Thirty-three young Jewish women from 15 cities across Russia gathered in Moscow for an intensive eight-day Girls Yeshivacation seminar organized by YAHAD. The program offered participants an opportunity to deepen their Jewish knowledge, strengthen their personal connection to their heritage, and gain renewed motivation for continued Jewish growth.
The seminar followed a full and immersive schedule, with lectures, classes, workshops, question-and-answer sessions, and Chassidic gatherings continuing late into the night. Educational programming was combined with excursions, activities, and guided tours of Moscow, along with comfortable accommodations and nourishing kosher meals.
Open conversations played a central role throughout the week. Participants were encouraged to raise personal questions and share the challenges they encounter while seeking to incorporate Jewish values and traditions into their daily lives. The discussions explored Jewish identity and pride, Jewish continuity, relationships, and the values involved in choosing a life partner and building a Jewish home.
“For eight days, the participants stepped away from their regular routines and entered an environment of constant learning, conversation, and Jewish connection,” said Rabbi Moshe Rochlin, director of the seminar. “The late-night Chassidic gatherings and honest open discussions showed how deeply they want to understand their heritage and continue growing.”
Among the principal lecturers were Rabbi Moshe Elkin, a representative of the Chief Rabbinate of Russia who specializes in questions of Jewish status and also teaches at Moscow’s Machon Chamesh, and Rabbi Avraham Denisov, who oversees Jewish educational programming at Metivta and contributes to the development of Jewish content for EnerJew.
Additional sessions were presented by Mrs. Simona Misholavin, Mrs. Esther Friedman, and Rabbi Mendel and Devorah Slonimsky. Each speaker brought a distinct perspective, enabling the participants to approach questions of Jewish belief, identity, relationships, and practical observance through a range of personal and educational experiences.
The close-knit setting also helped the women form meaningful friendships with peers from other cities. For many participants, meeting others navigating similar questions provided reassurance and strengthened their sense of belonging to a larger generation of young Jewish women pursuing greater knowledge and connection.
The Girls Yeshivacation seminar, directed for many years by Rabbi Moshe Rochlin, is held twice annually, in the winter and summer. The program operates under the umbrella of YAHAD, led by Rabbi Mendy Wilansky, with the support of Rabbi Israel Lazar and business partners Mikhail Leviev and Chaim Slutszki, who have made it their life’s mission to invest in the education of future Jewish mothers.
