What bothers me about seminaries

amother

Brown

Sun, Sep 29 2024, 8:38 pm

Good Friend wrote:

I wanna give a shout out to Beis Chana seminary in Tzfat (chabad seminary). Shabbos and yomtov was a major part of the experience, and most weeks were mandatory in Shabbos, with meals all together and all the girls helping to serve, said divrei Torah, with a farbrengen after the meal (singing niggunim and words of inspiration lead by a speaker). Most yomim tovim were in seminary also, and same style.
On the shabbosim that we were allowed to go out it was optional. For those who stayed if it was a big group we ate in sem, medium group we joined a dorming high school on the same campus for their meals, and if it was very few they placed us with teachers.

I was thinking the same. The dynamics are a bit different because were in tzfas and the local community is mostly poor.
Every other shabbos is an in shabbos, about every other month theres a shabbaton. Off shabbosim there were girls who never went away, sem provided everything.
Rosh hashana and Yom Kippur was in sem. Sukkos was the biggest stress but we had the option of staying in sem- most girls want to go to yerushalayim. Sem paid for two nights in a hotel.
Shavous sem paid for a place in the old city for us.
Also it is the cheapest seminary I think. When I went there seven years ago it was about 17000. And they take any scholarships you are eligible for

amother

↑ Heather

Sun, Sep 29 2024, 8:44 pm

amother DarkYellow wrote:

How many years ago did they start full shabbos/yomtov meals? In my days they didn't but I heard they changed shortly after.

I was there 10 years ago and it seemed like it had been going on for a while

amother

Tulip

Sun, Sep 29 2024, 8:47 pm

amother Impatiens wrote:

My seminary had a person in charge of placement. You could sign up every week and Yom tov to be placed with a vetted family that wanted guests. Call her eim habayis and tell her she’s struggling this and can they help her out. Many teachers also host girls for Yom tov.

My seminary also had a person in charge of placement, but she often couldn't find you a place. I remember one week, she let me know Thursday that she couldn't find me a place. I called 28 families, all said no, B"H the 29th agreed to have me. It was honestly a pretty traumatic aspect of seminary. Our seminary also provided food if you wanted to stay in, but nobody ever did, and who wants to be alone the whole shabbos??

amother

↑ DarkYellow

Sun, Sep 29 2024, 8:56 pm

amother Heather wrote:

I was there 10 years ago and it seemed like it had been going on for a while

Thanks! I was there 25 years ago. Back then we paid $7000.
Good memories.
Not feeling old right now, nope, not at all.