“To Raise the Flag” – Book Launch for Rav Ari Shvat’s New Book

Orot Israel College – in conjunction with Beit Harav Kook and the Institute for Zionist Strategies – organized a book launch for Orot lecturer Rav Ari Shvat’s new book, “To Raise the Flag: The Israeli Flag and the Hebrew Language in Jewish Sources.” About one hundred participants – including Orot faculty and alumni - filled Yeshivat Merkaz Harav’s original beit midrash.

During the course of his speech, Rav Professor Neria Guttel, Orot’s president, asked, “was Rav Kook zt”l a Zionist?” and examined Rav Kook’s nuanced approach to the issue. Rav Yochanan Fried, Beit Harav’s chairman, spoke about the Israeli flag, and Mr. Yisrael Harel, founding chairman of the Yesha Council, talked about Zionism and post-Zionism. Rav Shvat focused on Rav Kook’s essay entitled, “The Importance of Israel’s Flag,” which he found in Beit Harav’s archives, and discussed the eleven different points that Rav Kook zt”l raised.

Orot Israel College Students Visit Zichron Yaakov

by Luzit Odesser

Early Childhood Education Department

Students from Orot Israel College’s early education department had the privilege of visiting Zichron Yaakov and its environs. The magical trip served a dual purpose: It gave us a chance to bond while learning in a manner that will help our future students. Our first stop was Zichron’s cemetery and original street, where our talented guide told us about the first settlers in what was then a moshava (agricultural settlement), the difficulties and challenges they overcame, and the moshava’s early years. Outside the synagogue, we heard about Baron Rothschild and all that he did for Zichron and its inhabitants. We discussed the complex situation whereby the Baron’s contributions enabled the moshava to exist and develop, but his clerks made the farmers’ lives miserable. Next, we proceeded on to Ramat Hanadiv.

When we were planning our trip, the Ramat Hanadiv staff suggested that we sign up for an activity in their educational garden. Initially, we turned down the offer, because we thought it would not be appropriate for shmitah. However, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that the Ramat Hanadiv gardens observe shmitah! Thus, we decided to book a tour that was geared for the early childhood years and that focused on observing shmitah in gardens and preschools. According to Ramat Hanadiv’s website:
“The Talmudic sages construed [the relevant psukim from Vayikra 25] to mean that during the Sabbatical Year, the Jewish people should refrain from planting. The prohibition against pruning vineyards was extended to include all activities that might significantly improve or spur the growth of plants; pruning and other maintenance jobs were permitted only if they were deemed absolutely necessary to keep plants alive. All this was geared towards a single purpose: to give the land a rest, an opportunity to renew and strengthen itself, so that it would yield new fruits for the six years following Shmitta. At Ramat Hanadiv, we are marking the Sabbatical Year in its agricultural sense as well as in social and environmental terms.”

And in fact, when we arrived at the beautiful and well-maintained Ramat Hanadiv gardens, we noticed many signs of shmitah-observance. Instead of the usual beds of seasonal flowers at the entrance to the memorial garden, we were greeted by thousands (!!) of lovely, colorful, and unique clay flowers, which were assembled by senior citizens across the country. And as we strolled along the garden’s paths, we saw that the topiaries had not been pruned. Even in the aroma garden geared for the visually impaired – the strong scent of the herbs growing in the garden invites the visitor to pick them, to rub them between one’s fingertips, to recite the “borei issvei besamim” blessing, and to fill one’s lungs with their fragrance – we observed further evidence of shmitah-observance: Some of the flowerbeds were empty, and small signs with the missing herbs’ names were the only indication of their absence. Another sign referred to the Baron’s connection to shmitah and sparked a discussion about the so-called Shmitah Dispute of 1889.

Ramat Hanadiv also comprises additional gardens, such as a therapeutic garden, a sustainability garden, and more. In a garden filled with butterflies, we learned about the concept of “ecological footprint” and saw an extremely giving tree. We also talked about gardening with preschool children in general and during shmitah in particular.

The Orot Israel College students said that they had a wonderful time, and we all look forward to implementing the many ideas we learned during the course of our visit to Zichron.

Orot Israel College Hosts Educational Administration Conference

Dr. Chaim Shaked – Conference Chair and Professor, Educational Administration and Organization Department

Orot Israel College was privileged to host Israel’s annual educational administration conference. Educational administration is a discipline that examines educational leadership, educational policy, implementing changes in the educational system, and more. Every Israeli academic institution that has an educational administration department participates in the prestigious conference, and this year’s event was titled “Academic Leadership in an Era of Change: Research and Practice.”

The participants included researchers who came to present their findings; college presidents and department heads, who came to learn about the latest research; university and college professors and students; and many additional guests. For many of the attendees, this was their first visit to Orot’s Elkana campus, and some of them noted that they rarely travel “over the Green Line.”

Rav Professor Neria Guttel, Orot’s president, welcomed the participants and spoke about two leaders from that week’s parsha: Moshe Rabbeinu and Bilaam HaRasha. The first two speakers were Professor Jonathan Halevy, director-general of Shaare Zedek Medical Center, who compared leadership in the medical field and leadership in the educational field, and former Education Ministry director Mrs. Dalit Shtauber, who defined the current objectives of the educational system and its leadership.

Next, the participants broke up into eight parallel sessions, where a total of thirty-eight studies in the field of educational administration were presented. The studies, which deal with various issues of current concern to the educational system and its leadership – such as reforms, technology, training educational leaders, and more – were presented by fifty-nine researchers representing fourteen different academic institutions. The diverse group of researchers – men and women, young and old, Jews and Arabs, from Israel and from around the world – provided a wide range of perspectives and experiences.

The closing session involved an experiential and artistic approach to educational leadership. All the conference attendees participated in a unique “playback” form of improvisational theater, which focused on educational leadership. Afterwards, the conference’s organizers thanked Orot Israel College and its staff for all their hard work in ensuring the conference’s success. The conference earned rave reviews from all the participants, who were very impressed with both the academic level and the logistical organization.

Rabbanit Shulamit Melamed, Arutz Sheva’s Founder and Director, Visits Orot Israel College

Rabbanit Dr. Nomi Shachor 
Head of the Tanach Department, Orot Israel College, Elkana Campus

Rabbanit Shulamit Melamed, founder and director of the Arutz Sheva news network and wife of Rosh Yeshivat Beit El, Rav Zalman Melamed, delivered a guest lecture at Orot Israel College to mark the conclusion of Orot’s “Jewish Women in the Modern Era” course.
Offered by the history department, the course focused on the various crossroads that the Jewish people in general and Jewish women in particular faced during the modern era. The students examined the personal, ideological, and spiritual questions that concerned women in different settings: the Haskalah in Europe, the assorted waves of Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael, the 1960s and the growth of feminism in the United States, and women’s roles in the State of Israel. Special attention was given to religious women in Israel – both within the feminist movements and within other movements, such as Gush Emunim and the settlement of Yehuda and Shomron.
During her lecture, Rabbanit Melamed discussed the many transformations that religious women have undergone over the past few decades. She spoke about the home where she was raised, her introduction to the yeshiva world, and her decision to marry a yeshiva student connected to Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav – which was considered to be fairly unusual at the time. Being the wife of a full-time yeshiva student, she said, had several implications and impacted the household division of labor. The next significant move in her life – which also was a reflection of changes in the national-religious public – was the decision to establish the community of Beit El B. The Orot students were enthralled by her stories of the community’s early years – including the technical and security problems and the challenges and difficulties of raising a family far from Yerushalayim.
Rabbanit Melamed also spoke about founding Arutz Sheva. She recalled purchasing a ship and broadcasting from sea as well as her initial exposure to the media. The Orot students were particularly interested in hearing about the various financial, technical, and fundamental issues that she faced. Although the network itself and the media in general have since undergone many changes, Rabbanit Melamed continues to serve as Arutz Sheva’s director.
In addition, she examined the status of Jewish women in general and Israeli women in particular. Inter alia, she touched upon feminism, a woman’s role in the family, women’s contributions to Israeli society and family life, and more. The students were encouraged to ask questions, and the lecture sparked an animated discussion about how society’s approach to marriage has changed over the generations.
Orot Israel College thanks Rabbanit Melamed for her intriguing talk, which not only addressed many of the issues our students will face as Jewish, Israeli, and religious women, wives, and mothers but also introduced them to a fascinating woman who continues to shape Israeli society.

Orot Israel College and Torah MiTzion: A Natural Partnership

How many Jews lived in Munich before the Holocaust? How many Jews live there today? How many of them keep (strictly) kosher homes? Before answering these questions, we should explain that these are just some of the issues facing the members of the Munich Torah MiTzion Kollel.

Torah MiTzion is an organization dedicated to disseminating Judaism in the Diaspora: in Munich and Moscow; in Washington, D.C., South Africa, and Australia. Each place according to its specific character and needs, but one thing unites them all: Jewish education. Whether it is classes or study partners, small get-togethers or large events – both educational and “social” – various means are used to achieve the sacred goal.

Several years ago, Torah MiTzion asked Orot Israel College, Israel’s largest and most prestigious religious educational college, to work together on several projects. For example, Orot runs a special training class for Orot students who wish to join – on a short-term basis – one of Torah MiTzion’s kollels around the world.

Recently, Torah MiTzion’s leadership invited Rav Professor Neria Guttel, Orot’s president, on a quick, intensive, and jam-packed visit to the Munich Kollel. Rosh Kollel Rav Eliezer Noy and his wife graciously hosted Rav Guttel during his two-day stay, and the rest of the Kollel’s membership went out of their way to show Rav Guttel around.

Much of the Kollel’s programming is geared for university students. After all, Munich’s Jewish community is largely composed of Jews from the former Soviet Union as well as Israeli “yordim” and young Israelis studying in the local universities. Unfortunately, most of them have little to no connection to Torah and mitzvot, and it is not easy to “get through” to them.

Thus, Rav Guttel attended a “fondue party” that included the culinary treat as well as a game focusing on the laws and customs of Sefirat HaOmer. He also interviewed an engaged couple who credit Torah MiTzion with bringing them closer to Judaism and now hope to make aliyah to Israel, and he met the principal of the Jewish day school (which now goes up to the fourth grade), a Jewish studies teacher in the local high school, the local rabbi’s two deputies, the principals of the Jewish Agency-supported Janusz Korczak Academy, and many others. One of the highlights of Rav Guttel’s visit was his meeting with the president of the Jewish community, who is considered to be one of the most influential women in German politics. Due to her busy schedule, the meeting was almost cancelled, but in the end, it took place and was very cordial.

To get back to our original questions: Approximately 11,000 Jews lived in Munich before the Holocaust, and as a result of the German government’s ongoing efforts “to return the crown to its former glory” (??), some 9,000 Jews currently live in Munich (without getting into the question of “who is a Jew?”). However, there are only a few dozen families who maintain (strictly) kosher homes!

This, then, is the challenge – in a nutshell – facing the Torah MiTzion Kollel: “To bring back the hearts of the sons.” Needless to say, it is not easy, and the work depends on much dedication, faith, and hope.

As always, Orot Israel College is proud to be a part of this wonderful endeavor, and with Hashem’s help, we will accomplish and succeed!




Orot Israel College Students Submit Award-Winning Research Papers

Rav Dr. Moshe Rachimi 
Dean of Students (Elkana Campus) and Head of Orot Israel College’s Graduate School 

During their second year, students at Orot Israel College write research papers on Judaic studies topics. The process begins with learning how to write an academic paper and ends with a proper, high-caliber thesis.
Orot, which places great emphasis on academic excellence (as well as Judaic, educational, and pedagogical excellence), encourages and promotes student research – including for undergraduate students. To this end, every year, the top three papers – as determined by three stages of judging - receive awards for excellence. The results of this process are twofold. First, students are motivated to work even harder, and second, the resulting papers are extremely impressive.
This year, the faculty advisors recommended that twelve different papers be submitted to the judges, who eventually selected the three best theses:
• First place: Oriah (Dahan) Reshef - “Children in Monasteries During the Holocaust” - Rav Ari Shvat, Advisor
• Second place: Atara Shlomovitz – “His Eyes Shed Tears: R’ Elazar ben Hurkanus” – Dr. Uriel Twito, Advisor
• Third place: Mazal (Ingeda) Cohen – “The Laws of Kashrut According To Beita Yisrael In Comparison To the Laws of Kashrut According To the Shulchan Aruch” - Rav Ari Shvat, Advisor

Orot Israel College’s administration and faculty congratulate all the submissions and especially the prize winners. We are thrilled and proud of their achievements and encourage them to continue along the path of academia and research.


Technology and Education: Challenges and Opportunities

by Rabbi Reuven Spolter
Jewish Studies Lecturer

I’ve been struggling with the issue of cellphones in my classes at Orot.
Last semester, Orot Israel College invited a speaker who spoke to the entire student body about our collective addiction to cellphones. Even more impressive than the truly frightening statistics and stories he told was the total command he had over an auditorium of 450 students, and his absolute refusal to allow anyone in the room to take out a cellphone. If someone took one out, he stopped his talk, and waited until the person put the phone away.
I was blown away, and convinced that I needed to do the same thing in my classes. When the new second semester began, I started each class by asking the students to put away their phones in their bags, telling them two things: First of all, their staring at their phones served as a distraction for me (which it really is – try talking to someone who’s staring at their phone). Second, I told them that, “If you’re there (on the phone) you’re not here." You cannot be on the phone and focusing on the class.
The students reluctantly acquiesced, and put away their phones, at first. For a while, I really stuck to it, and I must say that educationally, it was productive. The students were certainly annoyed, but the classes were better – more productive and focused.
But, as the semester has progressed, I have backed off – not because I don’t think that the cellphones are a distraction, but because I simply don’t have the energy to fight with my students anymore. I had hoped that the students entering my classes would, after a certain point, remember that I asked them not to use their phones in class and put them away on their own. Wishful thinking. Before each class I have to remind them – over and over – to please put away the phones until the end of class. And then there’s the laptop issue: a number of students bring laptops, and it’s painfully obvious that they’re not only taking notes. How as a teacher do I distinguish between cellphones and laptops? Why should there be any difference between them?
As part of my work at Orot, I serve as an administrator for the M.Ed. (Masters) program for Educational Administration at Orot’s Rechovot Campus. Students in the program recently participated in a site visit at Amit Amichai High School (for boys) in Rechovot. The Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivat Amit, Rav Avi Rokeach, explained that three years ago the school made a strategic decision to invest in technology. They recognized that the students’ lives were intimately involved in technology – not just as tools, but in the way that the kids think today. If we were able to translate the materials that they learned – Gemara, Chumash, mathematics, etc – using the technological language of the students today – then they could dramatically improve the educational experience of the school. Every student and teacher received a tablet, and they invested in putting all of their materials on the tablets so that the kids would be ready to learn.
Three months into the project, they recognized that the experiment wasn’t working. Despite the incredible investment in technology, they realized that the tools – the technology – wasn’t the answer. It wasn’t that the tech wasn’t working. It really was. But the investment didn’t really create the change that the school was looking for. It was the same school, the same students, the same learning.
We took a tour of the school and saw a number of classes in which the students were working in groups; they had projects in English, mathematics, science; many of the classes of course have frontal learning. In each class, students were working with each other on laptops and also using their phones. There was a lot of learning taking place, but also a lot of email, Facebook and Whatsapp as well. We asked school staff how the teachers prevent students from using the laptops and phones to play and waste time. The teacher said that he doesn’t make them learn or stop them from playing. Rather, he gives the both the freedom and independence to make the right choice, and not waste their time in class (and have to do the work at home).
Is tech the answer in education? It is definitely not the answer – but it’s certainly part of our students’ lives. How to use that technology, or limit its ability to distract our students represents a challenge that educators struggle with on a constant basis. As technology grows even more integral to our lives, the questions grow more pressing.
Does a school that encourages engagement with technology produce graduates that are substantially different than other schools? Today, it's far too early to answer this critical question, which will have important implications for education long into the future.