Bergenfield native Kayla Lowy attends Tiferet Seminary in Israel. But in between her demanding seminary learning schedule, she has also carved out time to fulfil the desire of her senior year brainchild, sparked by the influence of her own dance competition experiences during high school.

“I made a promise to myself that this could not be the last time I danced,” Lowy said. Inspired by this promise, she envisioned organizing a competition between seminaries during her time in Israel. As it lingered in the back of her mind, Lowy said, she never actually expected to see it through. “until one evening I casually shared the concept with my friend Stasha Tishler. To my surprise, she revealed that she had the same thought! On that night, November 15, we made the decision to move forward with creating an inter-seminary fundraiser dance competition.

“We chose to fundraise for Ohr Hadassah, an organization founded by Jen Kotler that provides vital support to orphans and widows,” Lowy continued. “Jen, who also owns a clothing store called My Happy Place, created this initiative to empower individuals by fostering confidence, offering financial assistance, and providing warmth, joy, therapy and guidance. Once we learned about Ohr Hadassah, we felt an immediate connection and knew it was the right cause.”

Here’s how the contest worked: Each participating seminary was tasked with raising funds for Ohr Hadassah and every participant had a personalized fundraising page, organized by school affiliation. Six teams participated in the competition, representing five seminaries: Tiferet, MMY, MTC, Sharfman’s and Lindenbaum. In addition, a special “unity dance” was performed by three girls from Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls in Teaneck: Meital Rimberg, Jordana Bruchansky and Lowy herself, each representing a different seminary.

The event took place at Pavilion Jerusalem, a stunning venue with a seating capacity of 600. Lowy commented that the auditorium was architecturally magnificent, elevated by beautiful lighting and further enhanced by the exceptional service provided by the staff. She reports that each team also showcased impressive music, creating an unforgettable experience for everyone—participants and audience alike.

Lowy described the parameters of the competition. “The contest featured a diverse array of dance performances, encompassing various styles such as hip hop, contemporary and lyrical. Winners were selected by our esteemed guest judges and received a trophy in recognition of their efforts. However, the focus of the event was not on the competition or the rewards, but instead on fostering a sense of unity and connection.”

The competition culminated with an energetic dance party, including a DJ who provided great music. All of the participants and the audience, without hesitation, took to the stage to dance together. The experience was electric—joy, connection and strengthened the bond with and for Am Yisrael.

Winners were selected by a distinguished panel of guest judges, whose wealth of expertise enriched the judging experience. Judges included Jen Kotler, the founder of Ohr Hadassah; Adina Black, wife of Nissim Black; Anat Ishai, renowned for her exceptional challahs and captivating public speaking as “Challah Mom”; Cheftzi Mach, a talented dance instructor and DJ; and Ariella Merrill, widely recognized from her account, “Ready Set Sem.”

MMY secured first place, followed by Tiferet for second, and the unity dance took third. The contest raised approximately $6,000 for Ohr Hadassah. Funds were generated primarily through the efforts of the girls on each team by promoting their fundraising pages, which also highlighted the exceptional work of Ohr Hadassah. A significant amount was also raised via ticket sales.

Lowy shared: “Organizing this event was a journey filled with challenges and uncertainties. It was a difficult path, and at times, we weren’t sure what the outcome would be. We started with a vision, but no clear idea of how to bring it to life. Countless questions loomed: Could we secure a venue? Would enough teams participate? Would we raise sufficient funds? Would we finish our dance in time? Numerous times we considered giving up. However, every time we turned to Hashem about one of our concerns, we found a solution.

“This experience taught me the importance of having bitachon [trust] in Hashem. If Hashem wills something to happen, it will. Our role is to put in our effort, and He will take care of the rest; and He certainly did. March 3 became one of the most memorable nights of my life, when my dream became a reality. Everything unfolded better than I could have ever imagined, and all because of Hashem. While the journey was challenging, it also proved to me that with determination and faith, I am capable of achieving anything I set my mind to.”

Yishar Kokaichen to Kayla and Stasha, all of the participants and the judges of “Dance for Connection.” Ohr Hadassah has already asked Kayla to run the contest as an annual event, so stay tuned for updates.

To donate visit this website: https://thechesedfund.com/ohrhadassahzichroneliezier/seminarydanceoff