Page 15 - HaMizrachi Purim 5783 USA

ָ
In our tefillah three times each day, we ask Hashem ך ֶדָי ת ֶא ַח ֵתֹו ּ פ and evening groups that form around daf yomi, halacha yomit and
ׂ
ןֹוצ ָר י ַח ל ָכ ְל ַעי ִּ ב ְש ַמּו, “You open Your hand and satisfy every living perek yomi. Now these experiences are beginning to develop for
thing’s will”. A beautiful Chassidic vort explains that we are women through wonderful organizations and programs.
asking Hashem to provide us with “ratzon”, with willpower. Every Another change that needs to be fostered is the number of female
day I ask Hashem to give me that ratzon, that drive to share dvar Torah teachers available as a resource to women at each stage of
Hashem. I ask Him to provide me with the religious, physical, life. Men who go through Jewish schools and yeshivot can often
mental and emotional strength to be the best eved Hashem I can choose between 30 or 40 rabbis and find the three or four whom
possibly be, and to be able to inspire others. they most connect with and develop and maintain a relationship
No matter how tired I am, Torah learning and teaching give me with them. Simply having more female teachers at each stage
strength. The joy and love of sharing dvar Hashem is incompara- of Torah education will provide women more opportunities to
ble to anything else or any other pursuit. It is not just relegated form those essential connections to teachers, rabbaniot, mashpiot
to the classroom. My children are my favorite students; living and mashgichot. We also need additional professional training in
teaching is teaching your children. Even regular conversations mental health, pedagogic methods and qualitative curricula for
at home can be infused with teaching dvar Hashem. It’s the most existing Jewish studies teachers to raise the level of properly
invigorating aspect of my life! teaching and inspiring textual skill, content and way of life.
There are young women who feel that if they stay in Israel after
What are some of your dreams for the future? learning in midrasha, they won’t be able to continue their high
On a macro level, my goal is to work together with gedolei haDor, level learning in a religious and academically-challenging envi-
rabbanim, rabbaniyot and leading educators to teach Tanach ronment. For that reason, many midrashot encourage students to
and Torah she’ba’al peh to as many women as possible, without leave Israel to go to Stern College, where they can stay within a
compromising on quality, while also catering to many different religious framework in chutz la’aretz. But this is changing, Baruch
aspects of avodat Hashem. This expresses itself in different ways Hashem. As of Elul 5783, Yeshiva University is starting a pro-
for different groups. I have met many professional women in gram in Israel which will provide Anglo college students with a
their 50s who say they now want to learn more Torah, as they comprehensive religious framework, including religious student
did not have the opportunity to do so when they were younger. life, tiyulim, shabbatonim and more. Young people can make Aliyah
We need as many community batei midrash for women as possible, and continue their religious development in a framework that is
places that enable women at each stage of life to enhance their inspiring, enriching, supportive and comfortable. We are creating
shemirat mitzvot and talmud Torah. that environment for them here in Eretz Yisrael as part of the
process of geulah! Ki miTzion teitzei Torah!
Another new development is the growing social and cultural
experiences for women in Torah communities which I hope to Lastly, together with my husband, children and grandchildren,
strengthen and encourage. Men have so many of these cultural I hope to bring greater glory to Torah. And through building
and social religious programs – melave malkas, siyumim, breakfast our Jewish home, I hope to help others build theirs, which will
catalyze Hashem to rebuild His! n

Rabbanit Taragin, together with World Mizrachi’s Head of Leadership Programs Rabbi Hillel Van-Leeuwen, with the 2022 graduates of the Lapidot Educator’s Training Program.
| 15