Category: Learning Centers

Yeshivat Shem V’Ever –B’nai Noach

Rabbis David Katz and Chaim Clorfene have established a yeshivah for B’nai Noach in Tzfat. This is the only yeshivah a

nywhere in the world where individuals who identify as followers of the Noahide Laws are able to study Torah under the direction of ordained Orthodox rabbis. The yeshivah also offers a conversion track for those that are interested, which will prepare the individual giur (conversion).

Bnai Noach

According to Jewish tradition, God gave seven mitzvoth – commandments – to non-Jews. B’nai Noach, also known as Noachides, are non-Jews who accept the truth of Torah and faithfully observe the Seven Laws of Noah. According to Rashi (Maimonides), any human being who faithfully observes these laws will earn a place in heaven. The seven Noahide laws include:

*1. Acknowledge that there is only one G-d

*2. Don’t curse God or take God’s name in vain.

*3. Don’t commit murder

*4. Don’t commit adultery

*5. Don’t steal

*6. Don’t eat the flesh of a living animal

*7. Establish courts of law

Bnai Noach Yeshiva of Shem V’Ever

The Bnai Noach Yeshiva of Shem and Ever is located right next to the historical Shem and Ever synagogue. It was, on this site, that the son and grandson of Noach studied Torah after the flood. According to legend, Jacob also studied in this cave and at this site he received the message that his beloved son Yosef had been killed (the young man had, in fact, been kidnapped and was later found to be living in Egypt).

Rabbi Katz, founder of SoulMazal, and Rabbi Clorfene, co-author of The Path of the Righteous Gentile, the seminal guide for Noahides, have founded Yeshivat Shem V’Ever. In addition to the Torah classes themselves, the yeshivah offers classes for people who are preparing to work with B’nai Noach and potential B’nai Noach.

The World of the Ger

In addition to the yeshivah, the book The World of the Ger, written by Rabbi Clorfene and Rabbi Katz, is available. In the book, Rabbis Katz and Clorfene present information which aids the Noahide on his unique journey. While Judaism recognizes and respects B’nai Noach, until now little has been done to facilitate the dissemination of information for people who are considering the Noahide path. The World of the Ger aims to provide support and guidance for Noahides worldwide.

Ultimately, the project aims to re-establish the status of the Biblical Ger Toshav, and prepare and educate for it’s re-establishment.

To contact the Yeshivah, write to Rabbi David Katz at soulmazal@yahoo.com

April 23, 2025
Tzfat Mikve

The Jewish laws regarding women’s’ immersion in a mikveh, a Jewish ritual bath, are complex and exacting. Not exciting. That is, until one feels the spiritual uplifting that the experience can offer. Bringing women to that spiritual plane is the goal of Women’s Tent, a unique project of the Tsfat Mikveh and Education Center founded by Nachal Novea Mekor Chochma, Breslov Tsfat.

Womenspace

Located in the mikveh facility on the very spot where Elijah the Prophet revealed secrets to the Holy Ari, the fifteenth century kabbalistic master, Nachal Novea is building a special “womenspace” and Henna Room. Creative learning experiences through workshops, lectures, group tours and special events are designed to increase the understanding and spiritual uplifting that women can gain from participating in this special commandment which God gave to women alone.

Most mikves are located in plain and simple surroundings, built so that women can quickly shower and immerse in the

mikve. The immersing woman recites a special blessing and returns home. But, the Nachal Novea mikve has built a “spiritual spa,” which opened in 2006, and is the largest and most modern mikveh facility in the entire Galilee and Golan.

In addition to adhering to the laws regarding women’s ritual needs at a mikve, the Nachal Novea mikve is designed to provide a respectful and nurturing environment to allow women to see the fulfillment of this commandment on the high spiritual level that it is. The mikve includes a separate preparation room, transport chair and mikveh for handicapped women, all of which were specially planned and designed by the rehabilitation center at Tel Hashomer Hospital.

In addition to the 14 luxurious preparation rooms, the facility also holds an elegant waiting room, beauty salon, consultation room and first aid room. The mikveh has separate passages for entry and exit, providing additional modesty and privacy. Special attention has been given to the different customs and cultural backgrounds (Ashkenazi and Sephardi) of the women the mikveh serves.

It is also designed with the highest halachic and aesthetic standards along with the most advanced comp

uter technology-making it the most unique mikveh facility in all of Israel.

Women’s Activities and Workshops

The major goal of the mikveh is educational, to promote women’s body- soul awareness towards this discreet mitzvah and towards that end, a large itinerary of women’s programs are being created. These include Arts and Culture Workshops (music, dance and visual arts), a Cooperative Gallery (to showcase womens’ services, talents and creations), Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) Gatherings (for women to connect and inspire each other ), henna parties for brides and a Health Resource Library with free counseling service offering a safe and discreet resource for women.

Elisheva Mirvis, developer of the Tsfat Mikve and its programs, explains: “The Kabbalah teaches us that when Hashem (God) destroyed the Second Temple, the “Shechina” (feminine aspect of the divine) retreated to Tsfat and it is here she is waiting for redemption. So too it is here in Tsfat that the Divine is being awakened by the connection of women to each other and to their wellspring of spirituality and purity”.

www.tsfatmikve.com

April 23, 2025
Tsfat Retreat Personalities

Estair Kaufman –

Nia instructor, Practitioner of Quantum Techniques & E.F.T. (Meridian Tapping) & Reconnective Healer (energy healing)

Originally from Czechoslovakia, Estair grew up in Belgium where she studied fashion design and fine art. To this day, Estair paints professionally, creating intricate paintings that fuse harmony and wholeness (see www.estair-kaufman.com and www.torontoimageworks.com/esthair ). From the age of 18, she developed an interest in health, also with a relationship to wholeness. This set her on a beautiful journey, developing as a healer and becoming a mother of four. Working as a labor coach, she learned how to make space for the magnificent essence and potential of people to unfold, which was a magical experience for Estair. This then led her on a path of mind- body connection and studies of Dr Sarno’s approach and Nia (see below for a description of Nia). She learned Psycho-Spiritual therapy with Efim Svirsky as well as energy medicine approaches including T.A.T. (Tapas Acupressure Technique), E.F.T. (Emotional Freedom Technique), Quantum Techniques (wwwquatumtechiques.com) and Reconnective Healing. Estair is happy to meet on-on-one during the retreat.

A Note ON Nia

Five years ago, Estair became a Nia instructor. Based on a fusion of Western and Eastern philiosophy, Nia (Neuromuscluar Integrative Action) works to integrate the mind, spirit, body and emotional being. A blending of movements from modern dance,Tai Chi, yoga, jazz dance, Tai Kwan Do, Aikido, Duncan dance, Feldenkrais and The AlexanderTechnique – Nia improves muscle tone, concentration, posture, reduces stress and imbues a state of happiness and inspiration. It looks like dance, feels delicious and is loads of fun. Estair has taught Nia to groups of women in Toronto and Israel.

Susan Zehavi – healer

Susan Zehavi, D.Ac, has been a Healing Practitioner for over 15 years. Sparked by a need to heal herself, Susan studied Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Nutritional Counseling, Lymph Drainage Massage, Iridology, TuiNa Massage, Psych

oSpiritual Healing from a Torah perspective and Principled Living, a method of finding your own health from the inside out. Her integrative techniques help people who need to blend conventional and alternative medicines, with a goal to help everyone live life to their fullest potential.

Joy Strauss – yoga instructor

Joy has been practicing yoga for 18 years and she teaches a combination of Iyengar, Ashtanga, and Yin Yoga. She also offers Cranialsacral Therapy and Swedish Massage In which she incorporates acupressure, foot reflexology and craniosacral therapy into he

r massages. Joy’s training is through the UCSC Holistic Health Program. (University of California at Santa Cruz). Joy works on women of all ages and with different physical issues.

Chava Rachel Saban – musician

Chava Rachel Saban began to play the violin at the age of four. At eleven, she also began to play the flute. After studying classical music in various conservatories, she worked as a professional violinist in the New Haven symphony orchestra. At the age of 21, a car accident changed the course of her musical career. Chava Rachel began to heal both her body and soul through her own voice, harmonizing with her violin. Today, Chava lives in Tzfat with her husband and growing family. She has produced six CDs and teaches violin, flute, and voice to children and women. Chava Rachel has adopted a healthy lifestyle and her children are home-schooled. She utilizes her gift of music as a form of prayer and feels that when she is singing and playing, she is helping to bring about the promised Redemption of the Jewish people.

Allison Ofanansky – author and environmentalist

Allison Ofanansky was born and raised in the US, where she first became involved in environmental and social activism

. In 1996 she and her husband Shmuel made aliyah and began organizing ecological activities in and around Tzfat. She helped to found the non-profit Center for Healthy Living in Tzfat. Allison offers ecology and “eco—peace” activities for children and adults through the Center and at various festivals and community events. She is the author of three children’s books and works as an editor of academic books and articles. She lives with her husband and daughter in Kaditah where she enjoys hiking, gardening and harvesting and eating the fruits of the seasons.

Sheva Chaya Shaiman – artist

Light, color, joy and depth define the work of Tzfat artist, Sheva Chaya Shaiman. Sheva Chaya grew up in Denver, Colorado, where wide open skies and the majestic Rocky Mountains inspired her to begin her career as an artist. She studied at Princeton University, majoring in visual arts and art history, with a concentration in painting. After graduating from Princeton in 1997, Sheva Chaya immigrated to Israel. There, the land, the people, and a rich tradition of spiritual teachings brought a new, deeper dimension to her work. Sheva Chaya now loves living in the Old City of Tzfat, Israel, with her husband and five children. Sheva Chaya is a glassblower as well. As she blows glass

into shape before your very eyes, Sheva Chaya explains the inner mystical levels of glass. She explores this is reference to expanding our consciousness and deepening our understanding of our relationships with others.

Smadar Cohen – Pilates instructor

A native of Israel, Smadar graduated from Tel Aviv University with degrees in both Literature and Middle East studies. She also received certificates in both Aromatherapy from the Reidman College of Complementary Medicine, and certificates for Classical Homeopathy from Medicine School. Smadar has a wealth of knowledge and experience in Naturopathy and loves to share this with her clients. From an early age, Smadar has had a passion for dancing – particularly in both modern dance and classical ballet. She danced with the famed Bat-Dor ballet company for a few years. Part of her training as a dancer included instruction in Pilates. After the army, Smader was hired as one of the instructors at the first institute of Pilates in Israel. In conjunction with the Bat-Dor ballet company. Smadar was fortunate to have learned with a master instructor who had been a student of Pilatus – the originator of the Pilates method. Smadar, one of Israel’s premier instructors of Pilates, has been teaching for close to thirty years. The most rewarding aspect of this experience has been her role as a true healer. Through this physical body work, Smadar is given the opportunity to reach each participant and to partake in their individual hea

ling of mind, body and soul.

Imke Halpern – Herbalist and Maker of Organic Tofu

About twenty years have passed since Imke Halpern relocated from Europe with her husband, mother-in-law, and eight children, choosing to settle in Kadita, a small village in the Galilee mountains between Tzfat and Meron. Imke and her family have since established an “ecological mind” on the piece of land they care for. With assistance from neighbors, they have established a water recycling system, composting, high gardens, a biological composting toilet, rainwater collection, and a wind turbine. In 2001, Imke’s husband passed away, and from then on, Imke focused primarily on her small organic tofu production workshop to support her family. Imke has taken advantage of medicinal herbs to heal her family and others throughout the years. Imke is creative and resourceful and is always involved in methods of home production such as growing organic vegetables, creating herbal essences, sewing, felting, and bread making.

David Friedman – Jewish meditation and kabbalistic artist

David Friedman grew up in a Modern Orthodox home in Denver Colorado. He became interested in art at an early age, and this became quite serious by his teen years. David was mostly inspired by the artwork of album covers and mystical art, such as Eastern mandalas. David attended art school, however he left after one year to pursue the study of Torah and Jewish Mysticism. David moved to Israel as a young adult and continued his Torah studies, his art, and combining these two passions. David developed an original system of translating kabbalistic concepts into graphic shapes and colors based on sacred texts. In 1987, while living in Tzfat with his wife Miriam and his growing family, David was diagnosed with cancer and underwent months of chemotherapy. To heal from this, David began practicing meditation and discovered Jewish meditation. He also began practicing yoga and eating healthy, thanks to his wife Miriam. Miriam is now a popular yoga instructor in Tzfat. The Friedman’s have a gallery of “kosmic kabbalah art” attached to their home in the old city of Tzfat. David also frequently gives lectures to groups on Kabbalah and Jewish Meditation.

April 23, 2025
In The Quiet Space

As our lives become more and more hectic and we all seem to need to be contactable 24/7,

it is becoming much harder to connect with our inner selves as our stress levels increase. ITQS is a spiritual-behavioural approach which believes in the need to reach

inner quiet in order to cope better with our modern society. The approach is based on creating a profound experiential sense of trust, care and quiet. MicroCalming, a conditioned relaxation technique developed by ITQS, is taught in a very special environment created by the In The Quiet Space team. It enables everyone to calm, reach their own quiet inner space and then to use this personal inner resource whenever and wherever they are.

The Facilitators

Pamela Mond (MA), Drama therapist, and her husband Peter, Social Worker (M.A.), are part of the founding team behind the ITQS approach. Originally developed eight years ago as a way to help students in the Israeli education system deal with stress, this approach and technique are now available to everyone.

Inner Quiet

Consistent with Jewish spiritual traditions, MicroCalming helps individuals to connect on a spiritual level to their own “inner quiet” so they can deal with the stresses and strains of today’s world. However, there is no need to have any religious belief to benefit. In the past, people always had time to stop to admire the view, look at the flowers or appreciate the silence; nowadays this can, unfortunately, be virtually impossible. By learning this special technique in a unique environment over a relatively short period of time, you can be in position to hear your own inner voice, your intuition, and be able to bring a more spiritual, sacred approach into your life.

The Space

As you enter the Quiet Space room you feel an immediate sense of calm. It is as if the room itself is giving you a massage. And yet on the surface it seems a quite ordinary room, with comfy armchairs, low lighting, some soft music playing in the background and a light scent in the air. Something you could easily recreate at home, if you just knew how.

How Long Does It Take?

Individual sessions are normally for an hour once a week for four weeks, and individuals and/or their families need to set up a “quiet space” in their own home, when they can practice the technique for five minutes every day between sessions.

Workshop Sessions

Group workshops for up to ten are available for workplace, school or community groups and are for eight weekly hourly sessions, with 5 minutes a day of “homework” practice.

Who Is It For?

Everyone can learn it, and even children as young as two or retirees over 80 have benefited. It assists with normal anxieties like visiting the dentist, to helping alleviate the trauma from a terrorist attack. School children employ the MicroCalming technique to avoid getting into squabbles with their friends or siblings, and parents use it to help them deal with the stresses and strains of normal family life.

Other Classes

For visitors to Safed there is an opportunity to book an introductory session to get a taste of the technique and then continue over the internet once you get home. Wholly Internet sessions are available, and the Monds also do workshops in other parts of Israel and abroad. Special classes are offered to people with special needs, including children suffering from autism or ADHD, as well as individuals suffering with physical pain or emotional loss.

For Further Information

Contact: Pamela Mond tel 077 708 1306 cell 054-5899694 or email: itqs.center@gmail.com

April 23, 2025
Michlala of Tzfat

In 1912, the Jewish community of Tzfat decided to build a Jewish Hospital. Although the project involved a leap of faith for the cash-strapped Jews of Tzfat, they felt that they had no choice, because the alternative was to continue to use the existing missionary hosp

ital and risk the missionary activities of its staff.

New branches of the hospital, the Rothschild Hospital, were added as time passed, and when Tzfat’s present hospital, Rivka Ziv, was completed in 1973, the question arose….what would happen to the magnificent structure which now sat empty?

Creating A Regional College

The answer was “The Michlala of Tzfat”, a regional Community College which would serve not only Tzfat, but the entire surrounding area – Jewish, Arab and Druze alike.

Today, thousands of students study at the Michlala, either full-time or part-time. The level of instruction is noted for its high level, and students from as far away as Afula and Acco come to Tzfat to take advantage of the wide variety of courses and opportunities that Tzfat’s Michlala has to offer.

A Mechina, a Preparatory course, is offered for students who need to first complete their high school credentials

. Afterwards, courses are offered in almost every discipline imaginable. A sampling includes Health Studies B.A in Nursing – Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Social Work, and Medical Imaging; A LL.B degree (Law); Applied Information Technology; Behavioral Sciences – Criminology, Sociology and Psychology; Culture and Arts, Mysticism (in conjunction with a local Rabbinical seminary), Music, Literature and Visual Arts.

University Degree

Several years ago, Tzfat’s Michlala teamed up with Bar Ilan University to offer many of Bar Ilan’s courses in Tzfat. Thus, a student who is preparing for a university degree may do much of the coursework in Tzfat and continue to live and work in the area, yet gain a university degree. This opportunity is a tremendous boost for the local population, most of whom study part-time while working and supporting their families.

The Michlala sees itself as not only responsible for educating its students, but also as a community institution. Many of the Michlala’s students have scholarships to study, and many more are given grants based on their volunteer work that they fulfill during the school year. The Michlala runs a tutoring program whereby Michlala students tutor children from disadvantaged families (the “Perach” program) which pays a large stipend for their studies.

Presently, facilities for a law School are being constructed, and a new campus for a fourth Israeli medical school is anticipated in Tzfat. The population of Tzfat and the surrounding areas have a wide variety of options for higher education, and every year, more and more students take advantage of what the Tzfat Michlala has to offer.

Zefat Academic College 11 Jerusalem St. P.O.B. 160 Zefat 13206 Israel Telephone: +972.4.692.7762

April 23, 2025
Poetry Immersion in Tzfat

Reuven Goldfarb, Facilitator

Tzfat has a large English-speaking population, and two of the things that draw other Anglos to Tzfat is the already-exi

sting English-speaking community and the organizations and institutions that it has created.

In recent years, this has become especially true as Anglo immigrants have organized, in addition to the popular English library, writing and drama groups, and book clubs.

Thanks to a resident who wanted to share his knowledge and love of poetry, a Poetry Immersion class has been created. This class meets weekly, and participants read aloud and discuss a variety of poems written by some of the most outstanding figures in literary history whose primary language of composition was English.

The group was founded by Reuven Goldfarb, whose love of poetry goes back to his childhood. Reuven majored in English and American Literature in college and wrote his Master’s Thesis as a poetry collection. As he navigated his way through the ’70s, his joys and griefs provided material for poems which helped him get “a handle on life.” In 1981, he began publishing AGADA, the illustrated Jewish literary magazine. In the late 80s, Reuven began to teach Creative Writing, Journal-Keeping, and Reading and Composition at Community Colleges in northern California, an experience which provided him with a strong background for creating a his present Poetry Immersion class in Tzfat.

In early 2009, a short blurb in the local English-language newsletter about the founding of the group brought out sev

eral other residents who wanted to come together to explore English language poetry. With Reuven acting as the facilitator, they began to meet weekly, pleased to have a forum which allowed them to study and “immerse themselves” in this rich tradition.

Reuven selects the pieces that the group explores, along with some biographical information about the poets, which, he says, often helps the group to better understand the work. He clarifies the formal elements (meter, rhyme scheme, line length, and type of stanza). The participants take turns reading selections, pausing when the need arises to clarify references and terms, tone and narrative thread.

A “Wow” Moment

As Reuven describes it, “As we read aloud and then share our responses to the individual poem, on an emot

ional and ideational level, the author’s intentions gradually reveal themselves. If we’re lucky, there can be a moment when we all really get it, when we say, “Wow!” and no more comments or analyses are necessary.”

The group began studying English and Scottish Border Ballads, then moved on to sonnets, and then to elegies and odes and dramatic monologues. Thus, the members have already explored various genres and styles, encountered a wide range of subject matter, and absorbed a multiplicity of poetic voices and approaches.

The gatherings usually attract approximately half a dozen participants, nearly always all Jewish, and as such, they take note of how Jews and Judaism are portrayed in the poems. Reuven carefully monitors the discussion to make sure there is enough time allowed for hearing each person’s reactions, yet insuring that the group concentrates on the work itself and doesn’t drift off into aimless free association and speculation.

Poetry Immersion takes a summer break but usually meets Sunday evening at 7:30. For more information, contact Reuven Goldfarb via poetsprogress@gmail.com.

April 23, 2025
Machon Alte Israeli Program

The Machon Alte Israeli program attracts Israeli young women between the ages of 20-32. They usually come to the program after serving in the army or traveling abroad post-army and most are not previously observant. Yet, despite their lack of history with

religion, most of these young women have at some point come in contact with Chabad and through this organization they found something that spoke to their Jewish soul, prompting them to make the decision to learn more about Judaism.

Already Committed

The women who decide to come and further their studies at Machon Alte have already done some studying about Judaism and have made a commitment to learn more about their Jewish heritage. These young women are in the process of becoming observant and come to Machon Alte to be able to enrich their knowledge in order to take on an observant or ‘frum‘ lifestyle. They are also particularly interested in learning about the different dimensions in Chassidut taught here.

The Studies

The seminary offers classes in Torah, Halacha, Tefilla (prayer), and how to run a Jewish home, as well as courses in Chassidut and Tanya. The Israeli and English programs share many of the same teachers and offer a variety of guest speakers throughout the year. The students usually come for between one year to fifteen months and there are about 35 young women at any one time. Some of the students are already married, or have their own apartments in Safed. Women in the local community can also take courses on a full time basis or even just an individual class. The seminary also has special Shabbat study weekends (Shabbatons) on a regular basis.

Extra-curricula Activities

There is an excellent extra-curricula program which enables the students to express themselves in music, drama and art. At Purim they can really let their creative side out by performing in the Purim play, making costumes and props or perhaps singing or playing music. There are also opportunities for hiking, swimming, and other sports.

As the students from both the Israeli and English programs mix socially, the Israeli students have the opportunity to improve their English skills as well as helping the English students with their Hebrew. The program has been running since 1979/80 and many of the students have made lifetime friendships at the seminary.

Facilities

The well equipped building is located at 33 Jerusalem Street and is part of the main Machon Alte complex. There is a beautiful courtyard with trees where the women can sit outside and relax. The dorms usually have only two to a room with some of the rooms having their own bathrooms ensuite, while others share communal facilities. There are also the usual amenities for students: a library, classrooms, dining rooms, study and lounging areas. All meals are provided for students living in the dorm and on Shabbat and Festivals many students visit family or friends in Safed or elsewhere in the country. If the students get engaged or married while at Machon Alte they can choose to take advantage of the beautiful but inexpensive wedding hall on the premises.

Support Staff

As well as the academic staff, the seminary has two madrichot (student counselors) and a house mother who hel

p with the day to day needs of the women.

The Philosophy

The main aim of the program is to help Israeli young women back to Judaism and help them to build a Torah-true home. In this endeavor, Machon Alte has been very successful over the last 30 years.

Contact

For more information telephone 04 697 4306 or email contact@machon.alte.com

April 23, 2025
Yeshiva Torat Chaim

Yeshiva Torat Chaim is a small yeshiva that offers both Torah and secular studies and is designed for high school student

s who don’t fit into the more mainstream yeshivas. Yeshiva Torat Chaim also offers the possibility of getting a bagrut (an Israeli high school diploma) which is not usually offered by regular yeshivas.

The Students

The yeshiva has between 15 to 20 students at any one time, and the boys tend to be those who have had difficulty learning in the longer hours and more disciplined atmosphere of the conventional yeshiva system. The students sometimes come from disadvantaged

families and may have missed out on some of their schooling, either because of problems at home, or due to school refusal. The boys enjoy the easier framework offered by the yeshiva and are very motivated to attend and benefit from the looser structure.

The Studies

The yeshiva offers a shorter school day than most yeshivas, 9.30am – 4.30pm, and has a half-day of Torah learning at a high level, and a half-day of secular studies. The secular studies tend to be at a lower level as not all the boys have the necessary background to enable them to learn at a higher level. The secular studies include English, Math, History and Geography, and there are also opportunities to take practical subjects like carpentry. Although some of the students have problems, they have very good learning techniques from learning Gemara, so it is very easy for them to apply this to their secular subjects. This means that they are able to fulfill the necessary requirements for bagrut in a much shorter time than in a regular school. Even if not all the students are able to get a full/partial bagrut, depending on how long they are at the school, they are all able to complete the 12 years of high school necessary to get a good army placement.

Facilities

As well as offering computers for every student, with secure internet, the yeshiva offers sports like basketball and table tennis and has a pool table and cable T.V. Watching programs on the Discovery, the History and National Geographic Channels enables them to learn in a more interesting way than a dry text book

The Staff

The mix of teachers is very wide from haredi to secular, and the staff is very friendly and good at motivating the students. The Rosh Yeshiva (head of the school) is very popular and the boys appreciate the efforts he goes to on their behalf. There are

about 8 members of staff to 20 students, giving a staff/student ratio of 1:2 ½ . This is a lot higher than a regular yeshiva or high school, and helps the students to take the most advantage of the opportunities available.

The Framework

The framework offered by the yeshiva enables these disaffected and disadvantaged boys to finish high school, and get a full or partial bagrut. It is part of a project set up by the Ministry of Education and the local authority to do something for religious youth ‘at risk’ who would otherwise drop out of education altogether. Unfortunately, due to lack of sufficient funding, the yeshiva is not yet able to offer education to the full age range.

It is hoped that in the new school year the yeshiva will be able to move into new and better premises, which would enable it to take students before they become ‘at risk’. This would give an opportunity for religious boys to get a bagrut and still learn in a yeshiva, which is not possible in the conventional yeshiva system.

Contact: Rabbi Benayahu Tevila 052 448 0513

April 23, 2025
School With A Heart

Safed is a special place to raise children. The very air is filled with the history of the ancient city: the city of Kabbalists, poetry, war, and earthquakes. Breathing in the air of the holy city and walking where great sages once walked is bound to produce children of amazing precocity and awareness.

Packed Off

Yet, until not long ago, boys who attained the thirteen years of Jewish manhood had to leave their homes at this tender age, to attend boarding schools in other parts of the country. There simply was no place for them to learn in the city of their birth, and so they were packed off to far-away cities, only to come home for the occasional Sabbath or short vacation.

Seven years ago, this all changed with the inception of Nachal Novea’s Yeshiva Ketana, a school created for the purpose of keeping young boys in the holy city of Safed, instead of sending them off to schools in other towns. The school is run by two brothers, Ra

bbi Chaim Shalom Kenig, who serves as director of the Yeshiva (school) and Rabbi Natan Kenig, who serves as the Rosh Yeshiva (headmaster).The two are the sons of an important man, the saintly Rabbi Elazar M. Kenig, who is the rabbi and Director of all the Nachal Novea institutions connected to the Breslov Hassidim in the city of Safed.

All Backgrounds

While Rav Chaim Shalom and Rav Natan may have lacked a traditional pedagogical education in administrating an institution, they feel confident that the experience they’ve gained from their father’s example has stood them in good stead in their attempts to both educate Jews from all backgrounds and bring them closer to God. Eighth grade boys no longer have to travel to the center of the country for their schooling, which brings to mind shtetl wanderers with walking sticks and bundles over their shoulders. More than that, the Yeshiva Ketana (high school) is a top-notch institution that provides the same academic tools as any other such quality institution in Israel.

Full-scale Learning

One important goal of the Yeshiva is to infuse the students with the fear of heaven and the Torah commandments. The Yeshiva tries to instill these ideas through the words of the great Jewish sage, Rebbe Akiva, who said, “And love your brother as yourself, this is an important precept of the Torah.” The school has a devoted and professional staff, and provides a full-scale learning plan with arranged prayer sessions. Nachal Novea’s aim is to keep the students occupied at all times so as to give them a strong backbone for the future.

At present, the school has 60 students with 40 boys who sleep on the premises in brand new dormitory buildings. The school provides for 2-3 day field trips during the school year. In addition to these field trips, every Thursday, the students leave the classroom and go into the surrounding woods to do hitbodedut, a kind of personal, intimate and individualized prayer.

April 23, 2025
Learning Informally in Tzfat

Classes Outside the Classroom

Tzfat, the City of Kabbalah, draws many people who come to “experience spirituality” and “feel Judaism”. People rent a room, or a corner of a room, for a few days or more, and wander the streets of the Old City, amazed and intrigued, as they soak up the mys

tical atmosphere of Tzfat.

Even mystical atmospheres, however, can get boring after awhile, and at some point, people either leave or start thinking about their next step.

If they want to stay and study, either part time or full time, Tzfat has an endless array of opportunities for them, whatever their level of Jewish background, whatever their interests, and even, whatever the status of their pocketbooks.

One of the first stops for many visitors who are looking for classes is the ASCENT Institute. Located on the edge of the Old City, the ASCENT Institute offers daily classes on a wide range of Judaic subjects, introductory Kabbalah, and practical how-to classes for observance of Jewish rituals and traditions. The classes are free and open to Jewish individuals who are interested in exploring Judaism.

The International Center for Tzfat Kabbalah has a variety of opportunities for people to explore various aspects of Kabbalah through touring, storytelling, music, lectures, one-on-one learning, or workshops. People can reserve a session ahead of time, or coordinate a session upon arrival in Tzfat.

Learning for English-Speakers

There are a number of English-speaking seminaries and yeshivas in Tzfat, and they are open, with coordination, to accommodating people who want to sit in on a class. Some of them are the Shalom Rav yeshiva, a men’s yeshiva located in the Old City of Tzfat, the Sha’are Bina Seminary, a girls’ school located on the outskirts of the Artists Quarter, and the Machon Alter Seminary, affiliated with the Chabad organization, located on the main street (Jerusalem Street) of Tzfat. They are all affiliated with various Ultra-Orthodox streams of Judaism, so anyone wishing to attend should be comfortable with that outlook.

Two Hassidic communities in Tzfat which each have a distinct outlook on Hassidic philosophy and on Judaism in general are the Breslev and the Chabad communities. Both are part of the Haredi, or Ultra-Orthodox world, but each follows their own leadersh

ip. Men throughout the Ultra-Orthodox community, no matter which Hassidic or non-Hassidic branch they belong to, generally study in a Study Hall or synagogue. But women frequently gather for classes in local homes or community centers, and an extensive schedule is available for women who wish to attend classes on Jewish Law, Tanya (Chabad Hassidic Thought), Lekutai Halachos (Breslev Hassidic Thought), the Laws of Gossip, Dietary Laws, and Laws of the Holidays. All women are invited to join.

The Center for Healthy Living, HaLevav, has on-going courses and sessions on environmental issues, conservation, healthy eating and exercising habits, Tai Chi, Yoga and Hebrew Letter Movements.

Finally, thanks to Tzfat’s Poet-in-Residence, Reuven Goldfarb, a weekly gathering of poetry-lovers and poets is open to all. Participants get together to read and analyze classic poetry, as well as to share their own writings.

Tzfat, located at the far corner of Israel, doesn’t have many cultural events or activities to offer residents or visitors. But opportunities to learn are never lacking, and all are welcome to find their niche among the offerings.

April 23, 2025