Yes, the learning continued to peak as the week progressed.  But much of the attention was on the courts for the final day of the intramural regular season.  Commissioner Marc Poleyeff and his fantastic staff worked tirelessly all summer to provide high quality games in a welcoming and supportive environment.  The results of their efforts were some of the best leagues NCSY Kollel has ever seen.  Day after day featured nail-biters and buzzer beaters, with most teams teetering between excellence and less excellence all season long.

Monday’s basketball action ended with 13 teams still in contention for the 12 playoff spots.  There were also 4 different teams tied for the 4^th position and the much coveted first round bye.  All of this created no shortage of discussion and debate all day long.

By popular demand, our post-maariv learning was uplifted by an encore presentation from Rav Doni Marcus.  Going back to our very first Shabbos together, Rav Doni’s unique speaking style as been a great attraction, and Monday night was his final fully public shiur.  Over 50 (!) NCSYers were learning with him well after 11 PM, this in addition to dozens more attending the other nightly options or learning in pairs in the Beit Medrash.

http://www.ncsysummer.com/gallery/trip/kollel

This past week we traveled to Masada, Ein Gedi, the Dead Sea, and Jerusalem. The day began with a very energetic bus ride to masada which began at the early hour of 2:30 am. We arrived at the ancient site just in time to watch the beautiful sun rise over the horizon. Shachris was davened in the ancient shul that was used by the Jewish refugees on the mountain. Our very interesting guide then led a short tour of the hill which was packed with history. We hiked down on the snake path which made us thank Hashem that we didn’t have to hike up it at 5:15 am. After Masada we then preceded to the refreshing pools of Ein Gedi. The cool water really was a salavation from the intense summer heat of Israel. Ein Gedi really is one of the most beautiful places in Israel. As opposed to the refreshing springs of ein gedi the dead sea was quite warm. I found it fasinating how we floated on the water helplessly. My skin certainly gained much from that stop on the tiyul. Another short bus ride and we entered Jerusalem for an awsome time bowling. With great prizes to keep it competitive everyone had a blast bowling after such a fantastik time in the desert. Our group then joined the Darja boys for mincha and some delicious shawrma at Ammunition Hill Park. This tiyul truly was a highlight of the summer.

Akiva Kirschner, Cincinnati OH

Our last full week started by taking all the energy of Shabbat Nachamu in Yerushalayim, and channeling it into our regular schedule in Beit Meir.  There was great learning, great ball, and a great feel to the entire day.

We continued to host different camps and programs, this time being visited by the boys of BILT (the newest NCSY Summer Program).  We were also joined on Wednesday by some Israeli teens (almost all anglo Olim) from the renowned Camp Landau in Ramat bet Shemesh.

Our night learning was wonderfully enhanced by an optional post-maariv shiur from Rav Ari Waxman of Yeshivat Shaalvim.

http://www.ncsysummer.com/gallery/trip/kollel

What could be more special than a Shabbat in the OId City?

The festivities kicked off on Friday with a thrilling flag football tournament in the heart of the “New” City, and an option of touring Ir David and its famous water tunnels.

Of course, this was merely the warm up for the great things to follow.  Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel was special.  Later at night, after our meal at Yeshivat HaKotel, we returned to the Kotel for singing and a talk from Rav Jesse Horn.  There were late night options as well, including a singing session with Rav Kaminetsky, and a specially designed night tour of the Old City with Rav Gordon.

Shabbat day got off to an early start for many NCSYers, with a sunrise minyan at the Kotel.  There were more tours in the afternoon, and special presentation from Rav Motti Berger- a senior lecturer at Aish HaTorah.  Rav Twersky provided words of inspiration before the close of Shabbat, and it was a most fitting ending to an amazing weekend.

http://www.ncsysummer.com/gallery/trip/kollel

As the sun started to set on Shabbos day, mixed feelings filled the air: on one hand Shabbos, the holiest time of the week was in its’ last moments, however on the other hand Tishabav, the saddest day of the year was about to start.  Everyone quickly ate their last bits of food and drank as much water as humanly possible, simultaneously enjoying the third meal of Shabbos and preparing for the upcoming fast.  Following Shalosh Seudos we made our way to the Beis Midrash, with some time to spare before Tishabav, in an attempt to savor the end of Shabbos. A feeling of despair and trepidation filled the air as Tishabav started.  Each Kinah was introduced by a different Rebbe, adding understanding and intensity to the moment.  After Mariv, I attended a shiur on the gemara that discusses the churban, one of the few topics one is allowed to learn on Tishabav.  Following the shiur I walked into a pitch black room packed with about a hundred guys all sitting on the floor, pouring their hearts out in the most powerful and inspiring kumzitz I have ever participated in.  We sang for hours, really feeling the loss of the Beis Hamikdash, and displaying our ultimate sadness to Hashem.

Tishabav morning one could still sense a feeling of mourning throughout the Kollel, it was almost tangible.  This was the first time that I could remember having such a personal connection to the the day.  Again, each kinnah introduced by a different Rebbe added to the understanding and connection to the day.  After mincha an optional movie about Iran’s danger to Israel, and the Jewish people as a whole, was shown. After the screening of the film, busses left to Yerushalayim for the epic NCSY Kollel Tishabav kumzitz, the pinnacle moment of the day.  All of us NCSYers, along with staff sat down on the floor of the kotel plaza and started singing, connecting to the time and place, and mourning the loss of God’s home, right in front of where it used to stand approximately 2000 years ago!  We started off with about 200 people, however as the singing continued it gained momentum and hundreds of other people joined in.  At this point I think everyone was on a spiritual high, yearning greatly for the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash.  Following the kumzitz we davened Mariv and then had break-fast in a near-by building.  I want to thank NCSY Kollel for assisting me in experiencing the most meaningful Tishabav of my life. B’ezras Hashem it should be the last one, and next year, instead of mourning the Beis Hamikdash, may we rejoice and participate in its’ rebuilding.

Yona Hiller

Los Angeles, CA

Nachal Darja (death in Arabic)

Twas an early Tuesday morning when the bus departed for Darja. As we adventurous NCSYers waited through the drive, the apprehension was apparent. We 30 NCSYers, although thoroughly exhausted from the demanding Kollel schedule, couldn’t wait to get knee deep in the legendary Darja. We loaded up with some deli sandwiches, and went on our way. The first hour of the Tiyul was spent singing the traditional darjan songs and walking through the desert to get down into the canyon of Nachal Darja. Our first real taste of the hike came when we reached the first pool of water. We descended down into the water, sometimes climbing down, sometimes assisted by ropes, and sometimes just sliding down the rocks that have been smoothed over the many years, and henceforth Nachal Darja was upon us. After about 6 or 7 hours of hiking, we felt almost transformed by the intensity and invigorating challanges that the Darja offers. The Tiyul made it necessary for the NCSYers to work together in order to get past certain obstacles, and we bonded through our collective efforts. Darja ended with a 30 foot natural rock chute which plunged into a refreshing pool, a great way to end the intense part of the day. After the hike we drove to Ammunition Hill and were enthusiastically met with an all-you-can-eat shwarma bar.

Eli Weinstein

Teaneck, NJ