Seminary Girls Visit Communities

by Machon Bina students

Machon Bina in one word: Caring.

Another word: Stimulating.

And one more word(s): Addressing the whole girl.

OK, a few more words: Inspirational, devoted staff. Interesting classes with amazing teachers, in different styles. Dedicated to each girl’s personal experience and growth. Fun. Tasty and healthy food. Exciting dorm life and extra programs. See much more on the website.

As every seminary, Machon Bina’s goal is to inspire Yiras Shamayim and help the girls prepare for their role as Chabad women, wives, mothers, Shluchos and whatever life brings them. The classes and farbrengens and programs are all designed to that end. It’s the nuances of the framework that really highlight that.

The Machon Bina teachers really appreciate the individuality of their students and they also love their subjects, and work to help the girls fully engage with their learning. Beyond the interesting classes, the teachers also encourage questions and point the students in the direction for even more deeper and extended exploration of the topic. The girls also have the opportunity to choose a topic that is most interesting to them to share with the others. These are important keys of fostering the mindsets and skills for lifelong learning.

Every person is individual and interesting and has something unique to bring to the world. The environment and program is designed to help each girl share her voice, her ideas, her perspectives with the others. At our Wednesday evening Koleinu (Our Voices) program, the girls have the opportunity to share their talents, their interests, their stories. Girls have introduced others to painting, skincare, new exotic foods, personal stories and so much more. This gives all the chance to hear from others, to see that we all have something to contribute, to learn and try new things. And the girls gain experience of speaking in public.

An overarching core of the Machon Bina program is FUBU – For Us By Us. The idea is that our young women gain experience in noticing a need, addressing it together, collaborating, compromising, budgeting time and money – important skills for life. We have ‘FUBUed’ programs for Shabbat, for Shabbatons, for learning projects, for special snacks and meals. Besides having a program that most suits the girls, we also gain much experience. And it’s loads of fun.

Join us for a discussion about Machon Bina’s program and how it might be a great match for you/ your daughter. For students and their parents.

In Crown Heights: January 12, 8:30 PM sharp.
Home of Mrs. Swerdlow – 484 Crown Street

Conference Call: January 13, 8:00 PM Eastern.
Call in: (641) 715-3580 Access #: 283-174
(if that time is impossible for your timezone, email us, we might do another call at another time. Email us: bina.sem770@gmail.com)

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From the last few weeks in Machon Bina:

2 day Shlichus Trip: First Hand Experience of the Impact of Shluchim, and Inspiration for our own Shlichus.

In an exciting whirlwind of a two-day non stop trip around Eretz Yisrael, from the center of Israel to the north, we visited 12 different Chabad Centers and met 17 Chabad Rabbis and Rebbetzins to learn first hand about their Shlichus and the impact they are having on their respective communities. Some of the Chabad Houses are big and beautiful; another one is literally in a bomb shelter. Each is unique in its own way, each meeting the unique needs of its communities. The stories and anecdotes that were shared by the Shluchim and their community members are awe-inducing and personally inspirational; they shared about going beyond themselves for others, sometimes way beyond themselves, for the Rebbe’s Inyonim, for another yid. And they made us feel that we too can accomplish much.

Meeting such a diverse group of Chabad Houses and communities helped us see that there are many ways to help another Jew – from helping take care of their physical needs, to their emotional needs, to bringing them Yiddishkeit.

The Rebbe has always emphasized that the moment we know Alef we should impart to others that knowledge. And we saw that firsthand in their stories, in their work. This inspired us to realize that there is a way that each of us can be involved in Shlichus, in helping others, in caring. No matter our background or personality; anyone can be a shliach in their own way.

Yud Tes Kislev: Spreading the Wellsprings of Chassidus

As part of our personal preparations for Yud Tes Kislev, we concluded that we shouldn’t only be preparing ourselves for this Chassidishe Yom Tov, we really ought to living our learnings and we can literally be part of spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus. This would be part of making the Rebbe’s vision a reality.

Machon Bina is on a beautiful large campus that we share with younger Bnai Akiva girls. We could bring Chassidus to them, help them to experience the warmth and excitement Chassidus brings to our Yiddishkeit. We created a program for 120 girls of their 9th grade.

Before embarking on this initiative, we thought about how we can bring Chassidus to them, what would inspire, what were they ready to hear. And then the work began; we spend many days and nights, and lots of our spare moments on this.

And the results were worth it. It was a program full of artistic performances, short speeches of encouragement and good homemade food. The apex of the event was when all of us, over 150 Machon Bina and Uplana students and teachers wrote a pan to the Rebbe. The excitement throughout this entire event was palpable and the unity in the room was strongly felt. As the program came to a close everyone gathered in the middle of the room to dance together to the lubavitcher niggunim that were playing.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience for the Ulpana girls. And for us Machon Bina girls. It was the kind of hard work that is rewarding. When we teach something, we learn it more deeply ourselves. When we give and share of what is important to us, we feel that we can make a difference to others. When we see our ideas coming from just a plan to fruition and having the intended impact, we know that we are capable of bigger projects in the future. We definitely got all that. Hard work, but loads of laughter and fun throughout. And great food along way.

For more information, check out the website: www.MachonBina.co.il