After learning every night for multiple weeks, Perri Lobel, Avigayil Mendeles and Mayana Rottenstreich decided to create “MAPS,” which stands for “Middot Are the Purpose.” This intertrack chaburah program focuses on middot development. Each chaburah contains three to four girls, which allows individuals from different tracks to bond, foster grade-wide unity and connect on a spiritual level. The source sheet provided is made by the heads and is entitled “Open Mind, Open Circle,” focusing on the obligation and benefits of being open-minded to ourselves and others. The source sheet offers many resources, including sources from Pirkei Avot, the Ramchal, and Rabbi Yossi Bensoussan.
The program was introduced to students through an open explanation of the initiative, chaburah learning via the source sheet, and concluded with a Dunkin’ Donuts treat and a group conversation of implementing open mindness in our lives.
Co-head Perri Lobel of Edison shares, “With all the challenges happening in the world, and especially this year specifically, it is more important than ever that we all come together, and find that which unite us rather than divide us. At Bruriah we are taught that midot are something we need to constantly work, grow, and build upon. We wanted to begin an initiative through which we can work on our midot, class achdut and ahavat yisrael at the same time. ‘MAPS,’ or ‘Middot Are the Purpose’ was created to unite the girls in our grade while simultaneously working on our growth. By having a girl from each of the three leveled learning tracks, who don’t necessarily spend much time together on a day to basis, learn together and work on our midot, we would be accomplishing this goal. We are so glad that the learning program was a huge success! Being a part of this initiative, seeing girls learn together, make new friends, and find ways to be open-minded, less judgmental and communicate, was the best feeling in the world!” The heads plan on bringing “MAPS” to Bruriah multiple times of year. This program could not have been successful without the support from the Bruriah administration and Rabbi Chaim Gerson.
By Shira Pfeiffer
