On the first day back at school after Sukkot, over 250 Ma’ayanot students enthusiastically devoted time to learn Torah after school at the inauguration of Ma’ayanot’s annual Bruce Ritholz z”l Mishmar program. The Bruce Ritholz z”l Mishmar program brings both renowned and in-house speakers to students weekly throughout the school year. Mrs. Ora Schrier, Ma’ayanot’s director of Torah programming, explained that each mishmar session, in the more than 20 sessions planned this year, will correlate with Ma’ayanot’s theme, “B’Chochmah Yibaneh Bayit / Building a Home.” The entire year’s mishmar series will emphasize “Building Together,” and students will focus on building knowledge and growth in a different mitzvah or midah each week.

The inaugural sessions, facilitated by six stellar Ma’ayanot in-house presenters, including Head of School Mrs. CB Neugroschl, as well as frequent guest presenter Rabbi Aryeh Wielgus, regional director of New Jersey NCSY, explored the theme of “Building Ourselves: How to Grow in Our Avodat Hashem.” Mrs.Neugroschl shared “Lessons from Rabbi Akiva’s Transformation”; Mrs. Yael Weil, of Ma’ayanot’s Halacha faculty, explained “The Science (and Logic) Behind Making Change Last,” and Tanach Department Chair Mrs. Suzanne Cohen discussed “Turkeys and Blocks: A Practical Approach to Building Avodat Hashem.” Mrs. Lori Linzer of the Tanach faculty challenged students to ask themselves, “What Is Hashem Trying to Tell Me? What Does He Want Me to Fix?,” and Mrs. Schrier acknowledged the challenge of “Imperfect Growth.”

Freshman Rosa Marks praised her very first mishmar: “I chose Rabbi Chanales’s session, ‘Fake It Till You Make It: Authenticity and Change.’ Students discussed stories of the Breslover Rebbe, and the time just flew by. The Torah of the Breslover Rebbe is timeless and so meaningful.” Freshman Chavi Goldstein summed it up, “I love having extra time after school to learn Torah together with my friends!”