It's the two week countdown and although we are all dreading the end, we have certainly been making the most of every second! 

Over Shavuos, we had the option to give a shiur to our classmates. Right after Pesach we were paired with a faculty member to receive guidance on how to prepare our shiur; what topic interests us, sources we should use, preparing a source sheet etc. Every half hour, on Shavuos night, a different girl delivered her shiur to a roomful of her peers. It was beautiful to be a part of the culmination of a years' learning. We then walked to the Kotel for vasikin. It felt like Aliyah l’regel, watching Jews from all backgrounds walking from all different places, to the old city.

The past couple of weeks we have also been fundraising for the Gush Katif Kallah foundation by selling cookbooks with recipes from teachers and by having a raffle. The teachers raffled off items such as  baking challah at my house, manicure pedicure date, homemade Cheesecake and even getting a Bracha from a Rabbi. We have raised over 2,000 shekel and will be hosting a bridal shower for a Kallah in need next Tuesday night! We can't wait!

On Wednesday, we had a pre-college panel. There were different speakers who had a variety of college experiences. It was enlightening and comforting to know that we always have someone to talk to and that people, in the same circumstances as us went through their post seminary life and thrived!

After intensely learning about the Mishkan in Malkas' class, we took a class trip to the Machon Hamikdash this morning in the Old city. Machon haMikdash is an organization which is preparing for the Beit haMikdash. They are making all of the keilim and garb, along with mizbachot etc. It was so beautiful to see the zrizus that people have for the Beit haMikdash! Our tour guide, Elisheva, explained that if the Beit haMikdash does in fact fall from the sky, that’s great, but if it doesn’t then at least we are preparing for if - after all, every generation that doesn't build the Beit haMikdash is guilty for destroying it. This was truly a learning and exciting experience, seeing everything we learned come to life. After, we went for pizza and it was quite a fun time! Thank you Malka and Yaakov for organizing an unforgettable experience!

We are looking toward the next week with mixed emotions. We’ll all be home soon…

Hannah Tessel and Elyse Tripp