Ahuva Oppen, Lakewood, New Jersey
Meira Academy
Machon Maayan 2017-2019
Why did you choose to attend Machon Maayan? Why did you decide to stay Shana Bet?
Initially, I didn’t want to go to seminary at all—I thought it was a waste of a year. But then I went on NCSY GIVE and had an amazing time learning and being in Israel. I spoke to a few of my NCSY advisors about it and we figured out that Machon Maayan was a seminary most similar to GIVE in terms of learning, chesed, and tiyulim, so I just went for it. I loved it from the moment I got here. While I was learning a lot, I still felt like just one year wasn’t enough for me to get all I could be getting, so I decided to stay Shana Bet.
What is your favorite Israeli slang word or phrase?
My favorite Israeli word is “sababa” because it’s a fun word to say.
What’s your favorite class at Machon Maayan?
My favorite class is Interpersonal Relationships. I learned so much from that class and I can clearly see how I took what that class taught me and applied it to my daily life.
Name three things in your current life that bring you great joy.
- The Shana Bet girls are all so amazing and we get along so well. We’re all so different and I think that’s what makes us so great.
- Food from Crave, a restaurant in Jerusalem, brings me unimaginable joy.
- I love learning at Machon Maayan.
My Home: Maayan 