Young Women’s Inspiring Week

By Chani Nutovics

In a life-changing week of in-depth Torah learning and self-discovery for Jewish women across Australia, Merkos Women has just held a special week of inspiration. This event – Landscape of her Soul – encouraged students to embark upon a journey of introspection as they explored the role of women in Jewish life.

With more than 30 sessions held across the week, women were provided with the tools and knowledge in which to understand their individuality and feminine expression in a modern time. Classes covered other pivotal aspects in Judaism such as the level of kashrut with regards to vegan restaurants, the importance of our intentions, if women are obligated in the commandment to be fruitful and multiply, and the secret to everlasting passion in marriage.

Miriam Axelrod from Sydney describes Merkos as being ‘distinctive in that it brings people from such diverse background together in order to share ideas, debate and learn from each other. Each person has a world of experience and has something unique in which to contribute. It just makes the discussions so much more fun’.

The keynote lecturer of the program was Rabbi Aron Moss, the world-renowned Rabbi of the Nefesh community in Sydney. Rabbi Moss explored pivotal topics relating to the inner dimension of the feminine soul. His classes attracted a wide range of people who posed challenging questions on the Jewish woman’s position in a secular society. Zelle le Roux from Melbourne found these sessions particularly empowering. She relates, “I came to the realisation that women don’t need to fight so hard to ‘redefine’ themselves – as we say in the blessing, thanking Hashem for ‘creating me according to Your will’. We already have everything inside us – we just need to learn to nurture it’.

In addition to the everyday classes, Merkos Women provided extracurricular activities that enabled participants to find Jewish meaning and depth in seemingly mundane activities. The students participated in a drumming circle which encompasseda soul-lifting experience of learning to connect with music.

The students were also excited to be provided with a workshop in which they learnt how to prepare for Shabbat in under one hour, incorporating practical solutions to the busy Friday afternoons we are all too familiar with.

The newly-started home cook, Rosie Liberow, was perfectly suited to handling the demands of students who came back from a rewarding yet tiring day at the learning institute next door. Rosie’s creativity in catering for the students was apparent in her delicious meals and desserts that she cooked on-site at the Merkos dormitory. ‘I’m impressed with how much Merkos cares for their students in not only the spiritual way but the physical way as well. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten such delicious yet nutritious food’.

Looking to the future, students are excited to continue growing in their learning and are confident that they will always have Merkos in which to do so. Merkos Women is available to the community as a central base in which to learn something and gain inspiration throughout the morning and afternoon.

Merkos Women is more than just a learning facility, it is an institution whose sole aim is to educate so that people may learn and continue to spread the fire of Torah knowledge and inspiration. Merkos is still accepting enrollments for our full year program beginning mid September. Please look at http://merkoswomen.com.au/ for more information.