STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Esti Kampinski is not your typical university student. She is an ultra-Orthodox high school teacher, mother of nine and grandmother of five. She is a student in the rigorous MA program in Creative Art Therapies offered at Mivchar – the Haredi College in Bnei Brak that partners with the University of Haifa to offer a variety of academic degrees.
“I love my work and really care about my students. I chose to go back to school so that I could gain tools that could help my students cope with learning and social challenges in and outside of the classroom.” University of Haifa academic programs offered at Mivchar have been tailored to meet both the religious and academic needs of the Haredi population. Women study in the morning hours while the men study in the afternoon and evening hours.
“The combination of drama and psychodrama appealed to me because it complements my background in acting and love for the stage.” Participants in the Drama Therapy and Psychodrama track explore internal conflicts through drama-based exercises such as role-play, theater games, group-dynamic games, mime, puppetry, face painting, mask work and storytelling.
“I make the two-hour journey from Jerusalem to Bnei Brak once a week. I am the oldest person in the class (most of the girls in the program are my daughter’s age), but it has been well worth it. My classes are stimulating and insightful, and for me the experience has been transformative − not only in my classroom, but also in my personal life.”
Esti Kampinski is the granddaughter of Rabbi Pinchas Menachem Alter Z”L , the seventh Rebbe of the Hasidic Ger dynasty. “Growing up in an intellectually stimulating environment, I developed a thirst for knowledge and inquiry-based learning.”
“I am so thankful for the constant support and encouragement I receive from my husband and children. This experience has taught me that it is never too late to further your education. In fact, I am thinking of pursuing my studies in advanced psychotherapy after completing this degree.”
