Aseret Yemei Teshuva at Ma’ayanot offered students several opportunities to be inspired, to learn and to contemplate personal plans for a year of growth. On Tzom Gedalia, the entire school heard from Charlene Aminoff, founder of Gali’s Couture Wigs. She described her personal transformation in the face of a near-tragedy in her family. Aminoff explained that even a small step toward Hashem opens vast opportunities for new closeness, and encouraged students to choose one small step, one challenging mitzvah and to commit to a short-term improvement. She added, “Hashem doesn’t want us to stress; He wants us to stretch.” Freshman Talia Wallach said, “I was inspired to think about my Judaism, how I treat others and different things I can work on.” Added freshman Ruthie Israel, “I learned that sometimes Hashem gives you a test that you have to figure out.”

On Friday, September 25, Ma’ayanot hosted an Aseret Yemei Teshuva Yom Iyun, sponsored by Kalman and Aliza Staiman in memory of their father, Shalom Tzvi ben Aharon z”l. The theme of the yom iyun was “Balancing Our Scales.” As Ora Schrier, Ma’ayanot’s director of religious programming, explained, “In our growth as Jews, we achieve balance not by aiming for a state of constant zen, but by consistently experiencing and embracing the ups and downs and learning from them both.” Students had a choice of faculty shiurim on the theme of balance, and the day ended with everyone participating in a (socially distanced and masked) outdoor kumzitz with uplifting Torah and songs. Throughout Elul and Tishrei, Ma’ayanot’s Bruce Ritholtz z”l Mishmar program also allowed students to choose from a range of shiurim on inyanei de’yoma. With new perspectives and experiences, Ma’ayanot students were ready for the Yamim Noraim with many sources of Torah inspiration.