Shira and Bentzi Toyber
Sao Paolo, Brazil
Rabbi Bentzi and Shira Toyber have been the Bnei Akiva shlichim and teachers in the Beit Yaakov school in Sao Paolo Brazil for the past year. Rabbi Bentzi additionally serves as the Assistant Rabbi of the Ohel Yaakov synagogue.
Children:
Gefen Techiya – 5
Naveh Mordechai – 2
Eitan Yitzchak – 1
Tell us about the community you’re in:
At the school, our job is to teach Hebrew and bring “Israel” to the students; and at Bnei Akiva our mission is to establish a renewed branch in one of the Jewish neighborhoods
What did you receive from the Straus-Amiel Educational Emissary Training Progam and the Claudia Cohen Women Educator Institute?
From the Straus-Amiel and Claudia Cohen institutes, we received significant preparation for our shlichut including tools, ideas, and especially thoughts and an acquaintance with the Jewish world abroad, which is very different from Israel. In addition we receive significant ongoing reinforcement and encouragement for this important task.
What message would you like to impart regarding shlichut?
Going on shlichut during socially-isolated corona time is obviously an extreme mission; there is nothing to compare it to, and at the same time there are so many meaningful and unusual experiences (such as, for example, coming back to Israel for reserve duty and providing classes via Zoom from my tank, or directly from the Western Wall). And of course we are happy to bring – precisely in such a difficult period – optimism, joy and especially faith. So if shlichut is in your soul, do not give up the fire. Despite all the obstacles, do it!
