Midreshet Ein HaNatziv combines a dedication to the Halachah and its sources with advanced academic learning. With an aim to produce scholars and leaders, a wide array of Jewish Studies is learned in depth in the Beit Midrash offering each student the opportunity to acquire comprehensive familiarity with many varied approaches. Study in the Beit Midrash is combined with social action in the community and maintains a continuous dialogue with the world outside its walls. The Midrasha’s unique educational philosophy aims to provide students with the tools to draw their own conclusions enabling each student to develop into an individual who will go on to apply her knowledge, belief and leadership talents to enhance Judaism in the complex world of today.

The Midrasha teaching staff are in constant contact with the students, and serve as role models through leading their personal lives in accordance with the ethos of the Midrasha. Our vision is to cultivate young Jewish women who will be committed to their religious Jewish world, to making a contribution to society at large and to the State of Israel. This commitment will be based on profound knowledge of the world of Torah.

Last year she was presented with the Presidential Award of Excellence at the annual Independence Day ceremony at Beit Hanassi by Israeli President Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Ehud Barak.

Natasha entered her military service as one of 35 young religious women participating in Midreshet Ein Hanatziv’s 3-year Maayan Program which combines intensive Judaic studies in the Beit Midrash with full service in the Educational branch of IDF.

Upon completing their high school education, many young religious Israeli women seek ways to explore their Jewish identity so that they may learn to deal with the complexity of their lives as religious women who are active in Israeli society and in the modern world of today. Midreshet Ein Hanatziv provides a unique answer to these women by providing a wide range of challenging Jewish studies encouraging them to conduct a meaningful dialogue between the texts they study in the Beit Midrash and their daily life issues.

Each student at Midreshet Ein Hanatziv is guided to discover and listen to her own unique voice within the broader fabric of the Jewish people. The Midrasha prepares its students towards their life as committed Jewish women who will go on to assume contemporary leadership roles in Jewish society based on a profound understanding of Jewish sources, ethics and values.

Each year, among the 70 students of the Midrasha, 35 young women choose to combine their studies with full service in the army.

The Ma’ayan Program engages participants in intensive Jewish studies and places them in key positions in the Educational Branch of the IDF.  While participants are active in their military service, their relationship with the Midrasha remains close through frequent trips back to Ein Hanatziv and twice weekly classes on their army base taught by visiting Midrasha staff.

Maayan soldiers mainly teach soldiers from underprivileged backgrounds helping them to complete 11 years of formal education. A sub-group of Ma’ayan Program participants teach Judaic content and culture to new immigrants. in preparation for their conversion to Judaism.  These recent immigrants come from countries where they had very little exposure to Judaism.  The army’s Nativ Program provides them with a comprehensive understanding of Jewish life and an enriched Jewish identity and facilitates their integration into Israeli society.

“I am fortunate to have joined the Midrasha at Ein Hanatziv”, says Natasha, “and to have had this wonderful opportunity of serving in the army and getting to know Am Yisrael. I feel totally at home here”.

Project aims to teach students from low socio-economic background and prepare them for entry into IDF’s Technology Units

Recently, many tenth graders came to the Kiryat Menachem Computer Center to learn about and be tested for entry into the Arava Project (see below for full description of project). Machshava Tova’s (www.mtova.org.il) partners – the neighborhood welfare administration, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) technological units and Mercaz Braira – sent representatives to meet the prospective participants. The teenagers came from neighborhoods all over Jerusalem, including Givat Zeev, Neve Yaakov, Gilo, Kiryat Menachem, Kiryat Yovel and many more.

The day began with a talk from each of the partners to describe the project and what the anticipated outcome will hopefully be. A test in technical logic was then administered to everyone- prior knowledge of computers was not a prerequisite to enter the program. Finally, each prospective participant was interviewed by a member of each program partner. At the end of the day, 21 students were chosen and the program will be starting in May.

Much thanks to Pnina Samucha, Kiryat Menachem Director, for her tireless efforts in contacting schools, meeting principals and teachers and marketing the course all over Jerusalem. The fact that so many teenagers showed up and the course is full is a testament to her outstanding efforts. In addition, thanks to

■ Edna Darnel for connecting Machshava Tova with the Jerusalem Municipality and various high schools

■ Hagar Ronen who represented Mercaz Braira

■ Omri Avned who is in charge of instruction

■ Bar Inbar, IDF Officer in charge of programming courses for Basmach (IDF Technological Unit)

■ Volunteer university students who will participate in teaching the course- some of whom served in Basmach

■ Amit, an IDF soldier who volunteers at our computer center

■ Tamar Weil, who is serving her year of national service at our computer centers

The Mamram/Basmach is the technological unit of the IDF, which specializes in using computers to help soldiers in the field and to gather intelligence. Knowledge of basic computer skills is a major component of one’s potential acceptance into this unit. Children from low socio-economic backgrounds are woefully under-represented in this unit because their financial situation does not allow them access to a computer in the home and this prevents many of them from even applying to this unit.

Machshava Tova has constructed the Arava program to increase the chances of teenagers from low socio-economic backgrounds being accepted to this unit. The program will take place during grade eleven. Those accepted into the program will meet once a week for two hours. The program includes:

► learning advanced computer skills

► preparation for the battery of tests teenagers face when first enlisting in the IDF as a pre-requisite for entrance into the Mamram unit

► visiting the army’s Mamram unit, hi-tech companies and hearing from hi-tech executives

There are four main objectives which this program hopes to accomplish:

1) Motivate these students to work harder at school as a way of bettering their future.

2) Opening to these students a whole new set of possibilities they never knew existed.

3) Ending a life of poverty for these students. Graduates of the Mamram unit are highly recruited by hi-tech companies, where starting salaries are far above the average Israeli salary.

4) By showing them the light at the end of the tunnel- possible full time employment after army service- it is possible to raise their self-esteem and allow them to realize their full potential.

By providing access to computers, giving students a chance to acquire the skills needed to enter the Mamram unit, Machshava Tova can empower them to seek a better future.