Ki Mitziyon Teytzeh Torah U' dvar Hashem Miyerushalayim
(From Zion Will Come Forth Torah and God’s Word From Jerusalem)

By Shira Zeliger
York University

I have often pondered why someone would want to travel across the globe to be immersed in Jewish learning in Israel. There are many fabulous institutions of Jewish Studies in North America where one could be stimulated by Jewish learning in a welcoming environment, studying the same texts as in Israel.

As I enter my sixth and final week of the Conservative Yeshiva's summer program, I have realized the importance of coming to Israel (particularly to Jerusalem) to spend my days immersed in Jewish text study.

It is here in Jerusalem -in the merkaz (centre) of the physical and Jewish world- where it is most appropriate to come and study. Physically being in Jerusalem is reason enough to inspire one to study Torah. The spiritual power of the city affects me each day as I walk to and from the Yeshiva and it inspires me to study Torah.

The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem attracts students from a variety of backgrounds, careers and ages to spend time studying the same texts. Students at the Yeshiva range from rabbis to university students; they are lay leaders of their communities, and educators and professionals from a variety of fields. I feel very fortunate to have met students from Italy, the Czech Republic, Holland, Canada, England, France, the United States and Israel. We may be from different places, hold differing opinions and be at different points in our lives, but we all came to the Yeshiva with the same goal - Talmud Torah (the study of Torah). It is only in the centre of the Jewish world that Jews from all over the globe can congregate to learn not only about the texts, but also about one another. It therefore does not seem like a coincidence that the Zionist arm of the Conservative movement is called Mercaz.

I have also been privileged to be able to study with fabulous rabbis, professors, and Jewish educators. The Yeshiva not only hosts a diverse body of students and faculty, but also offers a wide array of courses for the beginner to the advanced student. Participants in the program can spend their mornings studying in the Yeshiva's ulpan to improve their Hebrew, study Introduction to Rabbinics or Advanced Talmud. The afternoons are filled with classes ranging from Introduction to the Zohar, to Halakha (Jewish Law), to Women in the Bible. The Yeshiva also offers daily morning and afternoon minyanim (prayer services); the opportunity to learn about our daily prayers through theTefillah (Jewish prayer) class offered at the Yeshiva certainly enhances students’ personal and communal davvening (praying) experiences. Shabbat meals, special lunch and learn programs, and volunteer opportunities also enhance one's experience here.

Here at the Yeshiva, people can fuse their passion for Zionism and Judaism by spending their days inside the beit midrash (study hall) of the Yeshiva and their evenings and weekends traveling around the country and exploring the city of Jerusalem. New friendships are forged, new skills are learned and Hebrew is undoubtedly improved. In six short weeks (that seem to have flown by ever so quickly), I have come to realize the importance of making the trip to Israel in order to study at the Yeshiva.

The significance of daily prayer and Torah study has been particularly palpable this summer. As Katyusha rockets began to rain down upon Northern Israel, about a month ago, our prayer has been framed by the context of the situation in the North. Each day we say tehillim (psalms) for the victims of these attacks as well as the soldiers who are defending the country. When anxiety and panic were felt as the Katyusha attacks began, we were told how important it is to be immersed in Torah study and prayer for the majority of our waking hours, how during this difficult time in Israel prayer and Torah study hold great power .

It is a pride-filled and powerful feeling to know that our movement has such a wonderful institution, situated in the beautiful complex of the Fuchsberg Center for Conservative Judaism, in the heart of the Jewish world. It is a wonderful feeling to know that I have encountered so many intelligent and inspiring students and teachers here and I am so grateful for being able to spend my summer in Jerusalem.

Now that my summer at the Yeshiva is coming to a close, I am reminded of a piece of our liturgy excerpted from the Torah that we say each time the Torah is brought out to be read; "Ki Mitziyon teytzeh Torah u'dvar Hashem miyerushalayim"—"Torah shall come from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." The Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem certainly proves the truth of this statement.

Shira Zeliger is entering her senior year at York University in the Jewish Teacher Education program. She served as KOACH Intern at York University in Toronto for 2 years and has spent the summer of 2006 studying at the Conservative Yeshiva.

[Posted 8/23/06]