A New Art Exhibit Opens at Orot Israel College’s Elkana Campus Library

A collection of Dr. Bella Layosh’s paintings are currently on exhibit on the ground floor of Orot Israel College’s Elkana campus library. The collection’s themes are Holocaust remembrance, faith, and hope – namely, the experiences of a second generation survivor, as envisioned by the artist.
Dr. Bella Layosh was born in Germany in 1948, and made aliyah with her Holocaust survivor parents when she was a year old. An Orot Israel College lecturer in educational administration, she earned her doctorate at Bar Ilan University. In addition, she has an extensive background in art and art history. She graduated from the Beit Tze’irot Mizrachi Seminary’s Midrashah for Art, and over the years, she studied with a wide array of noted artists, including Yaskil in Teveriya, Arieh Lamdan in Netanya, Rachel Shachar in Tel Aviv, Batya Magal in Kfar Maas, and others. Her works have been displayed in prestigious locations and galleries around the country – such as Avenue in Airport City (March 2009), the International Kabbalah Center in Tzfat (December 2010), the Israeli Art Gallery in Tzfat (December 2010), the Blue Bird Gallery in Petach Tikva (February 2012), and many more.
In the Orot library, Dr. Layosh’s paintings, which depict the transition from the Holocaust to Israel’s rebirth and have motifs of faith and hope, are exhibited together with a number of similarly-themed books from our extensive collection.
The exhibit is open to the public, Monday-Thursday. Enjoy pictures from the exhibit below.

The Rabbis’ Secret Discussions

This past Chanukah, Orot Israel College hosted the Online Rabbinical Forum’s first conference. Although this one-of-a-kind forum is less than a year old, over two hundred prominent rabbis have joined its ranks.

What makes this forum particularly unique is that not only is it web-based, but not just anyone can become a member. Each prospective candidate must serve – or have served in the past – as a community rabbi, a dayan, a rosh yeshiva, a ra”m in a yeshiva gevoha/yeshivat hesder, or the head of an equivalent institution. In addition, every member is required to sign a terms-of-use pledge, which states that members may not leak specific details of the forum’s online discussions. Furthermore, the members must commit to ensuring that the level of discourse is both topical and decorous. And astonishingly, although nine months have elapsed since the forum’s inception – a period which aptly corresponds to the yarchei leidah (months of pregnancy) – these terms have been rigidly upheld.

To date, the discussions have encompassed a wide range of halachic, philosophical, and practical topics – including questions about kashrut and the Mikdash, about daily life and financial issues, about personal concerns and public matters, about Israel and the Diaspora, and much more. Admittedly, several exchanges were somewhat heated, and at least once, a member apologized because he felt that his colleague may have been insulted. And yet, at no time did the tone veer from that which is considered to be acceptable in a beit midrash. Indeed, this is perhaps one of the forum’s greatest wonders: Namely, that it enables the members - who are geographically dispersed and are all busy with their own private affairs - to return to the beit midrash and share Torah ideas with their peers.

Most of the members had never met in person before the conference. In fact, it is safe to say that no one knew more than 10% of the membership. Thus, the conference served as an excellent opportunity for the members to meet each other in “the real world.” Fortunately, the conference’s organizers had prepared name tags, because otherwise, the attendees would have had difficulty recognizing their friends.

The conference program included four fascinating lectures. First, Professor Rav Neriah Gutel, President of Orot Israel College, spoke about the forum’s online discussions, their limitations, and their boundaries. Next, Rav Yaakov Ariel explored the fundamental ideals which must serve as the rabbis’ guiding principles, and Rav David Zenou, Rav of Moshav Shalva in the Negev, outlined the various roles and functions of a rabbi in a “peripheral” community. Finally, in a timely nod to Chanukah, Rav Shlomo Hecht used Google Earth to depict the Hasmonean wars.

Yet, the highlights of the conference – which was chaired by Rav Yoel Katan, one of the forum’s administrators - were the open discussions, which allowed the attendees to examine and debate assorted topics in both ideological-philosophical as well as technical-administrative terms. In addition, the members welcomed the chance to meet their erstwhile “virtual” friends in person. Thus, Rav Azariah Ariel appropriately chose to open the conference with a recitation of the Shehechiyanu blessing, which is said upon meeting a friend whom one has not seen in a very long time.

In short, the conference demonstrated that the most amazing thing about this lively, active, and semi-underground forum is that it has remained a secret - even in the media age. This – in and of itself - is both noteworthy and extremely refreshing.

Living and Loving the Land of Israel

Before the Pesach vacation, the entire student body of Orot took a field trip to the mountains of the Lower Galilee, the Atzmon Mountain and the remains of the Yishuv Yodfat. We chose to concentrate on a track with medium difficulty, which included climbing the Atzmon Mountain (547 meters). The top of the mountain overlooks the amazing view of the Beit Netufa valley, the area of the Tzippori yishuv, Hoshaya, Beit Rimon and the Nazareth range from the south. The track included walking in the Mediterranean Sea vegetation and an amazing spring blossoming.
After a rest, the students descended the Atzmon Mountain towards Yodfat. Yodfat is an important city from the end of the 2nd Temple that refused to the surrender to the Romans as other cities had, and chose to fight bravely instead. Sadly, the battle concluding with Zippori's fall at the hands of Roman conquerors on their way to the oppression of the rebellion and the destruction of Jerusalem (in the year 70).
The fieldtrip was led by the 1st year students of Orot's Department of Eretz Yisrael Studies, who were thoroughly prepared by their teachers Dr. Yitzhak Sapir and Naama Bindiger.
Why does Orot insist on conducting field trips for the entire student body? If you don't live the Land of Israel, you can't love the Land properly. And, without that love, how will a teacher communicate the value of Eretz Yisrael to her students in the future? These field trips strengthen and develop the relationship of Orot's students with the Land of Israel, its landscapes and heritage, so that when they become teachers, they will appreciate the importance of field trips in the Israeli school system, and convey the value, beauty and holiness of the Land to the next generation of children.

Taking Responsibility to Prevent the Next Accident

by Dr. Michal Unger, coordinator of the Road Safety Education the Orot College of Education

Schools across Israel place great emphasis on road safety education, investing many hours of class time to train students to function effectively in traffic, teach them principles of behavior based on personal responsibility and instill values of commitment to maintaining human life and respect for traffic laws.
This year, Michlelet Orot conducted two "Road Safety Education" seminars which focused on the themes of personal responsibility and the importance of both awareness and the need to educate the next generation about road safety.
Rabbi Prof. Neria Guttel, President of Orot College opened the series with a talk about, "Caution on the Road – Theory and Practice", as he discussed halachic topics related to issues of road safety. Next, Dr. Dan Link, head of the infrastructure and traffic department at the National Road Safety Authority spoke on the topic, "Personal Involvement in Road Accidents". With the aid of a visual presentation, Dr. Link demonstrated that each student had the power to prevent a traffic accident. A short film titled, "Children Have No Brakes", added a powerful audio-visual message about the road dangers that pose a danger to children.
After a short break, the students heard an emotional talk from Yishai Meir, father of Yaara ע"ה who was killed in a traffic accident. Yaara was in a car on her way home when an exhausted driver collided with the car in which she was riding a short distance from her home. Yishai, Yaara's father, described the solace he finds in perpetuating her name by describing her good qualities and amazing skills. After his talk Yishai distributed Yaara's photo to the students.
The seminar concluded with a viewing of the film, "An Accident in the Arava Desert" that portrays the final minutes of four boys killed on the Arava road in 1994. A follow-up discussion attempted to understand some of the underlying causes for road accidents and how they could have been avoided.

Students of the Department of Counseling and Social Education Visit the "Retorno" Rehab Center

The "Retorno" drug rehab center, located near Beth Shemesh, provides treatment for tens of adolescents (boys and girls) and many adults from the orthodox and ultra-orthodox backgrounds who sought an escape through alcohol, drugs, gambling or other additions.
Accompanied by their teachers Limor Tal and Bella Even-Hen, the Orot students visited the center during a week of practical work to witness the staff's professional work and devotion to their patients. The students heard personal stories of several patients, some of whom themselves became part of Retorno's training staff and administration.
Students absorbed a number of critical messages during their visit. They witnessed the catastrophic results of destructive parental and educational behaviors, including a lack of attention, sensitivity, and a failure to understand the child and teenager's soul. The students learned that drugs and alcohol represent an attempt at a permanent escape for pain. Often, teens mask this deeply hidden pain because they lacked an outlet to express their feelings in conversations with any meaningful figure in their life. Students were introduced to some of the treatments as well as to the complex challenges that the center addresses, and also learned about various methods of support and reinforcement, such as sentences that express love ("we love you") to someone who addresses the group, or a physical hug (or virtual hug in case there is prohibition of touching between man and woman).
One of the highlights of the tour was in the quarried cave of the Retorno site where meetings are held at candlelight, in group dynamics style. These experiential and powerful meetings enable both individuals and the whole group the ability to develop trust, support, acceptance, belonging, identification, intimacy and development of self-awareness and awareness to others.
The students left the center with tears in their eyes and a heart full of excitement and gratefulness for "a most instructive experience and memorable lesson for life".

Orot Hosts Sherut Le'umi Volunteers for a Practical Education Yom Iyyun

The young women of Sherut Le'umi – National Service, who dedicate between one and two years their lives after graduating high school in lieu of serving in the IDF, provide critical service to their country through their work in numerous spheres of Israeli life. Without the service of these young women in schools, dormitories, hospitals, orphanages, afternoon programs, public offices and other areas of Israeli society, many of these institutions would be unable to sustain the services that they provide to the public. At the same time, these young women find themselves suddenly thrust into work situations with minimal practical training. They often learn as they go, picking up skills "on the job."
For a number of years, the Orot College of Education has partnered with the three main Sherut Leumi organizations to host yemei iyyun – in-service days, to provide the volunteers a day of practical training, life skills and self-discovery. This week, Orot began its yom iyyun program welcoming 250 b'not Sherut who volunteer primarily in the field of education, serving under the umbrella of Aminadav, with the express purpose of giving the volunteers practical, useful knowledge that they would be able to immediately use in their service in the field.
The program began with an explanatory dance performed by the students of Orot's Educational Dance department, followed by a lecture by Dr. Shraga Fisherman, Academic Vice President , who discussed "Responsibility, Discipline and Motivation," describing important ways to use our understanding of psychology to help motivate children to behave and learn. The program continued with a choice of workshops, from a workshop in group dynamics run by a lecturer of informal education to a class on behavioral issues led by an expert in special education, to an interactive, hands-on workshop on designing Chanukah materials for the classroom.

Following lunch, the b'not sherut returned to Orot's auditorium for a dramatic presentation featuring short skits which highlighted ethical and personal dilemmas that the girls face in their year of National Service. The comedy skits, presented by a professional theater troupe, provided food for both thought and gave the volunteers a chance to laugh, enjoy and recharge their own "internal" batteries, as they prepared to return to the field, where they make critical contributions to Israeli society. Following the program, Doreen Bat-Ayun, who currently serves in the Garin Torani in Ramat Aviv said, "Both the atmosphere, workshops and presentations were wonderful. In addition, the day offered a pleasant break from our daily routine."
Orot Israel College, proud to play a part in the development and growth of the Sherut LeUmi volunteers, hosts between ten and fifteen of these in-service days over the course of the school year, enriching and educating thousands of b'not sherut.
"We see these in-service days as part of Orot's core mission of Jewish education," said Rabbi Professor Neria Gutel, president of Orot. "We're confident that the small part we play in helping them serve the country makes a large impact in the long run."

The "Or Hanna" Summer Program at Orot

When thousands of students throughout the Ukraine are leaving school for the summer vacation, an elite group of girls from the Bet Hanna Seminar in Dnepropetrovsk Ukraine are coming to Orot for a special summer program of experiential studies. The success of this unique program should be attributed to the president of the college, Rabbi Prof. Neriah Guttel, Dr. Shraga Fisherman and the support of the Teacher Training Dept. of the Ministry of Education, the Claims Conference, the Jewish community in Dnepropetrovsk and others.

This is the twelfth consecutive year that the students of the Bet Hanna Seminar are coming to Orot. The goal of the program is to enhance their level of Jewish studies and Hebrew language, to get acquainted with the Land of Israel, and thus developing their relationship to Zionism and love of Eretz Yisrael as well as their connection to the Torah and Jewish Law.
The six weeks program consists of studies on a large variety of subjects given in Hebrew and in Russian by the best lecturers. Of course, the main emphasis is on the enhancement of their Hebrew language skills. 30 weekly hours are devoted to this purpose. The students are also learning methods of teaching the Holocaust in Jewish schools in the former Soviet Union.
In addition, the students are introduced to updated methodologies of teaching Jewish subjects and Hebrew. They also participate in experiential educational creativity in the well-equipped modern resource center of Orot. Furthermore, the students contribute the knowledge and the tools that they have acquired to groups of new immigrant children (girls) in Israel.
The teachers are partly from the Orot staff as well as from other places all over Israel and have been chosen scrupulously by the program administration.
The need for teachers in Hebrew and Jewish Studies in the former Soviet Union is clear and many efforts are invested in this program. The only college for teacher training in the former Soviet Union is the "Bet Hanna" Seminary. The Ministry of Education is well aware of the importance to increase the bond to Israel and its heritage in the Jewish schools of the Former Soviet Union, and therefore invests special efforts in this unique program.
In order to reach utmost success and efficiency from the program, the heads of Orot and the staff of Bet Hanna have meetings months before the program starts and together they crystallize the goals of the program, choosing scrupulously the suitable students for this program.
"Until now the program has proven itself to be extremely successful" says Rabbi Moshe Weber, Head of this year's program. "The knowledge that the students acquire here in the summer program in the fields of Hebrew, methodology and Jewish tradition, and especially the Israeli way of life, is equivalent to a few years of studies in Ukraine".
This year, one of the students will get married during the program – another proof of the program's success!

“Beyond the Teachers’ Room” – A Social Network for Jewish Educators in Training

“Beyond the Teachers’ Room” is a trusted and trusting on-line cohort group of educators facilitated by Dr. Keren Goldfrad of the English department at Orot Israel College, and Dr. Karen Shawn of Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. This social network is designed for educators in training or pursuing advanced degrees to discuss ideas, thoughts, and feelings about specific aspects of daily school life; to explore the connections between Jewish texts and our teaching; and to share the challenges and rewards that Jewish educators experience as we take on the task of speaking to the hearts and minds of the 21st century student.

This social network, which was a required on-line component in two independent blended academic courses, provided a unique opportunity that extended far beyond the conventional learning experience. This international collaboration offered global perspectives on education in cross-cultural environments. Technology facilitated this process by offering a comfortable platform for a fruitful exchange of ideas. Students created a caring and trusted on-line community of practice with multiple colleagues in different educational settings whose task was to listen, support, and respond by offering validation, different and diverse points of view and ways of thinking, and help in brainstorming solutions to another’s questions or dilemmas. Our hope is that students' learning experience and practice will be improved, enhanced, and/or enriched by their active involvement in this community.