If you didn’t go to seminary in Israel

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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling -> Seminary Info

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amother

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:10 pm

Do you still have a very strong connection to the land?

I feel like one main benefit of going for me was forging a personal connection with EY and a yearning to return, a real feeling that it’s my home. That’s important to me especially in times like these where I’m able to daven for EY with heart and sincerity, picturing the land as I knew it for a year and a half and all the people I met.

Is that connection possible if someone doesn’t live there for a period of time?

amother

Ruby

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:17 pm

Hi Seminary reject here. My vision for Eretz Yisroel is not what it looks like now but what it can be. For sure more time spent there would strengthen my feelings but despite that, dreams of a redeemed Eretz Yisroel burn in my heart.

amother

Dimgray

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:28 pm

I did not have a good year in sem. Nothing major happened...but there were a lot of long draggy afternoons, boring/patronizing classes, stress about shabbos plans, etc. Did not have a connection to the seminary teachers who seemed to be living in a bubble and were very detached from the reality of current day American frum people (it was like they were stuck in the past from the 1980s/90s or whenever they had picked up and moved to EY and thought everything in America was just the same).
When I left at the end of the year, I had no desire to go back. It took me close to 10 years to go back for a summer vacation. I went on some tours where I actually understood the information (geared to Americans and spoken in English) and experienced being there without the stress and boredom of my seminary year. And I loved it, and felt very inspired, and have felt a connection ever since. I think most people whitewash their memories of seminary and look back with rose colored memories. I remember a lot of girls feeling the same way, they just didn't admit it after going home at the end of the year, and after some time managed to convince themselves it was the most amazing year ever. Or they get married shortly after, and when they look back it's from the point of view of the last time they were truly carefree and unencumbered and that's why they look back so nostalgically on their seminary year. Obviously, this isn't the case for everyone. But it is true for more girls than you'd think.

Beingreal

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:33 pm

My mother went to half day seminary in Brooklyn, and my sister went to Manchester England. I went to E"Y and I am glad I did because my dh was only looking for a girl who went to E,"Y for seminary.

amother

Bluebonnet

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:33 pm

Beingreal wrote:

My mother went to half day seminary in Brooklyn, and my sister went to Manchester England. I went to E"Y and I am glad I did because my dh was only looking for a girl who went to E,"Y for seminary.

married1234

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:36 pm

amother Dimgray wrote:

I did not have a good year in sem. Nothing major happened...but there were a lot of long draggy afternoons, boring/patronizing classes, stress about shabbos plans, etc. Did not have a connection to the seminary teachers who seemed to be living in a bubble and were very detached from the reality of current day American frum people (it was like they were stuck in the past from the 1980s/90s or whenever they had picked up and moved to EY and thought everything in America was just the same).
When I left at the end of the year, I had no desire to go back. It took me close to 10 years to go back for a summer vacation. I went on some tours where I actually understood the information (geared to Americans and spoken in English) and experienced being there without the stress and boredom of my seminary year. And I loved it, and felt very inspired, and have felt a connection ever since. I think most people whitewash their memories of seminary and look back with rose colored memories. I remember a lot of girls feeling the same way, they just didn't admit it and after some time managed to convince themselves it was the most amazing year ever. Or they get married shortly after, and when they look back it's from the point of view of the last time they were truly carefree and unencumbered and that's why they look back so nostalgically on their seminary year. Obviously, this isn't the case for everyone. But it is true for more girls than you'd think.

I was in seminary for a full year and had an awful experience. I did not belong at the school I was at, and actually got suspended at one point (it was for something very minor, my parents were furious). I found it to be a very similar experience to what you’re describing, and I didn’t have many friends since I was on a different wavelength than the other girls.
But, I fell in love with Israel. I spent a lot of time by myself, and went to explore whenever I had a minute to myself.
I wanted to live there after seminary, but since I had no financial support, and my husband wasn’t learning, there wasn’t much of a reason to go.
I want to go back so badly, but have not been able to since coming home from seminary. I do hope to go back as soon as possible though.

amother

Birch

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:36 pm

I never had any connection to the land , didn’t go for sem but did go for a two week trip there during my sem year. Went once married for a week still wasn’t attached. Only got a great attachment to the land when I spent a two week yom tov there.

amother

Lemonchiffon

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:38 pm

Beingreal wrote:

My mother went to half day seminary in Brooklyn, and my sister went to Manchester England. I went to E"Y and I am glad I did because my dh was only looking for a girl who went to E,"Y for seminary.

Just curious, why was your husband looking only for a girl who went to Israel for seminary? What qualities did he (or his mother) feel these girls had that the other ones didn't?
Wondering if you were to ask him now, looking back, is it still important to him, what he'd say?

amother

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:40 pm

married1234 wrote:

I remember going to the Kotel on motzoei Shabbos and random days and taking a white chair and just sitting and saying tehillim…
And davening on the mirpeset every morning as the beautiful sun rose…
And going to Kever Rachel…

It’s 12 years later and I just feel so connected. I was able to imagine what it would look like with aliyah leregel because of birchas kohanim at the Kotel and also shavuos night- one of the most powerful nights of my stay there. Men and women walking late at night, straight through the Muslim quarter, joyful and holy…

I happen to have also loved seminary and made lifelong friends and mentors/rebbeim
But for me one of the biggest takeaways was getting to know and love the land

I don’t love the idea of sending a dd alone away for a year but I wouldn’t want to deny her such a connection to our homeland. (I think moshaich will be here soon so we’ll all be there long before dd is sem age!)

amother

Turquoise

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:41 pm

Ironically the only one of my very good friends who didn’t go to ey for sem, made Aliyah a few years/kids into her marriage. She’s the only one of my friends living there now

amother

Maroon

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:41 pm

My SIL didn't go to sem in Israel. It's been nearly a decade and a half since she's been here. Yes, I think there's a connection: she never learned to love the land.

amother

Coral

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:41 pm

I didn’t go to E”Y for Sem and I feel so connected to E”Y I am pining to make Aliyah. But DH (who went there for a year or two) has no desire

PrairieFairy

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:41 pm

I did not go to sem and my first introduction to EY was on Birthright when I was 20 or so?

I never thought I'd be the person that would have a connection to the land but I do. There's just a spirit and energy there that you can feel.

It's tangible even if I only just got there. The first walk down the cobblestone streets or experience at the Kosel once and I was sold.

My husband hadn't been there for Yeshiva either and he's on the same page as me. I think that for people who are spiritual, you can feel the spirituality there and it just pulls you.

The pintele yid (for me) knows it's a homey space and I want to be there.

We talk about going there more often just because there's an energy that's in the air. It's home.

I probably would've had the same experience as a amother dimgray honestly if I did go so I'm glad I had an experience that was just about me connecting to the land.

amother

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:41 pm

amother Birch wrote:

That’s why I wonder if it takes a year of living there to have the connection.

amother

Crystal

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:42 pm

amother OP wrote:

Yes I do. For various reasons we can’t make Aliya, but we are looking to purchase a home there, and we hope to take each of our children on individual trips as they reach certain milestones, as well as taking family trips. My husband also goes about every two months.

amother

Valerian

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:43 pm

OP I didnt go to seminary in EY.
But I did go for a 2 week visit and yes, I did develop a very strong attachment for the land.
My 2 sisters did the same.
All of us love EY in a very deep way.

amother

Purple

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:43 pm

Didn't go to seminary there.
I hv an enormous connection spiritually & emotionally.
As soon as we can afford, we will be buying there so we can spend yt there as much as possible.

amother

Valerian

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:44 pm

amother OP wrote:

That’s why I wonder if it takes a year of living there to have the connection.

No.
2 weeks is all it took to make my heart ache for it.

amother

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 6:48 pm

Ok wow that’s great to hear!

Thisisnotmyreal

Sun, Mar 03 2024, 7:29 pm

amother Valerian wrote:

No.
2 weeks is all it took to make my heart ache for it.

Much cheaper lol.

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