The Havruta Beit Midrash for women at the Oz veGaon preserve is expanding its activities and on the anniversary of its third year of weekly activities on Tuesdays, the Beit Midrash is initiating an additional series of classes on Sundays as well. In addition, the monthly Friday morning lectures continue. Program is attached.
Among the lecturers this coming year at the Beit Midrash, which was established and is managed by Women in Green, will be Rabbanit Shanit Taragin, Rav Ya’akov Fischer, Avital Sharansky, Dr. Eyal Davidson, Dr. Navah Tavger, Rav Yitzhak Levi, Rav David Nativ, Rav Haim Falk, Rav Haim Iram, Rabbanit Shlomit Rosen and others. The varied subjects to be studied at the Beit Midrash range from matters connected to the weekly Torah portion through chapters in the teaching of Rav Kook, Kings and prophecy to the history of music and art workshops.
A stable core of about fifty women from Gush Etzion and the surrounding area was formed around the bet midrash and many more join this nucleus.
Two special tours marked the conclusion of this third year of studies. The tours were led by Rav Yitzhak Levy and Rav David Nativ, who also serves as the senior advisor to the entire program.
Rav Nativ summarizes the year of studies and tells of the tour that focused on the scene of King David’s birthplace, but he begins his words with the importance of studying especially at Oz veGaon: “One can study the Bible anywhere, but studying at Oz veGaon has an additional value. This place commemorates the memory of the three murdered youths; this is a new corner of the Land of Israel and it has created a Jewish presence at Gush Etzion Junction in the direction of Beit Fajr. It is a bustling place, full of activity, especially in the summer when many groups come to learn at the place, to hold meetings there, to camp there, etc. All of this is consistent with learning the Prophets and intensifies it”.
About the Bible study series, Rav Nativ says: “The idea is to learn the Bible with a comprehensive perspective. This year we went from Genesis to Chronicles and we touched a little on every book in order to create a chronological sequence with the understanding that time and place give a special dimension to the content of each and every book. Our generation has a privilege that previous generations did not have, which is the privilege to study the Bible in the Land of Israel, in the places where the incidents of the Bible occurred. Familiarity with the places gives special depth to our understanding of the chapters and strengthens the connection to the Land”.
As noted, the series of classes on the Prophets concluded with a tour of David’s footsteps. “We studied the book of Shmuel and went to an observation point in Har Gilo to view Beit Lehem, David’s birthplace, the border between the mountain and the desert, the agricultural occupations of the Yishai family, the sheep herding from Beit Lehem eastward; we stood on the boundary between the mountainous part and the Judean Desert”, and all of this while connecting passages in the Bible with the view of Giv’at Sha’ul, which is north of Jerusalem, a distant point, but one which is possible to identify even from the point where the participants of the tour were standing.
Rav Nativ also gives us a glimpse of what can be expected in the next series of studies, saying that the subject he intends to expand upon is the topic of prophecy and the Prophets. “The foundation of the Bible is faith in the existence of prophecy, but what is prophecy? Many of the sages of Israel have written on this topic, but in the classes we will anchor the words with verses. “We will “stroll” through the entire Bible and discuss matter of prophecy, how does prophecy work, what does the prophet see, what are miracles, what are symbolic acts, magic, who are the false prophets, what is the difference between Moshe’s prophecy and that of the other prophets, relationships between the kings and the prophets and more”.
Renee Margolis, one of the original members of Women in Green, sees the tours with Rav Nativ and Rav Levy as the “cherry on top of the whipped cream of the studies”. She began as a student of the Beit Midrash and today is one of the organizers and movers of the ever-broadening initiatives.
“These tours bring the Bible studies to life. After learning in class, we experience the the events on the ground”, she says, and adds that studying in the Beit Midrash has become the highlight of her week. “It is a pleasure to see how, every week, so many women derive so much from these studies. The rabbis and the classes in the Beit Midrash maintain a high level, inspiring the dozens of women who come consistently and there are some who would like to extend the studies throughout the entire year”.
Margolis notes the unique variety of classes anticipated for the next year of studies, which will include classes in music and art. The areas of study, she explains, will become more open and will include new and additional perspectives.
Margolis’ partner in organizing the Beit Midrash is Shira Shreier, who adds: “It is a pleasure and a privilege to learn in such a special, inspiring and spiritual place, in the white tent, among the cypress trees (yes, there is air-conditioning and heating) with the huge windows looking out to the beautiful paths of the Oz veGaon nature preserve. The knowledge that the site was established in memory of the three youths adds another dimension of importance to studying Torah in the place as an expression of “growth through pain”, which characterizes Oz veGaon”.
“The presence in this historic place strengthens our position here and strengthens our connection with the holy ground of Gush Etzion in the heart of the Land. It is in this area where stories of the Bible took place – our forefathers and mothers lived here, the judges, the prophets and the kings of our people. As Rav David Nativ likes to say as he teaches about a war or other event described in the passages: “There is nothing new under the sun” and draws the connection between the situation today and the situation at the time, emphasizing the eternal relevance of the messages of the Book of Books and their importance for us today”.
It should be noted that along with the regular studies in the Beit Midrash, there are also monthly classes by guest lecturers on Fridays on a key topic of the month. The coming season will begin on the 22nd of Elul with a discussion and prayer meeting with Simha Goldin, and later in the season we will meet Rav Haim Falk for a conversation on the struggle of Rav Hanan Porat, obm, to maintain Kever Rahel in Israeli hands; a discussion on the connection between the Zionist youth and the City of the Fathers with Dr. Yoram Almakayes; a personal discussion on the General Day of Kaddish and Heroes of the Holocaust with Authoress Zehava Kor; a lecture byarchitect Avraham Shvut on the plan for settlement growth; a meeting with Natan Sharansky, who tells the story of his exodus from “Egypt”; a discussion with Brig. Gen. Avigdor Kahalani near Yom haZikaron and Yom Ha’atzma’ut and a meeting on stories of Jerusalem with Dr. Eyal Davidson.
We would also like to mention that in addition to the Beit Midrash for women, there is also a daily Beit Midrash for men at the Oz veGaon preserve, led by Rav Mordechai (Mor) Bergman. Every evening, men from the surrounding communities gather at the preserve for a daily group learning session led by the Rav.
Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar, the directors of the Beit Midrash, note the importance of integrating learning, faith and Jewish thought with Torah learning, another element that will be expressed during the coming year of studies and above all, they emphasize, is the importance of strengthening the Jewish presence and clinging to the Land in the heart of Gush Etzion and strengthening the preserve, which is a cultural, ideological and educational center for many, adults and youths alike, from all parts of the Land.
The program of this coming year for the Bet midrash and monthly Friday lectures can be found here
For details: Renee Margolis 054-7103240 Shira Shreier 054-7615402
Yehudit Katsover 050-7161818 Nadia Matar 050-5500834