Celebrating Lag Ba’Omer With the Children of Emunah
This week we celebrated Lag Ba’Omer with bonfires – of all shapes and sizes (and materials!) The bonfires symbolise the light of the Torah that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai continued to learn and brought to the world despite the Roman invasion and conquest of Israel during the time of the Second Beit Hamikdash. That Torah, and our people, continue to live on despite hardship and war and we continue to celebrate our triumphs!
The children at Emunah Neve Landy Children’s Village celebrated with a real bonfire and roasted their own marshmallows.
At Emunah Achuzat Sara Children’s Home, the day took on new meaning with a special festival held for the children and their parents, where together, they made packages for wounded soldiers. These packages will be delivered by the 11th graders from the Home to the soldiers at Tel Hashomer Hospital. The children of Achuzat Sara visit the Rehabilitation Department at the hospital once a week to speak with the soldiers and boost their spirits.
Every one, no matter their age or circumstances feels connected to the war and are doing their part to help. For these children and these soldiers – these visits make a difference.
The children at Emunah day care centers around the country celebrated with paper bonfires, roasted potatoes and ice-pops.
Emunah Teachers – A Class of Their Own
Orit Shaar is a beloved homeroom teacher for 10th-12th grade girls at Ulpanat Emunah Elisheva in Pardes Chana. This year, Orit was meant to be taking a Sabbatical year – or so she thought… Following the tragic events of October 7th, evacuees from the absorption center in Ibim arrived at the Nir Etzion hotel. The evacuees included families of new Olim from Ethiopia – some of whom had arrived over the last year and some who had landed in Israel during the course of the war.
Orit decided that she would volunteer to help settle the evacuees at the hotel once or twice a week but within the first week of volunteering, she was fully engaged in a new task.
Orit began teaching an Ulpan class for Amharic-speaking students who know no Hebrew at all. She started teaching them the letters of the Aleph-Bet and continued from there, holding their hands every step of the way. She even insisted on holding a parent-teacher meeting and used an Amharic-speaking interpreter, so that the parents would be fully involved, and experience a little relief in a situation of complete uncertainty.
She learned Amharic and they learned Hebrew. She taught them maths and English and they taught her about their culture and roots.
It is due to her tireless dedication, her commitment and generosity that it should come as no surprise that last week, in recognition of Teachers Day, Orit was honored as one of the Teachers of the Year by Israel’s Ministry of Education! The students that you have taught at Nir Etzion and the students of Emunah Elisheva are so lucky to have you, Orit!
Machon Be’er Institute’s New Counselors
This week, a new class of Machon Be’er Emunah Gerontology Counselors received their certifications. To celebrate their achievement, a ceremony was held where speeches were given by the representatives of the graduates, with greetings from Mr. Hodi Lieberman, CEO of the Academic Center Shaarey Mada U’Mishpat, and Dr. Amira Paz, head of the program.
There was also a special performance by Michal Naor’s Playback Theater Ensemble.
Thanks to Nili Arbel and Tziporat Shimel who guided the cohorts in Jerusalem and Hod Hasharon and over the course of the evening shared some of the projects that the students developed during the practical portion of the course.
Congratulations to the graduates!
The Arts at Emunah Elisheva
This week the girls of Ulpanat Emunah Elisheva staged an interdisciplinary production of “Tzir Kissufim.” During the production, the girls honored the fallen of the war by displaying their names on a special screen during a song and dance tribute. The girls sang, danced, and acted beautifully! How wonderful it is for these girls to hone and showcase their talents in such a meaningful way.
