Bnot Torah Institute » Rabbi Sharfman http://bnottorah.com Thu, 17 May 2012 16:30:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 Inspirational Kinar Hotel Shabbaton! http://bnottorah.com/blog/2012/01/19/inspirational-kinar-hotel-shabbaton/ http://bnottorah.com/blog/2012/01/19/inspirational-kinar-hotel-shabbaton/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:00:44 +0000 Rabbi Michael Green http://bnottorah.com/?p=2287 Wow!! What a Shabbaton! We left early in the morning and toured various locations in the Kinneret. Plus, we even got to go bowling and bowl against the various faculty members who joined us for this unforgettable Shabbaton held in the gorgeous Kinar Hotel overlooking the luscious banks of the famous Kinneret. Joining us for the magical weekend were 10 Faculty members, including Rabbi Sharfman, Mrs. Sharfman, our Mechanchot, Mrs. Haymann and Mrs. Fuld, as well as a surprise array of teachers!! When we entered our rooms, we saw that the extra "Sharfman's Warmth" was even placed into our rooms, as we found an assorted array of Shabbos treats that were placed in our hotel rooms ahead of time, just for us!! Plus, throughout Shabbos there were inspiring Shabbos meals, a Friday Night Tish, led by Mrs. Chana Silver, that seemed to last into the early hours of Shabbos morning :) What's more, the Kinar Hotel Shabbaton also featured unique discussion groups for us to continue our quest to further our knowledge as highly educated young Jewish women. On Motzie Shabbat we enjoyed a lovely... Click “Read More” to read the full description and see all of the slideshow pictures!]]> Wow!! What a Shabbaton! We left early in the morning and toured various locations in the Kinneret. Plus, we even got to go bowling and bowl against the various faculty members who joined us for this unforgettable Shabbaton held in the gorgeous Kinar Hotel overlooking the luscious banks of the famous Kinneret. Joining us for the magical weekend were 10 Faculty members, including Rabbi Sharfman, Mrs. Sharfman, our Mechanchot, Mrs. Haymann and Mrs. Fuld, as well as a surprise array of teachers!! When we entered our rooms, we saw that the extra “Sharfman’s Warmth” was even placed into our rooms, as we found an assorted array of Shabbos treats that were placed in our hotel rooms ahead of time, just for us!!

Plus, throughout Shabbos there were inspiring Shabbos meals, a Friday Night Tish, led by Mrs. Chana Silver, that seemed to last into the early hours of Shabbos morning :) What’s more, the Kinar Hotel Shabbaton also featured unique discussion groups for us to continue our quest to further our knowledge as highly educated young Jewish women. On Motzie Shabbat we enjoyed a lovely pizza Melavah Malka and a candle lit Kumzitz in which Rabbi Sharfman sang and played his guitar! Unfortunately, the pictures just don’t do this Shabbaton justice…we loved it :)

]]> http://bnottorah.com/blog/2012/01/19/inspirational-kinar-hotel-shabbaton/feed/ 0 Sushi Boats & Chinese Lunch! http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/12/28/all-you-could-eat-sushi-at-taiku-restaurant/ http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/12/28/all-you-could-eat-sushi-at-taiku-restaurant/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:26:53 +0000 Rabbi Michael Green http://bnottorah.com/?p=2033 We departed school as soon as the final morning classes ended and quickly boarded the air conditioned chartered bus that would take us on our way directly to the gorgeously set Maxim Restaurant! As soon as all of us S.T.A.H.R. (Sharfman’s Torah Academic Honor Roll) award winners walked in to the restaurant, we were enchanted with the beautiful and contemporary ambiance. This lunch was going to be a real nice treat and recognition of our scholastic and social accomplishments that all of us from the various tracks all achieved!! Plus, we were accompanied by Rabbi and Mrs. Sharfman as well as our Rakezet, Esther Benayon! It was really great being able to shmooze with them over a special treat. And then, the fresh rolls of sushi boats came...I'm sure you can imagine how much we enjoyed them :) Plus, we also enjoyed a Chinese Lunch as well as our great Dessert! All in all, the outing was a great way to cap off our winning academic accomplishments and we look forward to continuing to excel, move in a positive direction, and be recognized as a S.T.A.H.R! Click “Read More” to read the full description and see all of the slideshow pictures!]]> We departed school as soon as the final morning classes ended and quickly boarded the air conditioned chartered bus that would take us on our way directly to the gorgeously set Maxim Restaurant! As soon as all of us S.T.A.H.R. (Sharfman’s Torah Academic Honor Roll) award winners walked in to the restaurant, we were enchanted with the beautiful and contemporary ambiance. This lunch was going to be a real nice treat and recognition of our scholastic and social accomplishments that all of us from the various tracks all achieved!! Plus, we were accompanied by Rabbi and Mrs. Sharfman as well as our Rakezet, Esther Benayon! It was really great being able to shmooze with them over a special treat. And then, the fresh rolls of sushi boats came…I’m sure you can imagine how much we enjoyed them :) Plus, we also enjoyed a Chinese Lunch as well as our great Dessert! All in all, the outing was a great way to cap off our winning academic accomplishments and we look forward to continuing to excel, move in a positive direction, and be recognized as a S.T.A.H.R!

]]> http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/12/28/all-you-could-eat-sushi-at-taiku-restaurant/feed/ 0 Annual Sharfman’s Chanukah Chagigah 2011! http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/12/21/annual-chanukah-chagigah-201/ http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/12/21/annual-chanukah-chagigah-201/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:31:02 +0000 Rabbi Michael Green http://bnottorah.com/?p=897 The Annual Bnot Torah/Sharfman's Chanukah Chagigah lived up to the hype! From start to finish it left everyone in the audience, from students, to visiting Alumnae, to faculty wanting more :-) But let's start from the beginning...The evening kicked off with a beautifully decorated and festive feel. Indeed, when you walked into the Bnot Torah/Sharfman's Chanukah Chagigah, you were greeted with the walls and windows adorned with Chanukah decorations and it really helped enhance the overall energy! Once we were all seated, we enjoyed a delicious meal that featured a healthy Pumpkin Soup, Stir Fry Chicken served over a bed of rice, as well as a large tossed salad, fresh toasted Garlic Bread, and a tasty frozen dessert! However, the best part of the meal was when Rabbi Sharfman treated us to inspiring words of Torah in which he reminded us about the true importance and everlasting meaning of Chanukah. Once the meal was completed it was on to the skits and all things comical at the 2011 Bnot Torah/Sharfman's Chanukah Chagigah hosted by Sharon Franko and Ilana Yarmak who both hail from California! Click “Read More” to read the full description and see all of the slideshow pictures!]]> The Annual Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s Chanukah Chagigah lived up to the hype! From start to finish it left everyone in the audience, from students, to visiting Alumnae, to faculty wanting more :-) But let’s start from the beginning…The evening kicked off with a beautifully decorated and festive feel. Indeed, when you walked into the Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s Chanukah Chagigah, you were greeted with the walls and windows adorned with Chanukah decorations and it really helped enhance the overall energy! Once we were all seated, we enjoyed a delicious meal that featured a healthy Pumpkin Soup, Stir Fry Chicken served over a bed of rice, as well as a large tossed salad, fresh toasted Garlic Bread, and a tasty frozen dessert!

However, the best part of the meal was when Rabbi Sharfman treated us to inspiring words of Torah in which he reminded us about the true importance and everlasting meaning of Chanukah.

Once the meal was completed it was on to the skits and all things comical at the 2011 Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s Chanukah Chagigah hosted by Sharon Franko and Ilana Yarmak who both hail from California! The hostesses began the evening with a hilarious routine that really got the crowd pumped up, unified, and into a humorous spirit for the rest of the joyous evening.

Next up, was a funny skit performed by several Sephardic students…it was something that you just had to be there for…people are still talking about it!! Best of all, was the acting jobs of Mrs. Fuld and Mrs. Aviva Hayman our Mechanchot! You should have seen Mrs. Haymann in her leather jacket…Plus, Sharon Franko starred as Rabbi Green! The evening continued with acts from various students and faculty. At the Intermission we were treated to yummy Sufganiot served by Rabbi and Mrs. Sharfman :)

The evening continued with a passionate and inspiring Dvar Torah by Suri Zwibel, in which she applied the laws of Taruvos and connected it to Chanukah, and how it related to each and every student as contemporary Jewish women!

All in all, the Annual Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s Chanukah Chagigah was an evening that truly fostered our love for Chanukah as well as exhibited the unique warmth and genuine family atmosphere inherent in each and every Sharfman’s student and faculty member. Happy Chanukah!!!

]]> http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/12/21/annual-chanukah-chagigah-201/feed/ 0 Post Tzom Gedaliah Break Fast in Sharfman’s http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/10/02/post-tzom-gedaliah-break-fast-in-sharfmans/ http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/10/02/post-tzom-gedaliah-break-fast-in-sharfmans/#comments Sun, 02 Oct 2011 19:31:39 +0000 Rabbi Michael Green http://bnottorah.com/?p=1759 We've had an AMAZING time in Sharfman's soo far!! After an informative and inspirational Orientation Week and an unforgettable Shabbaton, we had a whirlwind of classes...and then it was time to experience our first Rosh HaShanah in Israel! On Sunday, we commemorate Tzom Gedaliah, The Fast of Gedaliah, and had a half day of classes. This fast day was instituted to commemorate the assassination of Gedaliah Ben Achikam, the Governor of Israel during the days of Nebuchadnetzar King of Babylonia. As a result of Gedaliah's death, many thousands of Jews were murdered or forced into exile. Following the fast, while we always have constant access to our own fully-equipped apartment kitchen, Sharfman's really takes care of us on a physical and spiritual level. In fact, Rabbi Sharfman himself was in school to personally serve a warm and nutritious soup along with a fresh baguette to enliven each and every girl. Best of all, it was a great opportunity to really bond with everyone from Shana Aleph... Click “Read More” to read the full description and see all of the slideshow pictures!]]> We’ve had an AMAZING time in Sharfman’s soo far!! After an informative and inspirational Orientation Week and an unforgettable Shabbaton, we had a whirlwind of classes…and then it was time to experience our first Rosh HaShanah in Israel! On Sunday, we commemorate Tzom Gedaliah, The Fast of Gedaliah, and had a half day of classes. This fast day was instituted to commemorate the assassination of Gedaliah Ben Achikam, the Governor of Israel during the days of Nebuchadnetzar King of Babylonia. As a result of Gedaliah’s death, many thousands of Jews were murdered or forced into exile. Following the fast, while we always have constant access to our own fully-equipped apartment kitchen, Sharfman’s really takes care of us on a physical and spiritual level. In fact, Rabbi Sharfman himself was in school to personally serve a warm and nutritious soup along with a fresh baguette to enliven each and every girl. Best of all, it was a great opportunity to really bond with everyone from Shana Aleph and Bet and get to know all the girls that much more!

]]> http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/10/02/post-tzom-gedaliah-break-fast-in-sharfmans/feed/ 0 Meet the Street! http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/09/15/meet-the-street/ http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/09/15/meet-the-street/#comments Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:31:12 +0000 Rabbi Michael Green http://bnottorah.com/?p=535 Groups of incoming Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s students descended upon the streets of Ramat Eshkol on September 15th, during Orientation Week, to explore and become more familiar with our neighborhood and its colorful ambiance. In addition, the informal tour allowed students to become more acquainted (outside of the confines of the walls of a classroom or Beit Midrash) with the various personalities that comprise the Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s faculty. Small groups of girls were led by a Madricha, a Chonechet, or a Rakezet, who acted as tour guides, to tour and explore the neighborhood’s lush parks, point out how close to our school much of our faculty live, and enjoy the markets, restaurants, and Ramat Eshkol Shopping Promenade. “Students really enjoyed the overall sense of communal life that fills the air. They were thrilled to hear that minutes away from school are, cafes, a pharmacy, ATM's and much more in the Ramat Eshkol Shopping Promenade. Plus, the fact that much of our faculty lives in the neighborhood of our school is really a unique element that we offer each and every student,” said Mrs. Debbi Nissel, Chessed Coordinator at Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s. Click “Read More” to read the full description and see all of the pictures!]]> Groups of incoming Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s students descended upon the streets of Ramat Eshkol on September 15th, during Orientation Week, to explore and become more familiar with our neighborhood and its colorful ambiance. In addition, the informal tour allowed students to become more acquainted (outside of the confines of the walls of a classroom or Beit Midrash) with the various personalities that comprise the Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s faculty. Small groups of girls were led by a Madricha, a Chonechet, or a Rakezet, who acted as tour guides, to tour and explore the neighborhood’s lush parks, point out how close to our school much of our faculty live, and enjoy the markets, restaurants, and Ramat Eshkol Shopping Promenade.

“Students really enjoyed the overall sense of communal life that fills the air. They were thrilled to hear that minutes away from school are, cafes, a pharmacy, ATM’s and much more in the Ramat Eshkol Shopping Promenade. Plus, the fact that much of our faculty lives in the neighborhood of our school is really a unique element that we offer each and every student,” said Mrs. Debbi Nissel, Chessed Coordinator at Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s.


The “Meet the Street” tour, piloted five years ago, has quickly become a highlight of Orientation Week. “One of our goals is to help students adjust to seminary life and also to life in Israel,” explained the program’s coordinator, Rabbi Michael Green, Overseas Director of Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s. “This is a great opportunity to teach the students all about the rich history and vibrant neighborhood that will be their home for their year in seminary. In addition, the fact that it occurs after the Kashrut Orientation, enables the girls to instantly take their learning and put it into practice. The tour not only assists students by showing them where to purchase their favorite American products ranging from Pantene Pro-V to Heinz Ketchup but also shows them the Kashrut Symbols that they just learned about with Rabbi Sharfman. The Meet the Street tour represents Bnot Torah Institute’s ability to foster a warm relationship with its students both in and out of school.”

One student remarked, “Sharfman’s really knows how to make you feel at home. They really went out of their way to introduce us to our new neighborhood and point out where various teachers live and all of the local stores. Plus, Meet the Street was a great way to really get to know my Chonechet! I can’t wait to go to her house for Shabbos and Bayit Cham—and when Mrs. Sharfman gave us Iced Coffee at the end of the tour, from Nina’s Café, that really surprised us all! ” Later in the evening Shana Aleph students returned for an Academic Orientation and looked forward to some fun in the sun with a friday morning trip to Gan Yehoshua.

]]> http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/09/15/meet-the-street/feed/ 0 An Amazing Orientation Night http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/09/15/an-amazing-orientation-night/ http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/09/15/an-amazing-orientation-night/#comments Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:21:43 +0000 Rabbi Michael Green http://bnottorah.com/?p=1691 On the second night of Orientation Week, we all got together and gathered in the Bnot Torah/Sharfman's Beit Midrash. Rabbi Sharfman acted as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening and through his jokes he really added a great amount of warmth and humor to the event! Anyways, it was a great time to really introduce and meet all the Shana Aleph and Shana Bet girls from different cities who are in Sharfman's. It was great to hear all about who they are and how much we share common goals for the year. There are girls from Los Angeles to Toronto and from Cleveland to New York and I really can see myself being friends with a lot of them. Plus, we got to meet our Chonchot who also participated in the evening as well! Throughout the evening, I quickly felt a connection with my apartment-mates and fellow students when we all got to open up and share who we were, where we came from, and also play the interactive game "Getting to Know You Bingo," where we all go around the room searching for clues about one another... Click “Read More” to read the full description and see all of the pictures!]]> On the second night of Orientation Week, we all got together and gathered in the Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s Beit Midrash. Rabbi Sharfman acted as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening and through his jokes he really added a great amount of warmth and humor to the event! Anyways, it was a great time to really introduce and meet all the Shana Aleph and Shana Bet girls from different cities who are in Sharfman’s. It was great to hear all about who they are and how much we share common goals for the year. There are girls from Los Angeles to Toronto and from Cleveland to New York and I really can see myself being friends with a lot of them. Plus, we got to meet our Chonchot who also participated in the evening as well! Throughout the evening, I quickly felt a connection with my apartment-mates and fellow students when we all got to open up and share who we were, where we came from, and also play the interactive game “Getting to Know You Bingo,” where we all go around the room searching for clues about one another!

]]> http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/09/15/an-amazing-orientation-night/feed/ 1 Airport Arrival: We Have Arrived! http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/09/13/airport-arrival-we-have-arrived/ http://bnottorah.com/blog/2011/09/13/airport-arrival-we-have-arrived/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:50:35 +0000 Rabbi Michael Green http://bnottorah.com/?p=377 Wow! What a whirlwind day it has been. We said goodbye to our friends and family back home and boarded the group flight heading towards Israel. On the plane we all got to bond and meet. It was great to see that soo many people were like me and were motivated to spend this year growing. After what felt like forever, we landed and not one of us lost a bag! As we came out we were greeted by soo many people from Rabbi Sharfman and Mrs. Sharfman to Rabbi Green, Mrs. Haymann, our Madricha Yehudis Jacobowitz and our Rakezet Ms. Esther Benayon! I quickly felt at home—they even knew all of our names. Plus, after sitting on the plane and then feeling the warm Tel Aviv heat, the only thing I could want was a drink of water. The next thing I knew, there was Rabbi Sharfman and Rabbi Green handing out water bottles with a cute Sharfman's label on it that welcomed us to the school. Once everyone had come out, we headed out to the bus that would bring us to school... Click “Read More” to read the full description and see all of the pictures!]]> Wow! What a whirlwind day it has been. We said goodbye to our friends and family back home and boarded the group flight heading towards Israel. On the plane we all got to bond and meet. It was great to see that soo many people were like me and were motivated to spend this year growing. After what felt like forever, we landed and not one of us lost a bag! As we came out we were greeted by soo many people from Rabbi Sharfman and Mrs. Sharfman to Rabbi Green, Mrs. Haymann, our Madricha Yehudis Jacobowitz and our Rakezet Ms. Esther Benayon! I quickly felt at home—they even knew all of our names. Plus, after sitting on the plane and then feeling the warm Tel Aviv heat, the only thing I could want was a drink of water. The next thing I knew, there was Rabbi Sharfman and Rabbi Green handing out water bottles with a cute Sharfman’s label on it that welcomed us to the school. Once everyone had come out, we headed out to the bus that would bring us to school. The bus ride was nice! We all got to meet girls from other places who were just like us. When we got to school, we met our Aim Bayit’s who took us to our apartments. Anyways, later tonight we are off to The Kotel and then tommorow is the first day of Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s Orientation :-)

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