Following yesterday’s tremendous tiyulim, the Kollel started off with a bang this morning! For the Post-11th graders, today was the start of the explanatory minyan for Shachris! Led by former head Madrich Josh Fagin, the minyan is an opportunity for the boys to learn more about davening and make it more personal. The minyan was slightly slower and more quiet, plus, afterward there was delectable rugelach and ice coffee! Many other chaburahs will have the chance to participate in the minyan in the near future.

TJJ ambassadors joined the kollel this morning and will be here through Thursday night. Rav Sobolofsky, introduced both the kollel and TJJ with some divrei torah about how to look for and find hashem through every day life. Also, TJJ joined in on today’s mini tiyul…. which was biking!

For the most part, morning shuirim were regular, however, there was still a major highlight, as three shuirim went on a trip!the three shuirim of Rabbi Grajower, Rabbi Gormin and Rabbi Friedman had the privilege to go to Mitzpe Yericho and hear from Rav Uri Pilichowski about his experience living in israel and how he has helped build up his community.

Other than a regular day of sports, it was still a bittersweet afternoon as the kollel said goodbye to Rav Schachter, who is heading back to America. Everyone sang and danced around the beis medrash as Rav Schachter departed. It was truly an amazing experience having Rav Schachter learn with so many people and give over daily Halacha shuir for the last two weeks. His presence in the beis will surely be missed!

To cap off the amazing day, during the usual night Seder time, we had our first official Leil Iyun! Following mincha, Rabbi Israel Leshak spoke about the importance of the different topics and sessions. There were many options to choose from, but the overall theme was temptation and addictions. All of the sessions during each of the three time slots were packed and everyone was talking about them throughout the night!

What an amazing jam packed day on kollel!!

What an exciting Tiyul Tuesday on NCSY Kollel!!!! The roosters of Beit Meir were woken up this morning by more than 6 full buses of NCSYers and staff getting ready to go on their respective trips. A 4:45 Shacharis kicked off the day and the trips departed almost immediately after. Black Canyon- the epic and highly anticipated hike of rappelling around waterfalls, treacherous wadis and most importantly towering cliff jumps into the crisp water pools- did more than just live up to the hype!! The trip resulted in at least one NCSYer to proclaim “This day made my summer, best trip ever!!! The next trip began rafting down the Yarden. Although the Yarden is filled with seemingly calm, grade-1, rapids the NCSYers thought otherwise. Jumping boats and enacting scenes from the latest Pirates of the Caribbeans movie the Kollel had anything but a very calm boat ride down the River. The third trip of rappelling and rock climbing let themselves slowly down into a blissful view of the mountains surrounding them. At first,nerve racking and intense, trusting their lives to a rope and a grappling hook, each member of the Kollel made it down safely. The final tiyul boarded to visit Kivrei Tzadikim!! The trip was gifted with R’ Sobolofsky, Efraim Shraga Wexler, and our very own Akiva Ackerman (Ack) to increase our knowledge about the greats of our past like the Rashbi, Arizal, Beis Yosef and the Rambam.

The rafting trip made a quick stop to visit the famous De Karina Chocolate factory where the delicious Israeli chocolate company makes their chocolate. A workshop took place where everyone was able to make their own chocolate bar, truffles, and other chocolatey creations. They quickly moved over to the pizza shop next to make some handmade pizza and then everyone moved out to the highlight of the day where everyone would meet up, AQUAKEF!!

Aquakef is a water amusement park stationed on the Kineret with huge lake toys which feature slippery watersides, huge trampolines and an intense obstacle courses which featured races of the Kollel’s finest athletes. After the chevra tired themselves out and were running low on fuel the amazing schwarma bar filled them all back up. With plenty of food to serve the masses and all kinds of ways to customize their laffas we were able to get back on their buses satiated and ready to rest. With another tiyul down in the books Kollel continues its hot-streak of capitalizing on every opportunity to make a day great.

The memories and energy generated from this tiyul should carry the NCSYers through the rest of the week and far beyond!!

NCSY Kollel came back strong from its muted atmosphere following the free weekend and fast day. Morning Seder remained strong and we welcomed some distinguished guests: Prof. Chaim Sukenik (Machon Lev) and Rabbi Avi Berman (OU). The energy continued into post-mincha announcements where preparations  were made for our amazing trip up north as well as Wednesday’s Leil Iyun. 

Chaburas commenced with their usual fervor, followed by leagues and an exciting mini-tiyul to the beautiful neighborhood of Nachlaot, where they explored the house of Rav Aryeh Levin and the local shuk.

Following Night Seder, there was a special Shiur given by Rav Jesse Horn on how to improve tefilah. There was an early curfew in anticipation for all of the fun on tomorrow’s tiyul. 

Aryeh Kaminetsky is 23 years old and is currently enjoying his 8th summer on NCSY Kollel. He attended DRS and KBY and will be learning in smicha this upcoming year. This is Aryeh’s 4th year as a Madrich.

Aryeh’s Chaburah is made up of 5 of the best guys around: Ari Keller from Woodmere (DRS); Baruch Ross from Lawrence (Yeshiva of Far Rockaway); Benzion Rotblat from Teaneck (TABC); BZ Scheinman from Woodmere (DRS); and Avi Tepler from New Rochelle (TABC)

This summer, Aryeh’s chaburah will be focusing on Dinei Nezikin. They will be learning about a variety of topics including Issur Lehazik, Arbah Avot, Shmirah, and much, much more. The goal of the learning is to explore how the Torah bases its legal system off of ethical principles.

The summer has been great so far and it should only get better from here!

Jonathan Crane is 19 years old and is currently enjoying his 2nd summer on NCSY Kollel. He attended DRS and Gush and will be in YU this upcoming year. This is Jonathan’s first year as a Madrich.

Jonathan’s Chaburah is made up of 5 of the best guys around: Joey Katz from Hendon (City of London School); Koby Goldschlag from Silver Spring (Berman Hebrew Academy); Zechariah Mainzer from Dunwoody (Atlanta Jewish Academy); Matthew Minsk from Toco Hills (Atlanta Jewish Academy); and Jeremiah Wallace from Merion Station (Kohelet).

This summer, Jonathan’s chaburah will be focusing on different torah sugyas analyzed through Gemera, rishonim and different mamra chazal with attention on participation and ideas created by the different members of the chaburah. They will be learning about a variety of topics including The importance of talmud torah, tzitis and techalis, advice for tefillah and lo tachmod , and much, much more. The goal of the learning is to create a love of torah and create bnei torah.

The summer has been great so far and it should only get better from here!

Akiva Ackerman is 20 years old and is currently enjoying his 5th summer on NCSY Kollel. He attended DRS and Shaalvim. This is Akiva’s 2nd year as a Madrich.

Akiva’s Chaburah is made up of 6 of the best guys around: Dovie Gecovich from Cleveland (Fuchs Mizrachi); Nathan Wieder from Cleveland (Fuchs Mizrachi); Ariel Leider from White Plains (Frisch); Ezra Wallach from Woodmere (HAFTR); Jacob Plumb from Houston (Beren); and Binyamin Gettenberg from Lawrence (HAFTR).

This summer, Akiva’s chaburah will be focusing on Pirkei Avos. They will be learning about a variety of topics including Improving in Middos, Avodas Hashem, and much, much more. The goal of the learning is to better connect to Hashem.

The summer has been great so far and it should only get better from here!

Yaakov Kaminetsky is 21 years old and is currently enjoying his 6th summer on NCSY Kollel. He attended DRS and KBY and will be in YU this upcoming year. This is Yaakov’s 2nd year as a Madrich.

Yaakov’s Chaburah is made up of 6 of the best guys around: Meir Weiss from Bergenfield (Heichal Hatorah); Shimon Staum from Teaneck (Heichal Hatorah); Avi Ash from Cedarhurst (DRS); Eli Rockoff from West Hempstead (DRS); Pinny Balsam from North Woodmere (YFR); and Shai Englander from Lawrence (YFR).

This summer, Yaakov’s chaburah will be focusing on in depth analysis of basic sugyas relating to limud Hatorah, mitzvos in general, and tefilla . They will be learning about a variety of topics including Birkas Hatorah, mitzvos tzrichos kavanna, osek bmitzva patur min hamitzvah, and much, much more. The goal of the learning is to uncover the depth and profundity contained within these basic Torah concepts.

The summer has been great so far and it should only get better from here!

Welcome Mr. Shlomo Schwartz, CFO of the @OrthodoxUnion
to our bais medrash!

On the cusp of the first free weekend of the summer, NCSY Kollel really made the last day count. From morning to night, the NCSYers seized every learning opportunity and did not let go.

This enthusiasm was further fueled by some very special arrivals. Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky and Josh Fagin arrived to round out the staff and visits by Rabbi Menachem Penner and Alan Fagin (from YU and the OU respectively) injected the staff and campers with some inspiration of their own.

The theme of hospitality extended into Night Seder as Kollel played host to The Nachum Segal Show which recorded its morning show from the thick of a jam-packed Night Seder filled with NCSYers from Kollel and a visiting TJJ.

The night concluded with an impromptu dance around the beis which led straight into Mishmar, highlighted by Rav Burg’s famous Thursday Night Shiur and a camper-led Tisch.

It was the perfect end to a perfect week!