Last week, the Bruriah juniors embarked on their two-day Historia Trip, a trip that has become synonymous with the Bruriah 11th grade experience for several decades. This trip invites the students into the vibrant and diverse frum communities in the tri-state area, allowing them to gain first-hand perspectives into their unique histories and contributions. The Historia trip has had such an impact on Bruriah students throughout the years, and similar trips have been implemented in many other schools as a result of its success.
The trip began Wednesday morning in Williamsburg with a visit to the Satmar community where they got a glimpse of the chesed for which the Satmar community is known, with a visit to the Bikur Cholim headquarters and the kallah gemach. Then, they headed into Manhattan to Lander College for Women where they learned about the Yeshiva movement, both its historical and current philosophies, with Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser. This was followed by a stop at Stern College where they learned about the philosophy of Torah U’Mada with Rabbi Azi Fine. Their last stop of the day was on the Lower East Side of Manhattan for a tour of the historic Bialystoker Synagogue where they learned about the influx of Jewish immigrants in the early 20th century.
On Thursday the students continued on to New Square where they met with Mrs. Taub who spoke about the beauty of her community. Then, it was off to Crown Heights for a visit to the Jewish Children’s Museum where they enjoyed a panel discussion from girls in the Chabad Lubavitch community. Their final stop was the Syrian Community in Brooklyn where Bonnie Mansour gave them a glimpse into her close-knit neighborhood. Finally, to bring the entire experience together, the students were privileged to hear from the one and only Rabbi Paysach Krohn who explained the beauty of Ahavas Yisroel and how the Bruriah Historia trip provides a truly memorable experience .
When asked to reflect upon their trip, students each highlighted their favorite takeaways from each community, all of which were different. Rivky Perl was moved by the unconditional acceptance of the Chabad community, while Leeba Pariser gained a newfound appreciation for the insularity of the Satmar community. Sarah Menasha summed up her takeaway most succinctly: “While we are very different in our externals, what unites us is very much the same.” Special thanks to Amy Tropp and Bracha Avraham, 11th grade advisors, and Dena Lichtman for coordinating an incredible experience for the students!
