Transcript [00:01] It took me until I got to high school to [00:03] say I should be on the central [music] [00:06] stage of Jewish life today, and that's [00:10] the state of Israel. [00:12] I made aliyah with my husband [music] [00:15] and our 3-month-old baby. We made aliyah [00:18] to Beit [music] She'an. We looked for a [00:21] place in Israel where we felt we could [00:23] contribute. [00:25] I started out as a teacher in the high [00:27] school. [music] Most of my activity was [00:31] in tarbut [music] mishpacha or in [00:35] reaching out with Judaism to the secular [00:38] schools [music] in a way which was [00:40] appropriate to them. After a decade in [00:42] Beit She'an, we moved to Yerushalayim. [00:46] A group of young women came to [music] [00:49] me and asked me to start a school for [00:51] them. And you know the amazing thing? [00:55] That's what's evolved. This is our [00:58] magnificent campus, and this is where [01:02] women of all ages, all backgrounds, [01:06] together learning from the [music] [01:08] texts, drawing inspiration [01:11] in an environment of yirat shamayim, [01:14] complete allegiance to halakha, and [01:17] tremendous Zionist spirit. We have a [01:20] program for English speakers and our [01:23] Ethiopian program, [music] which has now [01:25] morphed into a marvelous program called [01:29] Midreshet Amaliah. I've moved to head [01:33] our research institute, which is [01:36] publishing tshuot um [01:39] Yoatzot Halakha. [01:42] It was very meaningful for us [music] to [01:46] become part of the larger state of [01:48] Israel. [01:50] We were a bereaved family 10 years ago. [01:53] [music] [01:53] My son, Rav Eitam Henkin, and my [01:57] daughter-in-law Na'ama, [music] were [02:00] murdered by Hamas terrorists. The pain [02:05] never abates, but there's a larger [02:08] picture for [music] Israel. [02:10] Never within Jewish history have we had [02:12] it better. Those of us who have made [02:15] aliyah are privileged to be part of this [02:18] [music] story. [02:20] I think the Bonatzi prize is very [02:24] important because it demonstrates [02:28] how far olim can come in Israeli [02:33] society. [02:35] I'm honored.
Rabbanit Chana Henkin, recipient of the 12th Annual Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize in the field of Education
The annual Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize was established to recognize English-speaking Olim who have made a notable impact on Israeli society. Rabbanit Chana Henkin, Founder and Chancellor of Nishmat, who has pioneered advanced Torah learning and leadership opportunities for women, was awarded the prize in the field of Education. For more information: https://www.boneizion.org.il/12th-annual-prize-recipients/
Video produced by Shai Getzoff
