Yom Chesed and Israel Identification Day

Wednesday’s break from our usual learning and the walls of the beit medresh was in no way a break from the amazing growth of the NCSY Kollel. If anything, today’s “Chesed and Israel Identification Day” lead to some extraordinary growth and learning in areas not usually explored. Splitting up into five different groups, the NCSY Kollel left its mark all over the country.
One group of NCSYers visited Sederot where they saw a children’s playground which was surrounded by bomb shelters and heard firsthand accounts of what it is like to live in constant fear of rocket fire. Read Netanel Muskat’s personal account and watch a video of the trip here.
This deep commitment to Eretz Yisrael was also experienced by the group of NCSYers who visited the city of Itamar. This group met with the local citizens of Itamar, gave a hand in the surrounding fields, and visited the Fogel home, where five members of the Fogel family were tragically murdered two years ago. Read Akiva Hochbaums’s personal account and watch a video of the trip here.
A third group made a visit to an army base and then continued their day with a meaningful tour of Yad VeShem, Israel’s national Holocaust museum, and Har Herzl, Israel’s national military cemetery. On the army base, they had the privilege of joining OU Israel for a presentation of well received army gear which was put to use in the field right away. We thank all those parents who generously helped sponsor this gear. These experiences helped the NCSYers learn what it means to devote your life to the Jewish people. Read Zvi Kaminetzky’s personal account and watch a video of the trip here.
Another group of NCSYers volunteered in Yad Eliezer where they helped package boxes of food and supplies for families throughout Israel who are struggling financially. Additionally, they visited the Gush Katif Museum where they learned about this difficult episode in Israel’s history. Read Yehuda Femen’s personal account and watch a video of the trip here.
The final group spent their day in Shaare Zedek Hospital where, through singing and clowning, they were able to uplift some of the patients who were going through difficult times by putting a smile on their face. Read Meir Avracen’s personal account and watch a video of the trip here.
These trips were deeply inspiring, but perhaps what was most inspiring, or at least equally inspiring, was the way we spent our night. After being out and about all day, many of us engaging in some tiring work, we all came back to Beit Meir for an amazing night seder. After being encouraged by so many different types of Jews all over Israel, and their commitment to Am Yisrael, we too showed our commitment to Am Yisrael in the NCSY Kollel beit medresh through our Torah learning.
Today’s experiences, both on the trips and in the beit medresh, showed us all what a commitment to Am Yisrael, Torat Yisrael, and Eretz Yisrael is all about.
(And of course, the day ended with commitment to our stomachs with a Burger’s Bar siyum in “Yummy’s” where we celebrated with Madrich, Asher Becker on his siyum of Masechet Megillah.)