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Archive: July 2016

Ayeka at Milken Community Schools!  

Published
Posted on July 19, 2016

A word from Shawn Fields-Meyer, Ayeka Educator The Milken team was deeply grateful to Aryeh for the Ayeka training!  It was a week of learning, spiritual wrestling, and exploration of our work as educators. By learning the Ayeka approach as a group, we also grew closer as a community of teachers.  Our teachers say: “Milken’s two-day Ayeka Continue Reading »

Ayeka at Shalhevet High School!

Published
Posted on July 19, 2016

A word from Ari Schwarzberg, Ayeka Educator To close out our year, eight Judaic & General Studies faculty members of Shalhevet High School immersed themselves in two days of soulful education with the Ayeka staff. During these days we successfully abandoned the frenzy of finals, grading, and meetings to enter into a space of reflection and learning. Continue Reading »

Back to School

Published
Posted on July 19, 2016

By Zvi Hirschfield, Ayeka Educator A few weeks ago I had the privilege of accompanying Aryeh Ben David to two schools in Los Angeles, Shalhevet High School and Milken Community Schools, and support him in delivering the Ayeka vision to eight teachers at each school. While the sessions were terrific, that is not the only Continue Reading »

Exciting News at Ayeka!

Published
Posted on May 26, 2016

We are extremely gratified that the Jewish philanthropic world has taken notice of our activities, and we are pleased to announce that Ayeka has received grants from three prominent Jewish philanthropic institutions, The Avi Chai Foundation, Kohelet Foundation, and Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah, which will enable us to continue our important work in Continue Reading »

Ayeka’s Ideas for the Pesach Seder

Published
Posted on April 21, 2016

The Seder is intended to be a personal experience. By now we know the story. We don’t need more historical information or sermons. What we need is a way to personally connect with the Passover story and to each other. We need quality conversations. That is really what a Seder is: an organized conversation around Continue Reading »

Radical and Extreme Compassion

Published
Posted on December 30, 2015

By Aryeh Ben David Rav Kook writes that “emuna and ahava” (belief and love) go together. Any deepening in belief brings a deepening of love. God, the Creator of the World, is the source of love and emanates oneness. Emuna and ahava are the forces of oneness in the world. Anger and violence are a Continue Reading »

In Praise of Neediness

Published
Posted on December 10, 2015

I am so needy. I always thought this was a bad thing. I never would have uttered that sentence aloud. So embarrassing. But now I can say – I am really a needy person. We all are. For much of my life I lived the myth, the illusion, that I could do it all on my Continue Reading »

Talking About Myself

Published
Posted on December 1, 2015

By Aryeh Ben David   People ask me why I write so much about myself in my articles. They ask: “Isn’t that narcissistic? Does it always have to be about you?” Educators ask me why I talk so much about myself in class. They ask: “Doesn’t that put the focus on yourself? Aren’t we supposed Continue Reading »

A Shabbat Disaster

Published
Posted on September 22, 2015

By Aryeh Ben David Published in Ayeka’s newsletter September 22, 2015   It’s a good thing we didn’t invite you to eat with us last Friday night. Things started off normal enough. I came home from shul with my wife Sandra and daughter Lilach. Lilach’s older sister, Raaya, was asleep on the couch. Pretty normal Continue Reading »

The Joy of Brokenness

Published
Posted on September 9, 2015

By Aryeh Ben David Published in Ayeka’s newsletter  September 9, 2015   They just couldn’t help themselves. They had to cheer, clap, and shout out mazal tov. The sweet young rabbi had just urged them not to. He reminded everyone that breaking the glass at a wedding is a solemn moment; a time for us Continue Reading »