Women’s Israel Reunion on Yom Yerushalayim




The Mayanot Israel Alumni Women's Network gathered on Tuesday May 23rd, for their second meeting. Graciously, Mrs. Rivka Marga Gestetner, the Mayanot Women's Program educational director, offered her home for the gathering. 

It was fitting that the women's reunion occurred the evening of Yom Yerushalayim, celebrating the anniversary of 50 years of the reunification. The city was celebrating a reunion and so were the Mayanot women! It was a wonderful atmosphere, as all of the women who gathered, have made Aliyah themselves, building a life here, in Jerusalem. 

The group spanned several years of Mayanot alumni. Some students present had attended the very first year of the program, while others represented the most recent graduating class. It was wonderful catching up, and being able to hear what everyone is doing in their life, building families, careers and doing it in Israel. 
The new Scholar in residence, Mrs. Freidy Yanover shared Torah relating to Shavuot and was lucky enough to meet all of the Alumni in attendance. 

Mrs. Yanover eloquently spoke about receiving the Torah on Shavuot, the Jewish people's marriage to G-d, and our level of choice at Sinai & in our everyday lives. She shared how, "the Sinai experience is a feminine one, in that it’s fluid and not static. We may feel far at times, or even down, but we must always remember our relationship can never be ruptured, it can always be repaired."

Rivka Marga, whose hospitality is unparalleled, prepared a beautiful table including: cheesecake, homemade jam, granola, yogurt and wonderful platters of Israeli fruit. She fabrengened with the women regarding gratitude, sharing, "It's amazing that G-d gave us a neshamah (soul) but it's even more amazing that he let us know that we have a neshamah (soul)." 

Mayanot thanks all the women that came out and participated in this wonderful evening of sharing, fabrenging and learning, and hope that this beautiful tradition of gathering to learn, and reconnecting only continues! 

To find out more about hosting Mayanot alumni events in your city, please contact: [email protected]