11,
Synagogues
rn
Torah Portion .. .
Dedicated
'Machin
Israeli couples bring love
for learning and religious
Zionism to Kollel Torah
Mi'Tzion program.
group this year (see adjoining story).
To achieve their mandate of promoting love of
Special to the Jewish News
Torah and Zion (Israel), the couples host a wide
range of classes and social and educational programs
is like learning Torah in Eretz Yisrael [the land
within the community. They run many programs for
of Israel]," Dr. Jay Novetsky says about his
students: Shabbat youth services and youth groups at
experience learning with members of Detroit's
Young
Israel of Southfield and Young Israel of Oak
Kollel Torah Mi'Tzion (Torah from Zion).
Park,
bar
mitzvah classes for boys, a special class for
Kollel Torah Mi'Tzion is an international organiza-
girls approaching bat mitzvah age, and extracurricular
tion that brings young Israeli couples to diaspora
courses for junior high and high school students at
communities. Launched eight years ago in Cleveland
Yeshivat
Akiva in Southfield.
and in Capetown, South Africa, Kollel Torah
"They're extremely idealistic; it's very inspira-
Mi'Tzion now has 23 branches on six continents.
tional," says Akiva parent Glenda Weiss of Oak Park.
Under the auspices of the Religious Zionist
All of the couples teach Torah classes and Hebrew
Forum, in conjunction with
at
Yeshivat
Akiva in the mornings. In the afternoons,
Israel's Ministry of Education,
the
women
tend to their small children, while their
select couples spend two to three
husbands,
kollel-style,
study Talmud the rest of the
years teaching and learning in the
day.
"The
learning
itself
influences the community by
communities to which they are
elevating
its
spiritual
level,"
explains Rabbi Sobel.
sent. The goal is to strengthen
Kollel
members
also
run
community programs to
Oq e
Jewish education and ties to Israel
celebrate
Israeli
holidays,
such
as Yom HaAtzmaut
by promoting religious Zionism.
(Israel
Independence
Day)
and
Yom Yerushalayim
Dr. Novetsky, along with Dr.
(Jerusalem
Day).
A
Kollel
Torah
Mi'Tzion-sponsored
Larry Lowenthal, both members
Yom
HaZikaron
(Israel
Memorial
Day) event drew
of Young Israel of Southfield,
more
than
150
participants
this
past
March.
founded the Detroit branch of
Of
course,
the
situation
in
Israel
affects
the cou-
Kollel Torah Mi'Tzion in 1999.
ples,
all
of
whom
have
served
in
the
Israeli
army.
"The couples bring new voices
"It's a big decision to leave Israel now," says Tali
and new energy to a community
Sobel.
Dovi Geller, one of last year's Torah Mi'Tzion
in need of spiritual growth and
members
who has since returned to Israel, spoke of
enhancement," Dr. Novetsky says.
the guilt he felt being here where "life is easy"
"We all knew some of the victims [of Palestinian
Idealistic Couples
terrorism]," he says. "It was difficult to have to come
In the upcoming school year,
to teach school and act normal and smile."
three couples will be here to share
Michal Geller, his wife, says she viewed the current
their knowledge of Judaism and
situation in Israel as a process: "It's part of reshit
love of Israel with the community.
tzmichat giugatainu [the beginning growth of the
Kollel head Rabbi Shlomo Sobel
final redemption]."
and his wife, Tali, are here for
Another program, initiated by the women of
their third year, as are Yossi and
Kollel Torah Mi'Tzion, is a monthly "shmooze" with
Chamutal Revach. Zvi and
about 20 Israeli women now living in the Detroit
Na'ama Fass are new with the
area. Tali and Rabbi Shlomo Sobel lead weekly learn-
SUSAN TAWIL
I
Chamutal Revach, back row center, with a bat mitzvah class.
- N
,
8/30
2002
59