SHMAIS.COM AUSTRALIA BUREAU         12:04:AM Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007

A capacity audience came to farewell the Ohel Chana graduates of 5767 as they prepared to leave Melbourne at the end of their academic year. Over 500 people filled the Werdiger Hall on a cold Thursday evening, giving testimony to the influence and impact the Ohel Chana students has had on the community. Besides the presence of hundreds of appreciative women, Beth Rivkah girls were in force bearing gifts, flowers and helium balloons, a very visible indication of the close bonds forged between Ohel Chana students and students of the schools.

After Tehillim was recited, the evening was opened by Rabbi Levy Tenenbaum, dean of the seminary, with a personal message to the students. He urged them to always remember that as Ohel Chana graduates they were like oil that has risen to the top, and when kindled, becomes a source of emanating light and inspiration to all those around them. At the same time they should never take their good fortune and brochos for granted but rather to use them in the Rebbe’s shlichus in doing a toivo for another yid.

Several graduates then addressed the audience, sharing divrei torah and reflecting on their year spent learning and growing in Melbourne. They expressed emotive sentiments and heartfelt appreciation for the opportunity of spending the year in the caring environment of Melbourne’s community, and thanked the audience for providing them with a warm and loving home away from home.

The keynote address was delivered by Dayan Rabbi Tzvi Telsner who, noting that his own daughters had attended Ohel Chana, knew first-hand the kind of graduates the seminary produced. He discussed the mission the students were now embarking on as they went out into the world and the great confidence placed in them that they would be matzliach in their Shlichus as true bnos Chabad worthy of the name.

A highlight of the evening was a video presentation, created by the students themselves, giving the audience a glimpse into classroom and dormitory life, followed by a panorama of community activities the students enjoyed over the year.

Awards were presented to worthy recipients followed by a tribute to the students by representatives of Chabad Youth and parents of the community. Mrs. Chana Loebenstein, representing Bnos Chabad in which students are very much involved during the year, and Mrs. Rivky Barber on behalf of parents, thanked the students for being such positive role models to the girls of the community and for their tireless efforts in so many different areas, including Bnos, Tzivos Hashem, Lag B’Omer parade, childrens rallies, Sunday cheder classes, individual mentoring, learning with school girls and mother-daughter learning programs.

The evening concluded with each of the fifty graduates being presented with an inscribed sefer, after which the audience enjoyed a beautifully catered supper.

The bonds formed between Ohel Chana students and families in Melbourne is well known, with friendships lasting many years after the students have long left Melbourne. It is testament to the dedication and integration of students into the community that a Graduation Ceremony can become a calendar highlight not only for the graduants themselves, but for the entire community.

Ohel Chana and the community of Melbourne wish the students much Hatzlocho Rabbah in their future and look forward to continuing to hear besooros toivos from each and every one of them.

This last week at Ohel Chana flew by in a whirl of action, emotion, learning and inspiration. Being as it was the last week of our seminary year we tried to pack in as much as we could: farbrengens, joint activities turning up on time to class every morning despite our lack of sleep and frantically putting together the various different booklets being made. The achdus was tangible as we cherished every last moment spent with the friends we had made over the past year.

Motzei Shabbos was Chenchi’s last night and the dorm counsellors made a goodbye party for the whole OC where they gave a collage to each girl filled with pictures of almost every moment of our year together. It was very emotional as we said our thank you’s to the dorm counsellors who had been there for us and gave us so much throughout the year. 

Sunday night the Hershbergs kindly hosted a high school goodbye party for their Madrichot. The girls of each grade made a presentation to their Madrichot thanking them for their dedication over the past year, all the programs they did and their constant visits to school at lunchtimes. Many presented their Madrichot with a gift which was greatly appreciated.

Throughout the week a part of each class was spent thanking the teacher and discussing what each girl would be doing in the coming year. Our wonderfully dedicated teachers gave us their last words of wisdom wishing us all the best for our future and giving us a bracha to be matzliach in all that we do. We really appreciate their genuine concern for us and have gained an immense amount of knowledge through their guidance over the past year.

At night the dorm was abuzz with activity as everyone took the opportunity to spend as much of their last few days here with the many new friends we have made. Girls were up until all hours in the computer room writing profiles, recording the many tens of Farbrengens and hilarious moments for the yearbook and collating the many booklets we have put together as a souvenir of our year spent together in Ohel Chana.

Monday morning we had a joint session with Rabbi Lipskeir where we had a Q & A session about all things Moshiach and how to make it practical in our own lives- it was very informative and inspiring!

Wednesday the two classes joined and together with Mrs Althouse, one of our our Bayis Yehudi teachers, we had a most enlightening tour of the Mikva. That night we were privileged to have Miss Chani Telsner, a former OC graduate, farbreng with us about Chof Ches Sivan. In a most inspiring way she imparted to us the importance of Chof Ches Sivan and how we must behave as a chossid of the Rebbe. She also spoke to us of the importance of bringing all our inspiration from the past year down into action and making it a lasting experience. She farbrenged with us  until well past 2 a.m

Thursday marked our last day of learning as students of Ohel Chana. After the first lesson we had our final Asifah with Rabbi Tenenbaum, during which Mrs Levitin our dorm mother so kindly provided us with danishes.  Rabbi Tenenbaum read out a letter that was sent by the Rebbe to Ohel Chana graduates including a part which was written by the Rebbe’s holy hand. We thank both of them who have extended all their efforts to ensure that we experienced the most amazing year possible and gained in all areas Beruchnius, and amply provided for our gashmius. We finished with a major cleanup of the classroom and then had the afternoon off to prepare for graduation.

We gathered together at 7:45 sharp to have a group photo, greeted our guests and were then seated for the formalities. A number of girls spoke, sharing divrei torah, memories of the past year and expressing thanks to the Melbourne community who welcomed them so warmly and cared for them throughout their stay. A highlight of the night was the Shaina Rochewerger Award which was awarded to Mor Binder for her virtuous qualities which include self sacrifice, courage and determination. Each girl received a certificate and a sefer and a few received an additional sefer for perfect attendance to class throughout the term. Rabbi Tzvi Telsner, Rabbi Tenenbaum and Mrs Barber spoke to us congratulating us on graduating and giving us words of advice for the future, and a video was presented which captured various moments throughout the year. All in all it was a lovely affair enjoyed by everyone. 

The next morning all the girls gathered at the dorm at 11:30 sharp for photo day with the OC jumpers which were supposed to have arrived. But alas, there were no jumpers and photo day was cancelled until a ring of the doorbell announced the delivery of our very own jumpers shipped all the way from America. The excitement was a sight to behold as girl poured out of all the rooms, shouting for joy and ran to the front door to get their jumpers. Photo day was on once again with Roei the photographer so kindly taking the pictures for us an hour later.

The rest of the day was busy with preparations for the last in-Shabbos which had been started by many the night before. The smell of hot challahs wafted through the dorm as girls hurried about in the pre-Shabbos frenzy. Friday night we came back to a beautifully set table and enjoyed our last Shabbos meal all together with singing and an inspiring Farbrengen with Rabbi Yehuda Stern. Well after Rabbi Stern left, girls stayed up farbrenging together until the early hours of the morning and relishing those last moments in the company of their friends.

Motzei Shabbos was crazy with girls rushing all over the dorm packing and doing all their last minute things. We joined together in the activity room for one last time and wrote a message to each girl describing qualities we have learnt about them, ways we have been inspired by them and farewell messages. Emotions ran high and many tears were shed and hugs given as we realised the enormity of leaving after such an awesome and inspiring year. Sunday morning the first girls began to leave with the rest following on Monday and Wednesday.

 Chasidim don’t say goodbye and we will never say goodbye to the good times we shared at Ohel Chana 5767.

Well the very last week of full classes dawned on us. that’s right O.C is coming to an end. By the end of the week we were very used to teachers saying “well this is the last class…”, and we had brochos and well wishes practically coming out of our ears.

The week began on an inspirational note with a farbrengen in honor of Mor ’s birthday.  It was a very emotional night as Mor shared with us her journey to becoming a Ba’las tshuvah. Mor wished to impart the point of view and deeper insight to the trials of a mekurav. This was of particular relevance as most of us will be on shlichus next year IY”H. Mor went on to go around the room and say how each girl touched her in some way or another. Everyone, of course, felt very special that night and began to feel the end approaching.  Classes seemed to fly by, and before we knew it, our last Thursday night farbi for the year had begun.

Rabbi T. farbrneged with us as he has in the past. He clarified for us three major points for our upcoming lives and our experiences ahead. We discussed Hiskashrus, Emunah and the Ahavas Yisroel the Rebbe displayed towards each individual. The best things about Rabbi T’s farbrengens are the new stories and anecdotes that most of us have never heard before. We farbrenged for many hours and we sang many chassidishe niggunim. Afterwards, we trudged off to bed to make it to school in time for the next morning!

To add to a week full of sad ending, this week was our very last B’nos. All high school madrichot enjoyed a meal together with their B’nos grades in the Werdiger Hall for Melbourne’s Shabbos Achdus. Primary organized a grand goodbye party including a graduation ceremony complete with awards, nosh, a special choir presented by the madrichot and games. We were so sad to say good bye to all the children we have grown to love. We will definitely learn from all our amazing shlichus opportunities that B’nos involves. It will IY”H help us in our future shlichus endevours.

We look forward to the last week IYH as we continue to go from strength to strength B’oifen D’maalin Ba’kodesh!

It is another week in the life of the Ohel Chana students, one of the last few weeks as seminary comes to a close.

In the beginning of the week Mrs Rochwerger came to speak to the girls about the Shayna Rochwerger Award, which is in memory of Shayna, who was her sister in law. It is an award that is given to a student every year at graduation, who is voted by the students themselves, to someone who they feel exemplified the qualities that Shayna possessed, such as determination, motivation, courage, kindness and the like. There is a plaque in the entrance of our Ohel Chana dorm, where the winning students names are engraved on to each year.

For one of our last few farbrengens for the year, we were privileged to farbreng with Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Groner, son of Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner Ben Menucha Rochel, who should have a Refuah Shelaima. Rabbi Groner spoke about the elements of a farbrengen and what that includes. Being that it was tes vav sivan, the day the Friedeker Rebbe was arrested, he spoke to us about what the Friedeker Rebbe stood for and represented during his lifetime. We heard inspiring stories about the Rebbe, which Rabbi Groner had heard first hand from the people involved and the Rebbe’s view on miracles.

Year 10 went on a Shabbaton with their madrichot, and spent an inspiring Shabbos together where they farbrenged late in to the night covering various different topics. Their madrichot worked very hard to put it all together, cooking and baking all night long. Kol Hakavod!

We had our last Yedios Kellalios quiz for the year, which was our last chance to be formally tested on the general knowledge information -some of which we were able to pick up this year during seminary.

The hachana l’gimmel tammuz program was coming to an end and everyone was busy preparing themselves for the big day ahead, even though by the time gimmel tammuz does come around, we will be across the globe. As the year is coming to an end, everyone is busy trying to get as much as they can out of Melbourne with the little time that they have left. In these last couple of weeks, it is our chance to have those last few Shiurim with the school girls here, spend those last few times with our Bnos kids, and the last moments with the wonderful Melbourne community who has been amazing to us since we arrived. It’s hard to believe the year is nearly. It all went by so fast.

Now it’s time to Chap Arain as seminary comes to an end!

Before we had a chance to rest from our typically busy Shabbos, it was time to start preparing for Shavuos which began Tuesday night! 

Monay night, Erev Shavous, we had a farbrengen in the dorm with the newly arrived Dayan of the wonderul Lubavitch community in Melbourne, Rabbi Telsner.

He farbrenged about our preparation for Matan Torah and how to implement this in our lives today.

On Erev Shavuos, we all went on mivtzoim either on the street or in nursing homes and hospitals.

On the first night of Shavuos we arranged functions for both primary and High School students for tikkun leil Shavuos with speakers and chavrusa  learning.

There were many inspirational lectures and we had a great turn out of more than 100 girls!

On the first morning of Y”T, we all went in groups of two or three to different shuls and Chabad houses all around Melbourne.  We organized ice- cream parties so that children will come and hear aseres hadibros.  We all had a beautiful Shavuos and every Peulah had tremendous Hatzlacha.

On Motzei Y”T  there was a farbrengen for Chyenna’s birthday with Rabbi Dudu Lieder, the local Shliach for the many Israeli backpackers who frequent Australia. Rabbi Lieder was unbelievably inspirational, discussing for many hours how important it is to spread the message about Moshiach to the world . He, used many of the Rebbe’s Sichos to illustrate the Rebbe’s directives in this Ikar Hashlichus- to make Moshiach a reality!

As soon as Y”T was over, the next day was already Erev Shabbos, and everyone was busy with the usual Friday things- going on mivtzoim and getting ready for Shabbos on one of the shortest Fridays of the year…

The hachana l’gimmel tammuz program was going full force and everyone was getting more involved.  Everyone was busy arranging Shiurim with each other, with Beth Rivkah girls, attending Rebbe Time and Cocoa (learning in morning) Club preparing ourselves for that holy day.  May we be Zoiche to see Hisgalus Moshiach Tzidkeinu Now!! 

This week was yet another stimulating and thought-provoking week at Ohel Chana. As part of our life issues courses, Dr. Debbie Herbst addressed all students following classes on Monday evening. She stressed the importance of living a healthy life sourcing quotes from the Torah and continued to encourage students about eating nutritionally and looking after ourselves with due respect. 

As part of students Hafotza work, a mother daughter ‘Lick and Learn’ evening was organised by students of Ohel Chana. An impressive amount of parents from the community came on Wednesday evening to learn with their daughters at the Ohel Chana learning centre. Ice-cream was also served, which was greatly enjoyed by all.

Parents were thrilled by the inspiring program which took place. 

Students were fortunate to have Mrs. Chanie Kurinsky address them on Thursday evening for a ‘practical shlichus’ session. She enlightened all by sharing her personal experiences as both growing up in a family on Shlichus and now as a Shlucha herself. She described the trials and tribulations involved at the beginning but the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment she feels now, although she acknowledges that her job is never-ending and continuously expanding. Mrs. Kurinsky offered many helpful tips and ideas for a shlucha which students internalised eagerly to prepare themselves for their shlichus experiences in the near future.

Friday morning was an earlier start than usual at the Ohel Chana dormitory. Girls welcomed Rosh Chodesh Sivan with a beautifully prepared breakfast organised by the dorm counsellors. Cakes, cookies, fruit platters and specialty cereals greeted students as they came in from morning Davening. All agreed that the 7:30 wake-up was well worth it!

As part of the course in ‘ education and teaching skills’, Mrs. Moshel organised teaching rounds for all students at Ohel Chana on Friday morning. They were given the opportunity to sit in on classes in Beth Rivkah Ladies College (the Lubavitch school for girls in Melbourne). Each student utilized the opportunity to closely observe various methods and techniques used by teachers to further develop skills required to be a successful educator. Students gained tremendously from the experience and thanked Mrs Moshel for organising such a program.

Ohel Chana girls were graced with the presence of Kalman and Timmy Rubin at their Friday night In-Shabbos meal. Girls were left enthused by the dvar torah given by Kalman but were in awe as Timmy Rubin recounted her long yet fulfilling journey toward Yiddishkeit. Timmy also spoke about her experience earlier on in the week in Canberra, where she was brought out to address and attempt to convince the non-orthodox community to install of a woman’s mikvah in the area. But most enthralling of all were her stories she shared as a prison chaplain. We appreciate them coming and thank them for contributing to one of the most memorable dorm ‘in-Shabbosim.’