Dear Yeud parents,

I'm sitting at the JFK airport in NY, on my way back from a successful 2-week recruiting trip during which I visited 24 high-schools in 10 different cities in the States. It was so nice to meet some of you in –[p0kkihndperson, and to see our wonderful alumni who are still living the Yeud legacy: they are involved in many Torah, Zionist and chessed efforts on their university campuses. We are very proud of them for being active members of their Jewish communities who assume leadership roles.

Here is a short summary of Midreshet Yeud's past and future events. As you know by now, these are additions to the program, on top of all the Torah and Sherut Leumi your daughters do as a matter of routine:

·         On Wednesday Oct 31 our guest speaker was Mr. Ilan Osrin of World Bnei Akiva who addressed the topic of "the Murder of Prime Minister Rabin and its effect on Jewish Unity in Israel today".

·         On Thursday Nov 1 we heard a special lecture from Mr. Eli Yosef on the special story of the Righteous Gentile Raoul Wallenberg. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raoul_Wallenberg

·         On Sunday Nov 4^th during my weekly "shmooze" (which opens each week) we discussed the question of the price Israel should pay for redeeming any captive soldiers. This was in honor of the one-year anniversary of the Gilad Shalit deal.

·         On Tuesday Nov 6^th our weekly siyur took us to Kever Rachel, just south of Jerusalem. The group heard a special story from Tali our dorm mother, who was friends with Nava Applebaum, a terror victim murdered a day before her planned wedding, and whose wedding gown was later made into an ornament at Kever Rachel. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel's_Tomb

·         The following day our guest speaker was Mr. Aaron Lipkin of Ofra. He spoke about the American Pro-Israel Christian organizations as per his work with them in the States and in Israel.

·         On Thursday Nov 8 we attended a full-day seminar run by MASA. Our students joined students from two other midrashot – Machon Maayan and Amit – as they heard lectures from professionals on Israel advocacy and public speaking. The day concluded with a contest between the students to see who can make the best "pitch". Three of the four winners were Yeud students, with Tsippora Cohen taking first place!

·         On Tuesday Nov 13 our weekly tour was to the Underground Prisoners Museum, where some of the bravest men and women who fought to establish Medinat Yisrael were imprisoned (and a few were executed at the gallows) by the British mandate. We found it especially meaningful to be visiting such a place of courage and bravery just as the new month of Kislev comes in – the month of Jewish heroism.

·         The next day featured a guest speaker lecture from former Torontonian Mrs. Marci Rapp (whom I know from my shlichut years in Toronto) – who decided one bright day to donate a kidney to someone she does not know, as a random act of kindness. Small world – her kidney now resides within my next door neighbor…

·         This Shabbat [Nov 17] the MTA students are in Ranana on a special program, and the rest of our students are being hosted by different staff families.

·         At this time our hearts go out in prayer to our Almighty G-d, as we beseech him to keep and safeguard our brave soldiers – men and women who put their life on the line to protect Am Yisrael, and to strengthen the residents of Southern Israel at this hectic time. As of now Jerusalem is very quiet and safe, and we will closely follow and update you with any change in the "matzav". G-d forbid, if it gets to the point that Jerusalem residents must be evacuated, we'll be facing a full scale war the likes of which did not happen since 1973, and all foreign citizens will be leaving the country anyway. But the chances of this local Gaza operation escalating into a major regional confrontation (what with Syria falling apart and Egypt still licking its soars) are currently very very slim.

·         Next Tuesday Nov 20 our weekly tour is to the Tomb of Shmuel HaNavi just outside the Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramot. The following week we visit the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus.

·         Our next group Shabbat [which is also a farewell Shabbat from our amazing MTA students – sob sob!] is scheduled to take place on the second Shabbat of Chanuka, December 15, at the beautiful Moshav Shadmot Mechola in the Jordan Valley. Great way to catch some sun during this cold and wet season.

Wishing you all a holy and peaceful Shabbat shalom!

~ Rav Hillel