The Commentator

On average, the Mechinah programs on both undergraduate campuses run between two to four shabbatonim per semester.  Never mandatory, administrators believe that the different dynamics of each shabbaton attract a variety of Mechinah students. Still, students have expressed interest in the program running more co-ed events.

With a branch in both undergraduate schools, Mechinah has already experimented with joining their two groups of students. This past summer, Mechinah sent Beren Campus Basic Jewish Studies students and Wilf Campus Mechinah students on a month of learning and touring in Israel.  This year, Mechinah directors Rabbi Zev Reichman and Mrs. Shoshanah Schechter decided to further this experiment and coordinate joint shabbatonim.           

On the weekend of October 26, Mechinah held the program’s first co-ed shabbaton. Altogether, 40 men and 24 women from the two programs spent Shabbat together in Englewood, NJ.  The 40 men represent the largest turnout for a Mechinah shabbaton to date.

"The shabbaton was amazing. At first I thought it would be awkward because everyone is from such different places and different backgrounds, but everyone got along so well," said Belana Mlynash (SCW ‘09).  "At the girls’ havdalah, Mrs. Schechter told everyone how we start Shabbat with two candles and end with one and that was really true about the shabbaton. Everyone was united and it was truly inspirational with all the d’var Torahs and Q&A's. I think it was a nice environment for people to meet. I really hope we can plan other events or shabbatons in the near future."

 Echoing Ms. Mlynash’s statement, Beni Rofeh, a RIETS student and Mechinah mentor, spoke of how well the large group of students got along. "This shabbaton epitomizes what makes the Mechinah program unique and exceptional in YU, by being able to close cultural and religious gaps and create a comfortable and pleasant environment for everyone, without any politics."

On Friday night, the men ate at their hosts’ homes while the girls ate with Mrs. Schechter and her family.  Afterwards, all the students gathered for an oneg followed by a question and answer forum with Rabbi Shmuel Golden of Ahavas Torah in Englewood, Rabbi Reichman, and psychologist and former Yeshiva College professor, Dr. Yitzchak Schechter.

"It was great, from beginning to end," said Isaac Soussan (SSSB ’09) about the shabbaton.  "I met so many new people from all over the world. I just wish we would have started these kinds of shabbatons a long time ago!"

"There are many ways to increase kavod Shamayim.  Over Shabbat, we had the merit of meeting rabbis, doctors, a psychologist who is a great scholar in Torah and halakha, and a prominent businessman who sees ethics as the foundation of his being and finds inspiration in regular study of Torah," explained Rabbi Reichman.  "Every speaker we introduced demonstrated that yahadut enables and encourages us to find unique ways to be mekadesh shem Shamayim in the work that we do. Hopefully, we will each find our unique way to increase Hashem's glory."

Based on the success of the shabbaton, Rabbi Reichman also confirmed that Mechinah will be running more co-ed events and shabbatonim.

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