Dear TJJers,
No one on NCSY Kollel will soon forget the great time we had together when you visited last week. Those interactions were a highlight of our summer. Moreover, particularly with the late night singing and dancing in the Beis Medrash, you made a lasting impact on our program and our NCSYers.
Last night we were thinking of you and are excited that the power of NCSY Summer is now spreading out across Israel and (for most of you) across North America and your hometowns.
Please enjoy this video message that NCSY Kollel sends from the heart! This email is being sent to all of the guys from NCSY Kollel, TJJ Ambassadors, TJJ Bus 7, and TJJ Bus 4.
Have a great Shabbos!

Moshe Benovitz

Without a question, this was a BIG, BIG week on NCSY Kollel.

It was big, in the sense of important.  We marked and passed the midpoint of the summer, and in many ways the week was pivotal and a time of transition.  These changes were most outwardly evident in the switching of our night shiur options.  Each NCSYer spends half the summer in the night shiur of his choice before choosing anew for the second half.  As always, the night shiurim have presented a great opportunity for exploring topics of interest at a pace on level that fits each particular participant.  They also allow the NCSYers to create new relationships with some of the great Rabbinic personalities who teach on the program, and when we present the new options the NCSYers can decide whether to continue with a rebbe with whom they have already established a bond, or to develop something new.

Even more striking was the move from days of Tisha B’Av and mourning to the days that introduce consolation and more joy.  The shift in tone from Shabbos and Sunday to Monday and the rest of the week was palpable and appropriate.  The meaningful days we spent last week and last weekend were not in any way forgotten or ignored, but rather served as a catalyst for the energy and enthusiasm that accompanied everything we did over the subsequent days.

But the importance of the week was likely even more related to some of the less obvious currents and rhythms of the middle period of the program.  More opportunities are being identified and pursued, and the discussions are shifting from acclimation and incorporation to real growth and implications beyond the six weeks we spend together here.  This is always an exciting time and creates an incomparable buzz and exhilarating sense of purpose around the campus.

But the theme of “big” had more basic and straightforward application too.  In at least four highly prominent ways this was a week of monumental events and major ideas.   These happenings contributed to an environment of ambitious thinking and great self-esteem.  It also inspired us to consider big issues and the broader community in ways that can sometimes be closed off.  To borrow a phrase, it was a week of “Rosh Gadol” or thinking big.

First, “Big” would be an apt description of our Tisha B’Av “Kumsitz of the World.”  Of all the truly remarkable and elevating aspects of this event, it was the sheer scope and size that might have been the most impactful.  At no point is the reach and influence of NCSY Kollel more apparent to our boys than at the Kotel kumsitz.  This sensitivity is a direct result of both the ever-growing numbers of participants at the kumsitz itself, and the global audience that participates through the live stream.  The kumsitz is a too rare example of an event that draws a crowd without prejudice or barriers for entry.  Our circle, which began at 7 PM with an already impressive  mass of 250 people involved with NCSY Kollel, quickly ballooned to more than double that number.  We were joined by 8-10 other NCSY programs, other summer tours from North America and Europe, OU and Yerushalayim officers and dignitaries, many visiting parents and friends of the program, and- most notably- hordes of complete strangers who could not tear themselves away from the spectacle of the singing.  This last group included Jews from every demographic imaginable.  It spanned the spectrums of religious commitment and affiliation, points of geographic origin, age, and gender.  Significantly, the kumsitz does not ever include a single spoken word or even announcement.  It remains focused purely on the simple and powerful messages of Jewish unity, pride, and hope.  These are expressed in song, and in the gathering itself.  And in a very big way.

Yom NCSY on Monday loomed large as well.  In some ways the size and messaging were quite similar to the previous night’s.  In other ways, the two evenings could not have been more different.   Yom NCSY was epic, and from beginning to end it was done on a large scale befitting the greatness of the groups it brought together.  The evenings strongest highlights included a stirring keynote address from Mrs. Racheli Frenkel, mother of Naftali, ob”m.  Mrs. Frenkel will always have a deep and moving connection with the youth of our community, and that connection was evident and most inspiring during her talk at Yom NCSY.  The concert featuring Shlomo Katz was as uplifting as ever and provided the healthiest of outlets to the seemingly limitless energy that was emanating from every corner of the amphitheater.    From the food to the fireworks and from the multitudes to the big screens, sounds and lights, it was a first class and very big time production.  And once again, our NCSYers were not spectators at a show, but the starring performers in the production.  For the second consecutive night it was easy to imagine NCSY summer as the very epicenter of the Jewish world.  This was presented to the NCSYers as a reason for taking responsibility and reconnecting, not- God forbid- as an excuse for hubris or self centeredness.  It was a great event for a great group.

So on a week like this, it was certainly expected that the tiyul would match and maintain the awesomeness of the earlier events.  It did.  Our trek down south was supersized and over the top, literally and figuratively.  It is our most elaborate and longest tiyul day of the summer, and it was an action packed affair.  From the challenging hikes, deep connections to the land and history, outdoor training activiites, and incredible fun in the sea of Eilat, there were thrills and meaning at every turn.  Already in this description it would be fair to classify the tiyul as plenty “big.”  But the overwhelming size of the tiyul was likely best represented by the twin peaks of the tiyul options- Har Shlomo and Masada.  We have previously described the multiple objectives of our tiyul program.  Each tiyul is designed to introduce love for the land of Israel, while also offering a break from more formal learning and a providing a full summer experience of outdoor fun and excitement.  To this list we can add the goal of filling the NCSYers with a sense of awe for the world around them.  There may be no better to place to accomplish this than the summits of these mighty mountains.  A friend who is an accomplished Jewish educator and also an avid outdoorsman once commented to me that any thoughtful process or conversation a teenager can have in a classroom, living room, or chatroom will automatically be more meaningful and effective on a hike or in nature.  I can only imagine what he would say about such exchanges on the peak of Har Shlomo at sunrise.  The views from these lookouts are not just aesthetically pleasing, although they are surely that as well.  It is not mere convenience or technicalities that lead us to include morning prayers on the itineraries of these hikes.  These experiences are big, vast, and inspire awe and respect for the majesty and potential of the world we live in.  Big mountains humble and inspire, and when they are climbed and scaled, the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment is intense and glorious.

What else contributed to our big week?  Perhaps most importantly, it was a period of intense and profound connection with our leaders and heroes.  Our tradition refers to our great scholars and visionaries as “Gedolim”, or great ones.  It is not only towering mountaintops that humble and inspire, but also human beings of character and scholarship so special that their influence is outsized and hard to calculate.  This week Rav Twersky and Rav Schachter had their respective stays with NCSY Kollel overlap by just under a day.  For an almost indescribable afternoon and evening of learning we enjoyed the power of having them, along with Rav Sobolofsky, join together in our Beis Medrash.  In truth, it would be sufficiently impactful if all the three Roshei Yeshiva offered was an example and role modeling that our NCSYers could gain from at a distance. But each of them is involved directly with scores of NCSYers and fully engaged in the program on many levels.  While some are very consciously aware of the role the Rabbis play on the program, and extremely appreciative of the opportunities they present, other NCSYers may be less sensitive to their presence and impact.  Yet, each group still benefits from what Rav Schachter, Rav Sobolofsky, and Rav Twersky bring to NCSY Kollel.  If we try to inspire the NCSYers to dream big and if we try to raise the ceiling of what can be accomplished, there is no better way to do this than to expose them to true greatness in our leaders.  These interactions can proudly take their place among the aforementioned events as incidents that will likely be recalled fondly by our teens for decades to come.  It is important to note that through these relationships we are helping to foster a communal environment of dereference and respect to rabbonim and leadership that is critical for the growth and advancement of the Jewish world.

So what happens at the end of such an incredible week?  How about an even more incredible opportunity of a full Shabbat Nachamu in the Old City of Yerushalayim?  Both Nachamu and the Old City Shabbat are each one of the most highly anticipated events of the summer, and this year’s calendar throws them together in the most spectacular of ways.  We cannot wait.

Beyond that, we hope to build on all of this and continue to soar and achieve for the rest of the summer.  There is so much to take pride in, and so much more to accomplish, together.

We wish you a great big Shabbos, and extend the warmest of greetings and blessings from the ancient and modern city of Jerusalem

Moshe Benovitz

Check out a recap of the incredible past two weeks here on Kollel!!!

http://youtu.be/vwoDL3_kMjU

Enjoy!  Have an amazing Shabbos!

Check out a recap of the amazing last two weeks we’ve had on Kollel!

After an incredible, exhausting Tiyul day on Wednesday, and a late return to Beit Meir, one could understand if Thursday morning would begin on a “slower” note.  But on NCSY Kollel, that was anything but the case.

Thursday began and ended as strong as any other day, and were one to look around the Beit Medrash throughout the day – from Shacharis all the way through late Thursday night Mishmar – it would be difficult to believe that such a packed, amazing Tiyul had taken place just the day before.  Morning Seder was as loud, vibrant, and exciting as any regular day; Chaburahs were awesome, basketball and hockey leagues were intense, thrilling, and energetic as always.  The energy that was felt around the Kollel all day is truly a testament to the incredible dedication of the NCSYers and Madrichim, not to mention how much they enjoy the learning and ball!

Following dinner, Kollel was privileged to hear a special Sichat Mussar from Rav Meir Twersky, who joined us just a few days ago.  Rav Twersky’s inspiring words of Chizuk led into a great night Seder, the Beit Medrash once again filled with sounds of Chavrutas learning together even as the hour got later and later.  As part of the usual Thursday night Mishmar, NCSYers enjoyed some Cholent after their hours of hard work and strong learning.

It was an amazing day on Kollel, and we hope the end of the week will lead to an incredible Shabbos Nachamu in the Old City of Yerushalayim!

What an amazing Tiyul day yesterday was!

Early departures may be hard at times, but they do mean that you will get the most of your day. And that we did.  Wednesday was packed from start to finish. Pulling out from Beit Meir at midnight and driving through the night, we arrived at Har Shlomo on Israel’s Southern tip when it was still dark. And in the dark we began our 2000 foot ascent to the peak of the mountain.

As we climbed, the difficulty increased and the sky got brighter and brighter. The NCSYers were incredible, bravely climbing and pushing farther and farther up the mountain. We made it to the top just in time for sunrise, enabling us to daven vatikin (the optimal time for davening) as we watched the sun climb over the distant mountains. This breathtaking view of the Red Sea and the Sinai Desert is one of the only vantage points in the world where one can view four countries at once (Israel, of course, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt). Now that the sun was out, and the temperature neared 100 degrees, the descent was even more challenging, but with the help and encouragement of the entire group “no man was left behind”.

Another option was to climb Masada for vatikin. This trip also got an early start to the day so as to make it to the top in time for sunrise. It was a great trek up the mountain and we did in fact make it in time. We toured the various building on top after davening and then hiked back down the snake path.

At the end of the challenging and tiring hikes, there was no better place to relax and cool off than a double-decker boat sailing upon the Red Sea. So off to sea we went.  All of the trips joined together by the port of Eilat where we set sail on and drifted off into the Red Sea.  Each NCSYer was offered the thrilling opportunity to take a ride on a “banana” boat or an “aboov” tube.  Meanwhile other NCSYers took the opportunity to jump off the boat and take a refreshing dip in the beautiful sea. For those who wanted to spend their afternoon relaxing, there was also many options to choose from. Lunch was served inside the cabin, and lounge chairs were available on the decks for relaxing.  The party got going on the upper deck of both boats, where we played an intense game of musical chairs, and danced to some awesome music.  Ultimately, the team of Zvi Kaminetzky, Yaakov Kaminetsky, and Tzvika Septimus was crowned champion, and a total of eight chairs were broken along the way!

Some of the NCSYers continued their day at a ropes course. The course was over 50 feet in the air and we were challenged to make it through all of the obstacles and make to the end. Ropes, bicycles, and zip lines are some of the things we had to work with while up in the air. After eating dinner in Eilat we all headed back to Kollel after an amazing day.

As Tisha B’Av came to a close on Sunday night, Kollel had the privilege of partaking in an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime Kumzitz at the Kotel, the “Kumzitz of the World” (you can re-watch the footage right here).  The inspiration and energy from the Kumzitz, as well as the other unique experiences of Tisha B’Av, would carry over into the week ahead and will continue to lead us, IY”H, to an amazing second half of the summer.

Monday’s return to normalcy on the Kollel was a welcome shift in pace from the activities of the three weeks.  Morning Seder and Shiur featured a vibrant Beit Medrash, the NCSYers excited to get back to a regular schedule of learning.  Chaburahs were lively, and leagues were exceptional, with the everyone eager to get back to playing ball.  For the first time this summer, Kollel introduced a soccer tournament to go along with the pick-up basketball and hockey games taking place throughout the afternoon.  But later that evening, Kollel would veer from the daily routine yet again, if only for a night.

Monday night brought with it the incredible experience that was Yom NCSY (if you didn’t catch it live, make sure to catch up right here).  As part of Yom NCSY, all of the NCSY summer programs joined together at Latrun for an amazing event that included an inspirational speech from Mrs. Racheli Frenkel (mother of Naftali Frenkel, A”H) , an amazing concert by Shlomo Katz, dazzling fireworks, and more importantly, incredible Achdus between the thousands of NCSYers in attendance.

Following the amazing experience of Yom NCSY, Kollel once again returned to its daily routine, and today was filled with great learning, ball, and a renewed enthusiasm from the awesome night enjoyed by all.  As they headed to bed following a long few days filled with one amazing event after another, NCSYers and Madrichim prepared for an incredible Tiyul day tomorrow, when Kollel heads down to Eilat!

Earlier this week we posted about the special two-day visit of Rav Avraham Levi from the community of Elad.  While Rav Levi’s time with us was likely under the radar of the majority of NCSYers, his interactions with staff made a more profound impact.

 

In one of those exchanges, Rav Levi was reflecting on the 10 year commemoration of the disengagement from Gush Katif.  He commented that the Hebrew term for the evacuation- hitnatkut– had a double meaning.  The word is translated as “disconnection,” and describes the physical removal of the Jewish population from their homes in the Gaza strip.  But Rav Levi suggested that it has a further implication of other types of detachments and estrangement.  He posited that the architects of the disengagement were “disconnected” from the political and security realities, and that ultimately the decision to forcibly remove people from their homes reflected a further gap between heaven and earth.

 

Rav Levi’s broader and deeper definition of disengagement was a major key to our efforts in programming this week.   Over the years, we have sensed a shift in the common challenges faced by our teens.  There seem to be fewer passionate objections and challenges to religious life, and more lethargy and disinterest.  Whether in issues of belief or the resulting Jewish practice, many young men seem to have no opinion or motivation at all, as opposed to a drive in an ill advised direction.  There is less of doing the wrong thing, and more of doing nothing.

 

Already, this phenomenon employs language similar to that mentioned above.  It can be called the disengagement of our youth.  But the Hebrew terminology may be even a stronger analogy, and at the same time point the way to a remedy.

 

We believe that there is a fundamental correlation between this lack of drive and connectivity.  The more a person connects to aspects of Judaism, the more passionate he or she becomes.  These connections can be to people, places, things, or ideas.  And each of those were central to our focus this week.

 

Throughout the week the NCSYers had the opportunity to meet- and interact- with some of our community’s most illustrious leaders.  The Torah tour of Bnei Brak on Tuesday’s tiyul day was but one example.  The trip began with a talk from Rav Yisrael Meir Lau, former Chief Rabbi of Israel, and continued with various other Torah luminaries all day.  Keeping it in the family, we had the most remarkable chance to host the younger Rav Lau, current Chief Rabbi of Israel on Thursday.  We continued to enjoy our two long-term scholars in residence, Rabbi Lavi Greenspan and Rabbi Arye Sufrin.  Each of these rabbis has prioritized interactions with smaller groups that allow for great personal exchange and maximum impact. This is in addition of course to the now established daily interactions with Rav Schachter and Rav Sobolofsky.  Other visitors this week included Mr. Allen Fagin, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union, Rabbi Micah Greenland, International Director of NCSY,  Rabbi Glenn Black, CEO of NCSY Canada, and Rabbi Eli Storch, Associate Principal of DRS-HALB High School.  They were joined by a steady stream of community leaders, educators, NCSY Regional Directors and other professionals, and parents visting the NCSY Kollel.  All of this, along with the already blossoming relationships between Rebbe and NCSYer and Madrichim and NCSYer make for a far more elaborate network of torah relationships and role models.  When NCSYyers are connected to flesh and blood people, and when those people embody certain values and traits that our religion is based on, there is a certain passion and excitement that is created.  Without those connections it is very difficult to get too worked up about much of anything.

 

The kinds of personal connections that create enthusiasm are certainly not limited to vertical relationships between youth and mentors.  This was a week of strengthening bonds between the NCSYers and to expanding that circle to include so many members of the greater Jewish world.  Our tiyulim, mini-tiyulim, and sports leagues helped accomplish the former.  NCSY Kollel is a very social environment with multiple planes and opportunities to create meaningful friendships.  These platforms all channel back to the Beis Medrash, where the chavrusa and chabura learning is breathtakingly beautiful.

 

This week we had the added honor of hosting 4 different buses of boys from NCSY’s TJJ (The Jerusalem Journey) program.  These young men from non-Yeshiva backgrounds provided an entire new range of opportunities to connect to a wider community.  The TJJ groups did not just visit and observe- they fully participated with the NCSY Kollel in the beis medrash and on the courts.  The climax of these days was the annual siyum, jointly made by Adam Benzaquen of TJJ and Yona Benscher of NCSY Kollel.  The energy spilled over to the late night beis medrash.  One of the TJJ bus heads described their nightly custom of singing on the bus a song that counts down the days to Shabbos.  They led the entire group in this song.  The “one more day to Shabbos” refrain was chanted hundreds of time in an inclusive and inspiring circle of NCSY Kollel members, TJJers, madrichim, rabbis, and Roshei Yeshiva.  We suspect a new Thursday night NCSY Kollel tradition may have been born…

 

The connections were not only to people. We continued and intensified our efforts to foster a meaningful relationship with the land of Israel.  Our tiyul day, uniquely designed for the 9 days, certainly helped accomplish this.  Each group was able to see less obvious elements of the beauty and significance of Israel.  Whether hiking through the Martyr’s Forest, visiting the Gush Katif museum, traversing the underground passages of the Yerushalayim’s Old City, participating in the aforementioned Torah tour, or exploring the rich history of the Shomron, the NCSYers were able to see a land as more than an idea or abstract concept.   These tiyulim allow Israel come alive and create meaningful connections.

 

But even some ideas can be the object of these efforts to connect.  We are actively preparing for Shabbat Chazon and Tisha B’Av.  These efforts involve the attempt to have the NCSYers relate to churban/destruction in a way that is meaningful, heartfelt, and relevant.  We were aided in this by a special presentation from Rav Ari Katz on Gush Katif, and numerous shiurim and discussions from Rabbeim and madrichim on how to mourn a building none of us have ever physically seen.

 

The sum total of this is a group of NCSYers who leave a summer more connected than before.  They are more connected to their leaders and to each other.  They are more connected to their history and to their land.  The multitude of connections almost automatically breeds passion and vigor in religious pursuits.  This was the source of the pulsating energy that marked the Beis Medrash (and courts, and tiyulim) all week.

 

While it is impossible to look forward to Tisha B’Av, we are confident that this energy will carry us through Shabbat Chazon, Tisha B’Av and beyond.  It will allow us to observe these days with productivity and meaning.  And we hope and pray it will grant us the opportunity to witness and be part of the ultimate redemption.

 

Wishing you a great Shabbos from the beautiful hills of Jerusalem,

 

Moshe Benovitz 

Thursday was one of the most spectacular days in the long and glorious history of NCSY Kollel.  The many visitors, triumphs in inter-camp competitions, amazing post Maariv dancing, and inspiring Siyum celebrations all contributed to the unforgettable day.  But the most remarkable event was the visit by Rav Dovid Lau, Chief Rabbi of Israel.

The opportunity to host Rav Lau is quite special in its own right.  But the story of how he arrived on our campus is too good and important to keep to ourselves.

 

The most impressive part of it is how there is almost no story at all.  Rabbi Lau was not approached with Protexia or influence.  There were no donors or friends of his office involved.  We did not even appeal to his desire to help and provide inspiration from his position.  He was simply told about what happens daily on NCSY Kollel, and what would happen when we hosted 75 TJJ NCSYers.  This was all the invitation he needed.

 

In other words, while he shared a thought with us, he mostly came to see and observe.  And it was our boys that were the object of such attention.  This was true not only of the Chief Rabbi, but also of the almost countless dignitaries who visited this week.  On Thursday it honestly felt that NCSY Kollel was the center of the Jewish world (something we usually sense only at the Tisha B’Av Kumsitz at the Kotel).  We encouraged the NCSYers to rightfully take pride in how many people visit to witness them doing such great things, and to share in the opinion that the way we are choosing to spend the summer is significant and important.

 

Just ask the Chief Rabbi.