The Ma’ayanot Scholars Program (MSP) is a school-wide initiative aimed at encouraging students to increase the amount of time they spend engaged in extracurricular Torah study, Torah li’shmah. MSP is open to any Ma’ayanot student who would like to dedicate some of her discretionary time to Torah study; as such, it is open to students in every grade and in every track. In addition to attending shiurim by visiting scholars throughout the school year, each MSP participant selects a personal learning goal for the year, and with the help of a faculty mentor works toward completing that goal by the end-of-year siyum. Approximately 50 students have opted to participate in this program in each of the past three years.
The kickoff speaker for this year’s MSP was Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman, a YU Musmach and Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology & Population Health at The Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Rabbi Reichman presented on Ancient Tradition- Modern Dilemmas: The Halakhic Approach to Cutting-Edge Medical Advances, and he led a series of discussions on the Torah approach to complicated issues such as treating Ebola patients, 3-D printed organs, artificial wombs, virtual autopsies and more. MSP students, and some parents who attended as well, also enjoyed a delicious catered dinner at this kickoff event.