Endorsements

Ben Tzion Rabinowitz
The Admor of Biala
Rh’ Sorotskin 47,
Jerusalem

Tamuz, 5765

To the honor of my generous brothers, sons of Israel who bestows deeds of kindness,

Behold I recommend with a full heart the important Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum may she live, the director of Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin. I know the Rebbetzin personally and have been guiding her with advice etc. in her holy work for several years in her Harbatzat Torah (disseminating of Torah) and bringing Jewish girls and women close to Torah and mitzvoth.

Baruch Hashem she is very successful in her holy avodah (service) explained above. She endeavors to accept into her institution serious and stable girls who desire to come close to their Creator and to the knowledge of the Jewish religion, according to what has been received upon us from generation to generation from the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.

The Rebbetzin, may she live, is a G-d fearing woman, who works very hard and puts great efforts to bring Jewish women close to their Father in Heaven, through pleasant ways. Fortunate are those who merit to support her and to help her with donations to assist her in building a permanent building. Whoever gives their hand for this important building will be blessed from Heaven, and the wishes of his heart will be fulfilled for good.

With Blessing,
Ben Tzion Rabbinowitz
Rebbe of Biala

17 Elul, 5769

Chana Bracha Siegelbaum has spent many years teaching her unique and inspired classes to young and not-so-young women touching both their hearts and their minds.

She has now giving the reading public rare contribution in a lucid, readable form that will no doubt benefit many women.

Sincerely

Tziporah Heller

March 12, 2001
17th of Adar, 5761

To Whom It May Concern,
I am familiar with Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin, and its Director, Chana Bracha Siegelbaum. I am impressed with this innovative and sensitive source for Jewish learning and Jewish growth. This is a program which speaks to the soul, body and mind of the Jewish woman.
Mrs. Siegelbaum excels at combining traditional and experimental techniques to create powerful learning environment. Her activities all conform to normative halacha, and she is able to reach out to Jewish women of all backgrounds.
As a Rabbi and a psychologist, I am impressed by her pedagogical expertise and human sensitivity. I recommend this program to women who are interested in exploring their Judaism, and who are serious about their personal growth.
Very truly yours,

Tvi Hersh Weinreb, Ph. D.

11 January, 2001
To Whom It May Concern,

There is no greater wisdom than that of King Solomon who urges us in proverbs to “Educate the youth according to his way”. This is perhaps nowhere truer than in the world of Yeshivot for Baalei Tshuva, where young seeking Jews of all sorts of backgrounds find themselves, each with a unique combination of needs and ideals.

After decades of experience in faculty and administration in a variety of Yeshivot, including Yeshivot Hamilton, Machon Meir, Machon Ora (for women), Nachalot Zvi, Maayan Bina, as well as teaching in programs such as Isralight and the Israel Center, I can comfortably say that B’erot Bat Ayin comes closest to my ideals in a women’s program. It presents skills in serious text learning, as well as taking time to develop spiritual depth in prayer and other Jewish experiences. In a way that few others can, it reaches women who might otherwise find their spiritual yearnings unfulfilled. It successfully makes creative Jewish women aware of the Jewish side of their creativity. It fastens a lasting commitment to genuine Jewish observance and learning, and participation in the community. Located in the beautiful settlement of Bat Ayin it avoids the distracting traffic of the cities and puts students in touch with the legacy of our people in our land.

I have known Chana Bracha Siegelbaum personally for many years. She is, as you will find, exceptionally sincere. In addition I know her to be scrupulously reliable and can be trusted to convey a balanced picture of the current yeshiva scene here. I hope you will respond to her presentation especially generously.

In recognition of your sensitivity to the needs for quality chinuch and individual caring, B’erot Bat Ayin’s strong points, I bless you and yours with simcha and growth.

With Blessings
RABBI NATAN SIEGEL

8 Tammuz 5758
2 July 1998

To Whom It May Concern:
Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin is a unique Torah institution for women, providing a learning program within an atmosphere of warmth and spirituality. Under the dedicated direction of Rabbi Mechael Chaim Siegelbaum and Mrs. Chana Bracha Siegelbaum this institution has had much success in exposing Jewish souls far removed from their roots to the depth and beauty of our tradition.

Any assistance that can be offered will enable this worthy program to continue to reach greater numbers of students.

Sincerely,

Shlomo Riskin

Dear Friends,
It has been my pleasure to have known Chana Bracha Siegelbaum many years. She is a most dedicated person, completely devoted to the teaching of Torah and bereft of any political objectives. She inspires her students with a passionate love for Torah and Am Yisrael, and does so with great sacrifice. Her midrasha is a successful program and brings together young women from diverse places and backgrounds, but with a common objective, to learn about the land of Israel, our Torah and the spiritual dynamics that have sustained our people for the past 2000 years. This, the Midrasha of Bat Ayin deserves our support for which we will all be blessed,
Sincerely,

Rafael M. Grossman

Rav, Baron Hirsch Cong.
Memphis, Tennessee

Dear Chana Bracha,

I am taking this opportunity to express to you my feelings about the positive role which I believe B’erot Bat Ayin fulfills for young Jewish women from Galut for whom their experience at Bat Ayin is often their first taste of life in Eretz Yisrael. Obviously, I base my observations, to a considerable extent, upon the experiences of my daughter, Yael, at your school.
As you probably are aware, the Jewish Day school in North America and I suspect, in Europe as well, though fulfilling a highly important role, often falls short of the goals which it sets itself. Some even believe that the Jewish Day School is in a state of crisis because of its inability to inculcate in young Jewish adults a strong identification with their faith and the land of Israel. The forces of assimilation emanating from the secular world often offset powerfully the attempts to implant in young men and women pride in his/her heritage. For students, moreover, with a profound aesthetic and artistic bent, many Jewish religious institutes of learning both in Israel and the Galut simply fail to offer the requisite environment. B’erot Bat Ayin, on the other hand, is well fitted for the role of catering to such students. It offers young Jewish women a deeply religious environment which caters to the needs of those with aesthetic and artistic as well as religious leanings. It nurtures in such souls a love of Israel, in its land, people, religion, culture and history. The teaching and administrative staff are people who really care about the physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual needs of the young women in their hands. Long may B’erot Bat Ayin prosper.

Sincerely,
Yehuda Sanders

 

February, 1990
Recommendation

I intend her to write a letter of recommendation to the educator Mrs. Chana Siegelbaum, who is an educator here in Beith Yaacov, and the lessons that she gives over to her students are of the highest quality. She has a great way of explaining and gives over the material with many commentaries. Chana spends many hours of preparation for each class, and the students B”H know and understand her classes, and relate to her, not only like an educator but like a mother dedicated to her children.

Likewise she gives classes in different topics to women who gather once a week, and the women who attend the shiurim are highly enriched by her Torah. Chana received a special ability to be a dedicated teacher and educator from Hashem Yisborach. Any institution who receives her to be an educator, will find nachat (be pleased) with her. The work that she does is the work of truth; she puts in all her koach (strength) to prepare the classes and to give them over. Likewise, when she speaks personally with each student, the student comes out greatly fulfilled, and the direction of the school is very pleased with her.
Her place is to strengthen the daughters of Israel in Torah. She is a strong and highly qualified teacher with a rich wealth of knowledge.

I do not write this to exaggerate, but I wrote the truth according how I heard much about how she teaches. Fortunate is her portion, and fortunate is the one who receives her to be an educator in their institution.

I came to sign the second day of Parshat Truma, Erev Rosh Chodesh Adar 1, 5752

Rabbi Ephraim Greenblatt
Memphis, Tennessee

Author of Sh’elot u’tshuvot
“R’vavot Ephraim”
Oruch Chaim, 5 volumes