Connecting Worlds: High School Students Experience Haredi Life

"It often seems like there's a divide between the different sectors in Israel, with opinion differences and people unwilling to listen to each other. But that's just not true," says Ayelet Oren, who for the past twenty years has been guiding groups on specialized tours in Haredi neighborhoods to help them "get to know the Haredi world."

Ayelet has guided thousands of groups, walking with them through the streets and alleys of Jerusalem, and she's come to one conclusion: "Everyone wants to listen and be connected, but we don't always know how to bridge the sectors. That's why when you take them on a 'fun day' in Jerusalem—a light and pleasant tour with tastings, a visit to the market, etc.—hearts connect more than you'd expect."

Ayelet Oren

Heartwarming Connections and Encounters

Heartwarming Connections and Encounters

Meet and Discover

Ayelet herself lives in the heart of Jerusalem's pedestrian mall, in a 120-year-old house. She's a mother of nine and a grandmother. "I've been a Jerusalemite for many years," she shares. "Twenty-eight years ago, we got closer to the Haredi world, and later connected with the Chabad Chasidut. Living in the city center, we always heard tour guides passing by our home, leading tourist groups. It bothered me every time they inaccurately represented the Haredi community and shared incorrect details. I always thought to myself something needed to change."

Years passed until Ayelet decided she would be the one to bring change. "That was about twenty years ago," she recalls, "I was working in education at the time, but at some point felt it was enough and started seeking a new direction. Being a Chabad Chasid, I opened the sacred letters and received an answer from the Rebbe: 'Open a tourism center and make sure to take people into institutions and the homes of our community.' At that moment, it was clear—I needed to lead people on journeys that would open the doors to Jewish life."

Ayelet started this in the month of Elul, naturally bringing groups to Selichot events. "I led people to the most expected and routine places—synagogues and the Western Wall. In addition, we naturally spoke about charity, drawing attention to the 'lost and found' notices, presenting soup kitchens, and other community aid centers found on every street, truly opening hearts. Nonetheless, I felt something was still missing—direct meetings with the Haredi world."

Ayelet began visiting Haredi families, seeking those willing to open their homes and hearts, and found there were many. "Today, I have dozens of families enthusiastically opening their doors and hosting," she notes, "and in parallel, I run a team of professional guides leading these tours."

And what happens inside the homes when tourists enter?

"We generally aim to create a joint program. For example, during Chanukah, we don't just have menorah tours; we also have groups join families for menorah lighting. This year, for instance, 300 high school students from Tel Aviv came. We divided them among 13 families, and it was very moving. Many said it was their first time in a Haredi home."

"We maintain this approach throughout the year when high schools, pre-military preparatory programs, and individuals wanting to join come," Ayelet explains. "We ask the families to be 'as natural as possible' and share their personal lives and stories. My own family and I also enjoy hosting. As mentioned, we live in a 120-year-old house in the city center, which also serves as the Chabad house for the area."

Many of Ayelet's tours revolve around holidays—Chanukah, Purim, the High Holidays, and throughout the year. "Every time, it moves me to see how people arrive with open hearts, and naturally, things resonate with them. My message is simple: I'm not here to say, 'Discover a world that isn't yours,' but rather, 'The Torah is for everyone, and let's see how we all connect to it.'"

Why do you think life in Haredi neighborhoods interests people so far removed from it?

"Precisely because it's distant, it's intriguing," claims Ayelet. "Anything you can't easily access fascinates you more. But there's something deeper, as people openly tell me—the feeling that there's an entire community in our country we often hear about and encounter, yet we don't really know. This feeling awakens a desire to get to know, and when they're welcomed in and allowed to see, they see it as an opportunity."

Heartwarming Connections and Encounters

Heartwarming Connections and Encounters

Explore and Be Moved

Naturally, during tours, unexpected events often occur. "We once had a very surprising case," Ayelet notes, "when a woman from Hod HaSharon, far from religious observance, visited a family in Jerusalem and suddenly recognized a picture on the wall. To everyone's surprise, she knew the person in the photo—they connected the dots and discovered they were relatives—indeed, she and the Haredi woman were cousins."

"Once, I conducted a tour during the ceremonial completion of a Torah scroll, witnessing the crowd dance and sing. I noticed one participant—a tourist from Britain—capturing the event on camera. After it concluded, I approached her, gave her my email, and asked for the photos. She sent them, and almost a year later, contacted me again to say she was in the country and had to meet. When we met, she shared her incredible story—she'd always felt different from her family and, working as a nurse, managed to have her DNA checked in three labs, all confirming she was Jewish from Poland and Ukraine. She didn't believe it until the Torah event touched her, prompting her to ask her parents, who then revealed she was adopted. She eventually connected with her biological parents, discovering her grandfather was a revered Rabbi who fled Siberia to Russia and even wrote famous books."

"Stories like these make me feel every time like the Messiah will soon be revealed because it just can't be otherwise. Since we're on Jaffa Street, I often tell groups: 'Let's visualize—right now, we see Jaffa with the light rail, but soon, millions will pass through here to the Temple, stopping with us for refreshments. For the Messiah to appear, we need unity, so we're getting ready for that.'"