Eden Wiselman '21

I serve as the Director of Beit Prat, a midrasha (institute of Jewish studies) that promotes Jewish learning, activism, and community building for Israeli young adults across the religious and social spectrum. We’re creating an alternative dialogue within Israeli society; a smart dialogue that’s open and not cynical, that allows people to step outside traditional dichotomies of religious and non-religious, right wing and left wing.

The Rikma program at HUC-JIR/Jerusalem has helped me become a more professional leader of Beit Prat. I’m better able to build activities that meet the needs of young people in the 21st century. Studying at HUC-JIR, I was able to discuss Jewish spirituality and prayer in depth outside of an Orthodox context for the first time, an eye-opening and meaningful experience. The program deepened my understanding of Jerusalem, of the organizations and people working within Jewish pluralism, and of the potential for connection, coordination, and partnership between them. I am able to identify and create opportunities for meaningful interaction between the practice of Judaism and our everyday lives.