Daily Program
We will have a daily program for adults, teens and children provided by our professional entertainment team. Every hour there will be something to do for every age group including teenagers. There are tefilot 3 times a day.
Scholar in Residence: Rabbi Dr. Aharon Adler
Rabbi Dr. Aharon Adler is a protégé of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveichik, zt”l. In addition to being a graduate of Yeshiva University in New York, with rabbinic ordination from Y.U.’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (R.I.E.T.S.), Rabbi Adler holds a Ph.D in Talmud from Bar Ilan University. Rabbi Adler and his family made aliyah in 1979. After 38 years as a community pulpit Rabbi, today Rabbi Adler is a most sought-after lecturer, and leads European Heritage Tours.
Children’s Club
Let the kids have fun whatever they choose to do. At the children’s club under supervision they can enjoy arts and crafts, a variety of games, shows, computer fun and much more, suitable for ages 3 – 7 (children under the age of 5 must be accompanied by a parent). This program will be supervised by a native English speaking counselor who is trained in running programs for small children.
Lectures
There will be a full lecture program provided by our distinguished Scholars in Residence offering unique Torah and general topics and perspectives, as well as health and beauty lectures extolling the virtues of the Dead Sea.
Educational Directors – Rav Josh and Margot Botwinick
A Two-Minute Dvar Torah from Rav Josh and Margot and Rafael Meir!
Rav Josh and Margot Botwinick came to Alon Shvut in 2016 to spend a year learning and teaching in Israel – Rav Josh at Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush), and Margot at Matan and Midreshet Torah V’Avodah. When the opportunity to start the first OU-JLIC in Israel arose, they picked up and moved to Herzliya!
Margot Botwinick grew up in Teaneck, NJ, and attended Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School. She received her B.A. in Jewish Education as a Legacy Heritage Scholar at Yeshiva University and continued onto Hebrew University to complete her M.A. in Jewish Education. Margot taught Tanach, Talmud and Jewish Thought at the Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School and has also taught at several seminaries in Israel. While becoming a Bellows Eshkolot Graduate Fellow, Margot learned and taught at Matan in Jerusalem.
During the summers, Margot has worked at Camp Stone (where she met her husband!) served as bus head for various NCSY Summer programs, coordinated winter camps in Moscow, and is the Co-Director of Jewish Experience at Sephardic Adventure Camp, along with Rav Josh.
Rav Josh Botwinick grew up in Riverdale, NY, where he attended SAR High School. He spent a year learning in Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush) in Israel before returning to New York to graduate from Yeshiva University’s Honors Program, majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Biology and English. He went on to pursue Smicha at Yeshiva University RIETS and received his M.A. in Jewish Philosophy at YU’s Bernard Revel Graduate School. He was also a Wexner Graduate Fellow / Davidson Scholar.
Rav Josh’s passion lies in experiential Jewish education. He directed Bnei Akiva of NY/NJ’s Innovative School Programming project, which brings Israel-themed educational programs into schools. He served as the Youth Director at Congregation Ohav Sholom in Merrick, Long Island, where he also gave shiurim, sermons, and led programming for the community. He also served as the Rabbinic Intern at the Roslyn Synagogue.
During the summers, Rav Josh has spent many months working at Camp Stone (where he met his wife!), serving as Rosh Mosh in 2014. He also spent several years leading the Ya’alozu Extreme wilderness program in Camp Dora Golding.
Evening Entertainment – Kids and Adults
Live entertainment program every evening during Chol HaMoed (weekdays) – one for children, and a later one for adults! We are delighted to have as our dynamic program director Danny Kaizler who has a well-deserved reputation for organizing the very best Pesach programs in Israel. And don’t forget we show children’s films in the Kids Club.