The Mayanot Blog

This past Wednesday afternoon, the day after Tisha B’av, was a very joyous occasion at Mayanot, since we were honored and privileged to receive a Torah scroll that was generously donated by Orry and Cynthia Lovat. We welcomed the Torah with warmth and energy as the entire Mayanot Men’s Program danced, sang and clapped the new Torah into the Mayanot Beis Medrash in Jerusalem. The energy in the room was palpable as over 100 students, teachers and children danced around the bima with excitement and appreciation for the new Torah.
Mr. and Mrs. Lovat were searching for a new home for the Torah scroll and chose to send it to Mayanot, since they wanted it to be used to enhance the prayers and learning of Jewish students in Jerusalem. “The sheer enthusiasm, dedication and energy that pervade Mayanot is awe inspiring”, Orry Lovat exclaimed after the ceremony. “It was a fantastic ceremony full of life and vigor as well as respect and tradition. The Yeshiva is a shining example to us all.”
The Tor…

By: Max Gilbert
When my sheirut pulled up to the ivy-covered courtyard on David Yellin Street, I let out a huge sigh of relief at the incredibly satisfying feeling of coming home. After six long months, a 135 page thesis, graduating college, and two exhausting days of travel, I had finally arrived. Here, in the holiest city in the holiest land in the world, was the place I wanted to be most: Mayanot.
Unlike my previous trips to Israel, this journey lacked the typical anxiety of a new beginning.  Although I knew that I could not predict where this next year would take me, I had no doubts that, at Mayanot, the future would be bright. Having attended the yeshiva for a 5-week summer program the year before, as well as spending a brief 2 and a half weeks here this winter, I had none of the "first day of school" worries. Immediately upon unloading my bags, I was greeted with warm welcomes from both new and old faces, and I felt an intense gratitude for the unbelievable opportuni…