rivka marga, the mayanot magnet

In every setting you find yourself in, generally there is one special person that just draws you in like a magnet.
At the Mayanot Women's Yeshiva in Jerusalem, for me that person is called Rivka Marga.

I first met RM on my very first day in Jerusalem-- After class, three of us went to her house to make challah for Shabbat. Right away, I knew I was in the presence of something special. Even though this meeting also was the site of one of my expected, unreasonable falls.

During this afternoon, like a good Jewish mother, the first thing she did with all these new, strange girls in her house was feed us. In addition to four of her eight children. Throughout the rest of the afternoon, she explained various spiritual aspects of baking challah, as well as indulging us with experimental braiding methods, etc.

Beyond this, RM teaches at the moment three or four classes of mine, two that are actually her, and two that she is covering for women on maternity leave. No matter how tired I am, her presence wakes me up, makes me feel so much more comfortable, and even through her sneehus (sp?) clothes and constant sheitl, I feel that I could ask her about anything. She is the perfect balance of spirituality and groundedness, with a great sense of efficiency. If I ever entered the Chabad/Frum world, I would want to emulate RM.