Over the last few
weeks, some of Mayanot’s most talented lecturers journeyed to North America, like wellsprings going forth, spreading
the Mayanot message to college students across the United States and Canada.
Rabbi Shneur
Wineberg, Director of
Admissions, Rabbi Meir Levinger, Director of the Mayanot Women’s
Program, Rabbi Boruch Kaplan, and Rabbi Moderchai Guth visited
over 50 universities across the United States and Canada. This was Mayanot’s
largest and most expansive North American tour, reaching out to and encouraging
many college students to consider taking time to come to Israel and learn more
deeply about their Jewish heritage.
Faith and
Rationality was the
lecture title for Rabbi Guth’s talk at Binghamton University. Rabbi Levi
Slonim of Chabad at Binghamton and a member of the Chabad on Campus Yeshiva
Initiative Vaad, said “It was great! Rabbi Guth was amazing, the students
enjoyed it, and even students we wouldn't have thought would come - signed up
to stay in touch for more information. He also had several successful one on
one meetings with potential applicants. All in all it was a great visit”.
Through formal
lectures, informal BBQs and personal one on one meetings, the Mayanot rabbis fostered
meaningful relationships with hundreds of young Jewish students who were eager
to advance their Jewish education and Jewish experiences to the next level.
Rabbi Kasriel
Shemtov, Executive Director
of the Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies, believes that now, more than ever, young
Jews are thirsting for a connection to their Judaism. “Students today, in a
world that is so focused on subjective reality, yearn for a connection to their
objective identity. At Mayanot, with Jerusalem as their classroom, we give
students an understanding of their heritage and their real place within the
world. We will leave no stone unturned until we are successful in giving every Jewish
student a life changing experience.”
As the new
Director of Admissions, Rabbi Wineberg was extremely pleased with the success
of the trip. “We generated a new excitement amongst the shluchim and students
alike on the prospect of taking out time to devote to the yeshiva experience. I
am very pleased to announce that this year we will be hosting our biggest
winter and spring semesters since the establishment of Mayanot!”
With the success
of their latest trips to North American college campuses, Mayanot believes that
the seeds of interest in Torah study have been planted on many college campuses.
The trips were launched in concurrence with the new Chabad on Campus Yeshiva
Initiative, which aims to provide more Jewish college students with the
opportunity for long term Yeshiva study. Building on the successes and
excitement of these trips, Mayanot plans to expand even further and make these
trips annual and even bi-annual events.
