Wednesday, October 1, 2014

“Who are these, who fly like a cloud, and like doves to their cotes… to bring your sons from afar?” (Yeshaya 60:8-9)

Mrs. Aliza Lipsker, Beit Chana Program Coordinator

"קומי אורי כי בא אורך... בניך מרחוק יבואו."
“Arise, shine, for your light has come… Your sons will come from afar.” (Yeshaya 60:1-4)

Who was singing this song? It was the height of the summer; war raged in the South; and the entire country was in an uproar. And yet the singing continued at Orot Israel College…
The young singers were ten Ukrainian girls from Beit Chana, who came to spend a month studying in Israel – Tanach, history, geography, Hebrew, pedagogy, and didactics – in spite of the war. During the opening ceremony, Rav Professor Neria Guttel, Orot’s president, welcomed the girls, and they learned Naomi Shemer’s version of the song...

"קומי אורי כי בא אורך וכבוד ה' עליך זרח"
(“arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory
 of Hashem has shone upon you” – Yeshaya 60:1)

...and the meaning of the lyrics. In fact, the song became the girls’ anthem and accompanied them on all their trips, tours, and various activities.

The program’s goals were threefold:
1. To encourage the students from Beit Chana in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, to develop a love for Eretz Yisrael and to bring them closer to Am Yisrael and to their roots.
2. To offer meaningful and experiential lessons in Judaic studies, Land of Israel studies, and Hebrew as well as numerous activities and trips around Israel.
3. To ensure that at the end of the program, the participants would leave “wanting more” from their stay in Orot in particular and in Israel in general.
We are thrilled to announce that we exceeded our goals!
Classes were held daily from 9:00-21:30, and the packed schedule included outings to the pool and the beach. In addition, the girls traveled to the North, Yerushalayim, Gush Etzion, Hevron, Beit Lechem, and many other places across the country; they celebrated Tu B’Av in ancient Shilo together with the women of the Binyamin region; they visited historical and other significant sites in Eretz Yisrael; and they even experienced a siren on an Erev Shabbat in Elkana and were forced to run to the nearby protected space.
Based on the girls’ reactions, the program was a rousing success. They said that they wished they could stay longer and expressed their appreciation and gratitude for the incredible experience. At the graduation ceremony, the girls sang,
"אין לי ארץ אחרת" (“I have no other country”) and "קומי אורי כי בא אורך... בניך מרחוק יבואו", and a girl named Chaya Mushka gave a moving speech:
“It’s hard to believe that we’ve come to the end of the program. I remember that… I was so excited when they told us that the program would be held this year too. We couldn’t wait to hear about the trip to Eretz Yisrael, and we were pleased and happy when it actually happened. We really couldn’t believe that in spite of the situation in Eretz Yisrael, we would be privileged to come.
I think that we had a special group this year. We enjoyed being together and sharing the unique experiences, the lessons, and the games. We learned a lot about each other. Specifically, we learned that each girl is different and has so, so much to give. We now feel much more united.
 I want to say thank you – in my name and in the name of the entire group – for the amazing program.
 We saw how much effort was put into every little detail, the classes, the evening programs, and especially the trips, because there is nothing like touring in Eretz Yisrael. It is a special feeling, and only someone who lives abroad can understand it.
 It is amazing to meet – here in Eretz Yisrael - people like you, who know how to give whole-heartedly and from the depths of their souls; who are always in the right place, at the right time; who immediately volunteer to help and to lend a hand. Thank you, and thank you again.”


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