HAVRUTA BEIT MIDRASH FOR WOMEN IN OZ VEGAON

Oz VeGaon Nature Preserve: Growth from Pain

Oz VeGaon is the nature preserve in the heart of Judea, established in the summer of 2014 by the Women in Green and residents of Judea, with the encouragement of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, as a Zionist response to the murder by Arab terrorists of the three boys:  Gil-ad Shaer, Ayal Yifrach and Naftali Fraenkel hy”d (Gaon is a Hebrew acrostic of their first names).

The horrendous account of their abduction and murder spurred us to take action in order to strengthen the bond between the People of Israel and the Land of Israel and, to this end, we have organized a wide range of classes, seminars, workshops, and special events from the first day we ascended to the site.

The preserve is located on state land, within the official boundaries of Gush Etzion, and since our ascent to the site, it has grown into a flourishing center of education, culture and tourism.

Groups from high schools, yeshivas and seminaries, IDF preparatory schools, and various organizations both locally and from abroad visit the preserve, enjoying a Zionist experience with an emphasis on education, values and social activity, while forming an authentic bond with Eretz Yisrael through physical work, removing stones, clearing pathways, planting and building.

Oz veGaon Havruta Beit Midrash for Women: Connecting to the Soul, the Land of Israel and the People of Israel

The Oz veGaon Havruta Beit Midrash for Women was established last year bringing together women from Efrat, Gush Etzion, Jerusalem, Kiryat Arba and Hevron.

Over the course of the year, four different classes in Nach (Prophets and Writings) were offered on Tuesday mornings by outstanding lecturers, many of whom introduced a Chassidic flavor to the study of the ancient texts and classic commentaries. Special early evening lectures for the general public on topics revolving around the Jewish calendar were given in the framework of the Beit Midrash by Rav Dov Zinger, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Mekor Chaim, and by Racheli Fraenkel, mother of Naftali hy”d, who teaches Halacha and Talmud .

“We want the sound of Torah to be heard in Oz VeGaon, connecting to the soul, to the Land of Israel and to the People of Israel, speaking to everyone in its varied keys and ascending heaven-ward in perfect harmony,” say Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar, co-heads of Women in Green.

The Beit Midrash is housed in a large white tent nestled in a redolent pine forest in the midst of the Oz VeGaon nature preserve. This location is a reflection of the desire to strive for “tzmicha mi’toch ke’ev,” growth from pain, as a large sign in front of a forester’s house from the Jordanian period there proclaims.

An exciting new schedule of classes will begin after Sukkot. Women from throughout the world are invited to join and become virtual students of the Beit Midrash. All classes (in Hebrew) are video recorded and archived on the Women in Green YouTube channel. This is another step towards fostering unity among Am Yisrael, in memory of the three boys.

What better place could there be to study Tanach than in the inspiring setting of Oz VeGaon Nature Preserve, where the words of the prophets are coming alive? We are fortunate to have the opportunity to witness the realization of those words with our own eyes in the heart of Eretz Yisrael.

We hope you will choose to partner with us!

Classes can be dedicated in honor or in memory of a loved one.

Sponsorship Opportunities at the Havruta Beit Midrash, Oz VeGaon

One class: $100

One morning (4 classes): $400

One month: $1600

One semester: $6000

Click here to view our class schedule