ב"ה
Thursday, 4 Adar II, 5784
  |  March 14, 2024

My Year at a Small Seminary

When Riva Goldwasser was rejected from a Chabad girls seminary in Israel she was floored. But her year turned out just fine (in Florida). Full Story

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riva
June 17, 2011 5:35 pm

keep up the good work!!!!

mazel tov rabbi and mrs. lebovics
June 16, 2011 2:14 am

mazel tov rabbi and mrs. lebovics on the birth of your baby girl may you have much naches from her and all your children.

great job
June 16, 2011 1:04 am

go riva!!

GOOD JOB!!
June 15, 2011 11:54 pm

GO RIVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

riva
June 15, 2011 7:15 pm

what could i say
just keep it up, showing the world what a true chasidishe maidel should be

junac101
June 14, 2011 9:09 am

My daughter also got rejected by the sem she applied for in israel. She was very hurt and thought her world had come to an aend.(The excuse was lack of space).
Because of this she had the best experience of her life in a smaller sem elswere outside of israel albeit not chaya eidel.
So never lose heart.even if you are not one of the Metsuyanim there is always something out vthere for you. Gam zu latova.

ur fellow pgher
June 14, 2011 6:07 am

go riva!!!!go pittsburgh 4eva!:)

Well done Reva
June 14, 2011 1:17 am

We love you and your beautiful family.We know firsthand that CA Sem cares about each individual and excels at bringing out the best.So happy you had a great year.Its great to know that going to CA sem you can have an even better experience.

chaya aydel alumni
June 13, 2011 11:46 pm

I may have attended chaya aydel a few years ago- but you described it very well!

to #36
June 13, 2011 10:49 pm

the correct words are Dugma Chaya!

best teacher!!!!!!!!!!
June 13, 2011 8:45 pm

Rabbi Kudan is the best teacher!!!!!!

Mesiras nefesh
June 13, 2011 5:43 pm

I cannot believe how much you have grown. The Rebbe must be so proud of you. Thank you for being a דוג מחיה to all.

riva!!!
June 13, 2011 1:52 pm

wow riva…..continue to be an inspiration to all of us! we love you!

must mention
June 13, 2011 12:12 pm

Mrs Rivky Geisinsky joined the staff this year
absolutely amazing!

A Proud and Pleased Parent says...
June 13, 2011 1:58 am

A Big Yasher Koach to all of the hanhala, mechanchim and madrichim of CAS. You provided a superbly balanced staff and program that brought out the best in my child. In retrospect (which is always 20/20) this was the RIGHT choice. I cannot express my gratefulness to CAS. May you continue to be zocheh to bring out the potential in our yiddishe techter, a peulah that doesn’t end when seminary does…it is a peulah nimsheches that continues in the next generations that your mushpoim bring up. Hatzlacha Rabbah!!!

Wow
June 13, 2011 1:43 am

The pressure to get into israel is big. But for what? I have two friends that are went to seminary this year, one to Florida and one to israel . The one in Israel did not change. She is still a chassidishe girl but the one I really saw a difference in is the one that wentto Florida . So if your looking to really grow buruchnius then don’t give into the pressure of going to where all of your friends are going but to somewhere you will actually grow.

i agree
June 12, 2011 11:36 pm

as a former cas student i can say that if what you are looking for is a good seminary and not a year stay in israel then the chaya aydel seminary is where you want to be.

Chaya Aidel Seminary
June 12, 2011 11:12 pm

After reading Riva’s letter and the comments that were sent in I must say that it gives me much pride and nachas that my child is on the staff of the seminary. Rabbi Rafi and Goldie Tennenhaus ,Yossi and Chani Lebovics, Rabbi Mordy and Itty Feiner , Schwartzs …………….really are a caring , devoted Hanhala for all !!!

grateful mom
June 12, 2011 10:09 pm

As the mother of a Chaya Aydel alumna I could not agree more with Riva’s thoughtful assessment. Yasher Koyach to the wonderful and caring hanhala and staff at the seminary and to this student for speaking up and sharing her mature perspective with others!

Hi ;)
June 12, 2011 9:35 pm

Small seminary with a big heart! Riva so glad to meet u there u r amazing wonderful girl ! Thanks CAS and thanks to all the Chabad of Hallandale we gonna miss u. Good job Riva.

Amazing Girl
June 12, 2011 9:24 pm

I LOVE YOU RIVA !!!!!!!!!!!!

completely agree!
June 12, 2011 8:49 pm

CAS was the best year of my life, no doubt! I am glad it is still around and going strong! Rabbi and mrs lebovics, thanks for everything u do! Its an honor to say I am a chaya aydel alumnus! This article is right on! Kol hakavod

Riva
June 12, 2011 8:26 pm

Thnx so much for writing this im really glad to have met you and you added so much to the seminary

grateful
June 12, 2011 8:24 pm

My daughter had the priviledge to be a part of ca seminary this year. It was a year she will look back on with joy-as will we as parents.The administration and hanhola led by Yossi and Chani Lebovic provide outstanding role models, infuse the atmosphere with positivity and provide an environment where growth is encouraged and nurtured.This seminary need not be considered a good ‘second’ choice-it is first rate and sets a standard many chabad instititions could hope to emulate!

chaya aydel
June 12, 2011 7:36 pm

I am so glad that my daughther went to Chaya Aydel Sem
I have no words to thank all the Rabbis and teachers for the outstanding care given to her
The learning was very good, they made very nice trips ,they had great meals, farbrengens ,Shabbatons,Concerts,Outreach activities
I highly recommend Chaya Aidel Sem to everyone!!!

cas student
June 12, 2011 6:52 pm

i was a cas student in the past the article is truly on the mark great job riva

riva
June 12, 2011 5:55 pm

so impressed by this article, well done for sharing this experience, this sounds like a great sem,a nd im glad hashem guided you to florida

wow
June 12, 2011 5:22 pm

that sounds so nice

wow!
June 12, 2011 5:21 pm

very special

go riva!
June 12, 2011 5:06 pm

you show the world how to make the best out of every situation! keep it upppppppppppp!!!!!!!!!!!

Delie
June 12, 2011 4:46 pm

טוב מעוד

proud high school teacher
June 12, 2011 4:45 pm

Riva, what a brave and heart-felt article. You have truly done a service for other high school girls by demonstrating that there are other wonderful seminaries available, and that it is a student’s choice to have a wonderful year in whichever seminary she finds herself. Kudos to the principals and staff of Chaya Aydel Seminary for providing such an incredible level of caring as well as a quality education that is clearly very meaningful for your lucky students. Heart warming all around!

Reuven Arazi
June 12, 2011 3:33 pm

Nice job Riva,
you write better artciles than me 🙂
congratssss!!!

Chaya- A seminary student 5771
June 12, 2011 3:28 pm

WOW! Riva, i must say, this article is INCREDIBLE!!! every word of it, i can relate in every way. Yasher Koach! …im really going to miss the Hallandale community, Staff and Sem-mates…Im really happy i chose this seminary, i had an amazing experience, Thanks to the most devoted staff, the Lebovics, Tennenhauses, Schwarts and Feiners! Kol Hakavod!

classmate!!!
June 12, 2011 3:03 pm

RIVA its beautifull!!!!!!!:) Mrs N. classes really paid off:)

riva goldwasser, a true aidel
June 12, 2011 2:21 pm

The courage that went into this. i am at a loss of words

My sister had a similar experience.
June 12, 2011 2:03 pm

I’m happy that someone finally had the courage to step up and expose the good (and not so good) about the sem situation. As a Girls High School teacher myself I can attest to the enormous pressures that the girls are under to get accepted into a “real” seminary; you know those ELITIST ones in Israel… I have felt for a very long time that it’s tremendously overblowen and causes the girls (and their parents) MUCH unecessary agony and worry. Is it all that it’s made out to be? I don’t know. What I could tell you is that this… Read more »

'riva
June 12, 2011 2:00 pm

your a brave, and very wise young lady. and absolutely right!

To my BFF
June 12, 2011 1:57 pm

that is sooooo special…

CAS Alum
June 12, 2011 1:43 pm

Yup, same story with me. I had an amazing year in CAS- the Lebovics are incredible people!!!

riva!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 12, 2011 1:34 pm

nachas nachas nachas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wow!
June 12, 2011 1:16 pm

riiiiiiiiiiiivaa!!!! I dont even know where to begin… !!! truth is i have so much to say right now so all im gonna say is shhhhhh shhhhh and save the rest for later 😉

your bestest friend forever and ever,

sincerely,
uknowwho 😉

June 12, 2011 1:00 pm

Riva. Thanx for having the courage to write this. I’ll really take it to heart.

so nice!
June 12, 2011 12:45 pm

Glad u had a great year!!

WOW
June 12, 2011 12:39 pm

i just got a rejection letter, its good to see there is a light at the end of the tunnel. israel sem is not the be all and end all, thank you for highlighting this

Montrealer
June 12, 2011 12:28 pm

Many have had this experience at the Chaya Aydel Seminary and it is nice to read about it black on white,
thank you Riva for taking the time to write it

CAS 2010
June 12, 2011 12:27 pm

the back of my head looks beautiful!

well written, Riva!

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