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Following its inaugural January Mizrachi Recharge program, a group of 11 young women flew to Israel last week for the mid-year program.

Mizrachi Recharge is for people aged 19-28 of the Mizrachi and wider Jewish community to experience a three-week immersive program in Israel. The program includes two weeks of intensive learning in a Yeshivah or Midrashah followed by a week of touring to places in Israel that participants have unlikely seen before.

Program Coordinator Rabbi Ronnie Figdor said that the feedback from the inaugural group in January had been so positive that it was decided to run the program twice a year, leading to a second group travelling last week.

Mizrachi President David Brykman went to the airport on Sunday night and saw off the current contingent. “I’m particularly heartened that we have young people from beyond Mizrachi as well, and I’m thrilled for some of the participants for whom this will be their first time studying in a Yeshivah or Midrashah”, he said.

Participants Sivan Blitman, Dahlia Brykman, Racheli Faraday, Kayla Goldhirsch, Yasmin Goldschlager, Emily Grodski, Leora New, Ella Paluch, Shevy Ruschinek, Gabriella Salant and Dorina Zeltsman commenced their official program at World Mizrachi on Wednesday morning with keynote speakers before a half day of touring and the commencement of their Midrashah studies in the afternoon.

The group is assisted by on-the-ground program leaders Dinah & Ziggy Josefsberg from Melbourne.

While Mizrachi Melbourne covers all ground costs, including medical insurance, participants must pay for their own flights, although Brykman was keen to point out that some assistance was offered in cases of great need.

In exchange for being accepted into the program, participants must attend some pre-program learning in the Bet Midrash and must learn in the Mizrachi Bet Midrash one night a week for six months upon their return.

Brykman said that the January 2024 program is now open for applications at tinyurl.com/rechargejan2024. “Given the popularity of the program, we are currently exploring ways to open up our program to participants from other states,” Brykman said.