Eternal Jewish Family’s Blog

Archive for the ‘Horizons’ Category

Campus-Horizons

“THE WEEK OF May 20-27, 2009 was truly an amazing one for me,” wrote a participant of the second Maimonides Scholars Retreat, sponsored by Horizons.  Six boys from campuses in Wisconsin, Illinois, New Jersey and Long Island joined the Yeshiva Kol Yaakov for an unforgettable week of learning and bonding in what another boy called “definitely one of the best experiences I have had with Judaism”.  A typical day began with introductory learning, where the college guests were exposed to Gemara and the 13 Principles of Faith.  Afternoons were spent cycling across the Brooklyn Bridge, kumzitzing with “Yitzchak Halevi” (Rosenberg), holding an actual machtzis hashekel in our hands at the Living Torah Museum, and getting an insider’s view of tefillin from Rabbi Melech Michaels, a sofer.  One of the highlights of the week was a visit to the home of Hagaon Harav Reuven Feinstein, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Staten Island.

Another treat was meeting Steven Hill, film actor and Skver chassid, who movingly described his journey from the Broadway stage to avodas Hashem, an address that one boy — an artist himself —called “essential for me where I’m at with Yiddishkeit right now”.  Rabbis Doron Kornbluth, Yoel Judowitz, Yehuda Friedland, Yonason Meadows, Yaakov Astor, Dovid Jacobs and Yaakov Burgess addressed the retreat participants, as well as Rabbi Tropper, who gave a shmuess and spent sholosh seudos “straight talking” with the group.

One participant summed up his experience this way: “I feel like I have grown so much since I arrived at the yeshiva.  I was brought up in a Conservative home and went to synagogue when I was younger, only on the High Holidays, and that was still too much for me. I was forced to go to Hebrew School, even though I didn’t want to; once my bar mitzvah came, I said that was it.  Before coming to Kol Yaakov, I had never learned Gemara and Talmudic laws before. The entire week was an unbelievable learning experience, with great times and great memories that will stick with me for my entire life. I hope you will continue for generations to come as a beacon of light for those who are lost in the dark.”

Horizons/Ohr Somayach Program in Phoenix a Major Success

A joint program by Horizons-Phoenix and Ohr Somayach is off to a great start!  In just five months, Rabbi Michael Dubitsky, has attracted more than 30 participants in his learning program.  The participants who come from all over the Phoenix-Metro area meet Rabbi Dubitsky in various locations including private homes, offices or for “lunch and learns” at restaurants.

Horizon’s participants range from those with limited Jewish backgrounds to those who have been learning and have a Jewish education but want to further expand their level of knowledge and practice. Topics include Beginner’s Hebrew, Pirkei Avos, Parsha, and Jewish Philosophy, amongst others.