A Magical Weekend for European Jewish Students
Last week, some unusual Shabbatton took place in Budapest.
“Not a Regular Shabatton – Mehutton” was the slogan that brought close together about a hundred Jewish Students from all over Europe, gathering together for a 4-day long event in the heart of the Ancient Jewish Quarter.
This special group of Students have completed the “Back. To me” Learning Program by Mehut, which extended over 12 Weekly Classes in the winter semester. With their local Shluchim, they have learned thoroughly key topics of Yiddishkeit from the JLI curriculum, including Tanya, the development of Halacha and highlights of Jewish history.
Many of the Shluchim with their families came along with the Students, and took active part in the entire Shabatton: Rabbi & Rebbetzin Ariel Markovitch flew in from Kiev, Ukraine, with Rebbetzin Cherry Markovitch (Pinson) delivering a beautiful class on Shabbos about the value of Jewish women across history.
Rabbi & Rebbetzin Baruch Bard (Marseille, France) travelled with their large group of Students and along with their family, bringing many smiles on to the participants. The relatively fresh Shluchim in Romania, Rabbi & Rebbetzin Yitchok Raskin joined from Bucharest and showed how close a young family of Shluchim can be with their Students, while Rabbi Levi Freedman (Munich, Germany) brought his unique Chayus and humor and delivered a powerful class regarding the importance of going beyond the letter of the law in Judaism.
Rabbi Michi Piekarsky, in one of his first events with his young crowd from Estonia, came along with a beautiful group of students, one of which repeated in public his story, of how only half a year ago did he begin searching his roots to find out about his Jewishness hidden for generations…
A especially large group of students made its way from the nearby LBS school of Vienna, where the students took active part in the Mehut weekly classes by committing their participation to the JLP Sunday class led by Rabbi Boruch Sabach and the other Local Shluchim.
Right upon arrival on Thursday morning, the Students embarked in a unique Tour of the Old Castle District, benefiting of the most advanced technology in the Budapest Virtual Tour, followed by a visit in the Medieval Old Buda Synagogue, where Rabbi Piekarski led an inspiring Minyan for Mincha.
Once back, the group was able to gain some rest in the astonishing rooms of the 4-star Hotel selected for the event. In the evening a Opening Gala Dinner gave them the warm welcome with a delicious four course meal, filled up with greeting words by the director of Mehut, Rabbi Zalmen Shimon Springer, and a JEM Video of a Sicha where the Rebbe discusses the ways to stay focused when learning Torah and how to deal with distractions, which the students found so relevant to nowadays’ challenges.
The night ended with some fun group games, that saw many students getting to know each other for the first time.
Friday had a perfectly organized Treasure Hunt, with the students splitting up in smaller groups and moving around the Jewish Quarter, discovering it’s hidden gems by resolving hard riddles, with a final meeting point in the Jewish Cultural center, for Pizza and Prizes for the winners.
In the afternoon the events’ professional Photographer was available for the Students and Shluchim, grabbing the opportunity for some great pictures, and then the ladies Blessed the Shabbos Candles, and the Shabbos program began…
A grand Ice-breaker game got Students to think and find out about each other, after which the crowd was captivated by Rabbi Levi Freedman’s beautifully structured class, followed by a lively Kabbolas Shabbos led by Rabbi Sholem Eisenberger.
The Friday Night meal saw a very big group of local Israeli Students (studying in Budapest) joining the group, besides special guests such as Rabbi Boruch Oberlander, Head Shliach and Chief rabbi of the Orthodox Community, Rabbi Shmulik Raskin, Director of Chabad House Keren Or for Israelis and tourists and the Community representative Mr. Avi Klein.
On Shabbos, after the usual rich breakfast, Students Davened in the Hotel Conference Room transformed into a Shul and had the merit to receive Aliyot to the Torah, taking upon themselves Hachlotos regarding their fulfillment of Mitzvos and influencing their friends to go in that direction.
After a delicious Shabbos meal followed by a grand spontaneous Farbrengen, the students enjoyed a Q&A panel with their rabbis, discussing the most relevant issues revolving around Yiddishkeit nowadays.
After a joyful Havdalah, everyone got ready for a breath-taking Night tour of the city, which finished with the arrival to the Bowling Party arranged exclusively for the group. Between music, a Fresh Melave Malka and the Bowling and BIlliard competition, everyone had a blast!
Once back to the Hotel, an after-party was organized by the students who had that extra energy inside…
Sunday morning, led by the Director Rabbi Springer, the group visited the shoes memorial where special songs and words of meditation on the past and of encouragement for the future mixed with the unspoken feelings of every single one of the students.
The buses then moved on to the charming town of Szentendre, where they also paid a visit to the new Shliach Rabbi Mendy Mayers who opened just a few months ago a brand new Chabad House.
Students and Shluchim were taken by surprise, with the event exceeding their expectations. Everyone is now looking forward to the next round of Torah Classes, and of course they’re all waiting for the next Mehutton!
Mehut is an organization with offices in Brussels and Israel. It offers Educational Programs to Shluchim working with Jewish Students (18-28) across Europe, and students completing its flagship Study Program (the “Back. To me” Program) are awarded a free trip – the Mehutton. Alongside those programs, Speaking Tours and more seminars are part of the Organization’s goals.
Directed by Rabbi Zalmen Shimon Springer from Milan, Italy, Mehut is a partner of the ECJS, and it’s made possible by the EJA and the Meromim Foundation, under the auspices of the RCE.
More info on Mehut.me
