts. We will also place a special focus on celebrating and bringing out each student’s own style and unique way of seeing the world! Each class combines a segment of theory, practice, and analysis of our works in a warm, encouraging, and non-competitive atmosphere.

Morah Miriam Raphael
Miriam grew up in Israel and has been involved in Jewish education for 20 years. She lives in Bat Ayin Bet with her husband and four children.

Interpersonal Relationships in the Torah
In this study group we will focus on sources from the Torah, midrash and chazal about interpersonal relationships. Each class will present texts on a different type of relationship within the family, between man and a woman, children and parents, between siblings and within the greater society. We will discuss how to build our personality from what we learn and how the Torah stories inspires a higher level of ethics and morality in our interpersonal relationships.