The Mayanot Blog

(The Post High School Program visiting the Mayanot World Center) In the Summer of 2014, co-directors of the Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies, Rabbi Shlomo Gestetner and Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov , had a vision. A vision that would change the future skyline of Jerusalem, the Capital of the Jewish World.  Today, with your help , that vision - the new Mayanot World Center - is nearing completion.  This is a not [only] the story of a capital campaign and major building project. It is the ongoing story of Mayanot. Since inception, Mayanot always had a clear vision. The World Center project, especially through Covid, makes that vision even more clear.  “When we founded Mayanot, we hoped we’d be able to cultivate an awareness of Jewish identity and a passion for the Jewish people by creating a Jewishly educated leadership” said founder Rabbi Shlomo Gestetner . “And for over two decades, we’ve constantly been looking for new, innovative ways to do that.” Since 1997 when the Mayanot Men’s Prog

Resilience .  Opportunity .  Commitment .  We hope you will join us in this year's #ROCMayanot campaign  and express you R.O.C. together with us. As Covid settled in, the world searched for answers. But Mayanot was resilient in the face of adversity. Firm like a "ROC," Mayanot remains available with our eyes always firmly focused on the future. With Schools closed, synagogues shuttered and social gatherings limited, Mayanot did not sit by. We seized opportunity in the face of crisis, going online and making Jewish education more accessible than ever before. And today, we have redoubled our  commitment . Our commitment to continue. To continue teaching. To continue inspiring. And to continue building the  Mayanot World Center ,  to be completed, G-d willing, in 2021! Our new center will offer a plethora of long and short term programming including post Birthright Israel extensions, internships, lone soldier engagement and more, alongside our Men's and Women's Prog

Growing up, I loved to watch and play baseball. My favorite team in particular was the Yankees. I can remember two Jewish baseball players having made it to the hall of fame and feeling so proud to also be Jewish. I remember thinking also of Hollywood and all of the famous people who were Jewish, Adam Sandler, being one, and many others as well. They brought me a sense of pride in being Jewish, knowing that there are Jews out there that had made it and had done impressive things in the world. This being sports and entertainment. In the intellectual ways as well, the famous one that stands out the most was, Albert Einstein, who was also a Jew. But I didn’t know much more than that about my Judaism. That was the limit of my Jewish pride, connecting to these Jewish entertainers and intellectuals. Little did I know, that the Lubavitcher Rebbe would surpass all of these Jewish figures in my mind. In the way that he conducted and lived his life, as not only a role model but a genuinely p

Written by, Zeldie Cunin, 2009 alumnae of the Mayanot Women's Program. She is a  passionate teacher and writer. She is the co-director of Chabad of Westwood-Holmby.  Via Jewish Journal   Usually, when someone sees my baby, I get a reaction like, “Oh, so cute!” Once in a while, someone will glance at my son’s oxygen tank then ask how old he is or if he is okay. Sometimes, my baby and I get a look of pity. It’s all written in the eyes. One day, however, I got something else. It was a Thursday afternoon. I was in the elevator at the UCLA Medical Center headed to the pediatric clinic, where my son would be evaluated by his pediatrician. You know about COVID-19, right? Only three people in the elevator at a time. To be more precise, there were three adults. A mother and father with their newborn, and me with my little baby. Our families were as different as one can imagine. Ethnicity, faith, race, color, probably beliefs and everything in between. He wore a cowboy hat and boots. I wore