Media Room
How Nishmat has Inspired Me

By Miriam (Maria), Poland. Alisa Flatow Alumna 2011-2012

From my first day at Nishmat I have experienced so many amazing things that not only gave me pleasure at the time, but have changed me inside.

When I first came to Nishmat, I had just moved to Israel with my husband and kids. I had never been to Israel before, so everything was so new and strange for me! As a European, I at first felt very different to the Israelis and Americans, but something happened after my first week that made me feel that I was in the right place (Israel and Nishmat), with the best people who could give me all that I needed.

I was sitting in the Beit Midrash trying to somehow integrate all the shiurim and information I had received in my first couple of days of learning. I heard someone singing a song I had never heard and couldn't understand. Suddenly a group of girls ran to the front of the room, pushing benches, holding hands and dancing to the song. I didn't know what was going on, but I was really enjoying it! Then I heard someone speaking English, announcing that the girl in the middle of the dancing had just gotten engaged. When our teacher arrived I thought she would tell us "Let's go girls, do something, learn something!", but she said "Go dance!" with a big smile on her face.

So I went to dance and it was amazing!!!

The joy of all the people around, all the happiness shown by dancing and singing (I don't think there is better way to express your joy than dancing, with your whole body moving and showing your happiness.) And the reason! The reason was that this girl is going to have a Chuppa, then a husband, and then children, BE"H and that she is going to build a family!

I liked it so much.

And this is Nishmat; happy people learning and living together, who love fulfilling Mitzvot, who can be with each other on the greatest spiritual level, who teach each other what it means to be a religious Jew in theory but also in practice.

photo courtecy of about.com