I am Edan Green. I’m originally from Los Angeles where I attended Valley Torah Girls High School. When I began my search to find the right fit of Midrasha for me, I felt quite clueless and intimidated. When he visited LA for recruitment, Rav Susman explained the approach of HaRova – one that is multi-dimensional. He spoke of the Yom Kippur programming and I was intrigued by the unique idea of the day being filled with celebration, soulful singing and joy. He gave me perspective as to what the HaRova community was really about.
I chose HaRova because I was searching for understanding and intellect when it came to Judaism and laterally so, a sense of depth and meaning within practice. HaRova provided me not only a variety of Torah lifestyle presented among the diverse staff and student body, but through this diversity, conviction and love I was given the tools to develop personal ideals and independent strength of thought.
I am exceptionally proud to have been a student of Midreshet HaRova and continuously live in gratitude for the moments, lessons and experiences shared. I still keep in close contact with my friends and mentors I met in my year of Midrasha. Inspired by the gratitude of the land, the love of Torah truth and respect of Am Yisrael, I realize now that HaRova taught me what everything I was doing was for. This community located in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem introduced me to myself, the real me and how internal everything I was searching for really is.
I greatly attribute my recent Aliyah to Midreshet HaRova. After attending the 2019-2020 year, I went back to Los Angeles in March due to Corona and returned home in July on Aliyah due to Divine miracles. My family joined me in Aliyah to Israel, where I spent a year volunteering through Sherut Leumi and now attend University at Bar Ilan. I hope to pursue a degree in Education so that I too can share the light Midreshet HaRova taught me to look for.