Midreshet Tehillah Alumnae Newsletter
An Interview with...
My particular area of law doesn’t
really throw up any halachic issues
like other areas might, such as
inheritance law or business-related
law, and ethically it dovetails very
nicely with Jewish values. Any
issues are just practical, such as
having to leave early on Fridays in
the winter. I do have to go to court
sometimes and try to avoid Fridays,
but I always find people very
understanding and respectful.
Helene Israel
London, UK
MT ‘04-’05
MT: How did you get to
MT?
Helene: MT has been popular with
Brits since it opened (my sister was
actually a student there its very first
year!), so I heard quite a lot about
it from other people. Rabbi Kagan
visited and explained what MT was
all about. The relatively small size,
style of learning, and mix of people
really appealed to me.
MT: What are some favorite
memories or experiences?
Helene: Too many to recount!
Some that particularly stick in
the memory are gatecrashing a
wedding a few days after arriving in
Israel (that would NEVER happen
in England), a beautiful Shabbos
in the north, and an amazing water
hike fortified by Mrs. Kagan’s
delicious muffins!
MT: What have you been
up to after you left MT?
Helene: Since qualifying as a lawyer
two years ago, I have been working
at a law firm which advises parents
who have children with special
educational needs. The UK system
officially provides legal rights to
these children so that they receive
extra support–such as therapy and
enrollment in a special school, if
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necessary–but in reality it can often
be difficult for parents to access
these rights. That’s where I come
in. I enjoy working personally with
families and knowing that I can
have a real impact on people’s lives.
It can be
challenging
at times,
but it is
definitely
worth it.
MT: Has
it been a
challenge
being an
Orthodox
Jew in
the legal
world of London?
Helene: There are actually lots
of Orthodox Jews in the legal
profession in London! There seems
to be something that attracts
Jews to practicing law… maybe it
has so