It may seem odd, but we are more sure about what our program is, then we are about what our program is called.
Let’s start from the beginning. The back of our Yom NCSY t-shirts and the heading of our webpage identify us simply as “Kollel.” But that is clearly shorthand for the critical addition of NCSY to our name. We are, meaningfully, NCSY Kollel, and that is also likely our most common moniker. In previous years and earlier correspondence, we have addressed how the NCSY ethos defines our mission and our agenda.
Now, we are clearly a “Kollel” like no other, and that’s where the next potential description comes in. It’s not just NCSY Kollel, but NCSY Summer Kollel. This too goes beyond semantics or marketing. Summer implies a wider array of activities and pursuits, and also accurately indicates an inclination to a less formal style of learning.
So we move purposefully from “Kollel” to “NCSY Kollel” to “NCSY Summer Kollel.” But we can’t stop there. Eagle-eyed observers will note our predilection towards using a definite article in announcing the program. While Michlelet is Michelet and Sulam is Sulam, we are often (mostly self-refrentially) The NCSY Summer Kollel. Here, it is harder to explain either the evolution or the significance of this word usage, but it might be a nod towards the uniqueness and importance that we attribute to what we aim to provide.
But there is one final potential nomenclature variation. And like the others, it connects to the heart of our identity and our educational aspirations. Not just a Kollel, not just NCSY, and not only a Best Summer. But decidedly, “The NCSY Summer Kollel…In Israel.”
Logistical arrangements would be far simpler in the Catskills, Poconos, or even the Rockies. Costs would be more affordable in any number of locales in North America. Travel would be less onerous and creature comforts more readily available if we were closer to home and on more familiar terrain. And a further discussion point must be considered: How much of what we do is really Israel dependent at all? Rabbeim and Roshei Yeshiva are in abundance around the world. Our Beis Medrash could be replicated and situated on a different campus anywhere. Is there really a shortage of basketball or hockey courts on campsites in the United States?
Perhaps not. But when considered as a whole, it is clear that so much of what we do is built around our being in Israel, and that NCSY Summer Kollel in Israel would hardly be the same anywhere else on earth.
It is a top priority of ours to communicate this to the NCSYers and it is a focal point of our education. But, appreciably, this message is communicated in a variety of ways. It is not limited to a particular lesson in the classroom, rather it is built into more experiential learning and more comprehensive instruction.
This was the main theme of the week that was. While there were many individual highlights and special events, there was a clear emphasis on our connection with Israel and love for the land. It wasn’t a coincidence that these activities were planned for the 9 days leading up to Tisha B’Av, as they served as an excellent preparation for the weekend ahead.
The primary example for all of this was our main tiyul of the week. The nature of the 9 Days required us to forego water parks and beaches, and instead give attention to different aspects of this beautiful land. There were four main tiyul options, three centered in Yerushalayim and one journeying to Sederot.
The Sederot trip was very special. It was the first time we visited Sederot in 4 years. It is a remarkable city, and the Hesder Yeshiva that served as our host on the trip is a truly inspiring Torah center. It is unlike any other place we will visit this summer. Each stop on the tour provided another layer of insight into the heroism and commitment of modern Israeli society. The NCSYers in Sederot will not soon forget the images of fortified playgrounds, bus stop bomb shelters, Menorahs and Mezzuza Cases made of missile shrapnel, and, above all (literally), building cranes all over the city. There was nary a hint of panic or despair in all of our interactions, but there was an abundance of love for fellow Jews and the great land.
While more familiar to most of the NCSYers, each of the Yerushalayim trips also provided a wonderful perspective on life in Israel. The Old City tiyul connected the group to the glorious history of the city in interactive and memorable ways. We enjoyed guided tours through the mesmerizing Kotel Tunnels, City of David, and the Machon HaMikdash. Each of these offered meaningful connection to topics and places that are sometimes harder to relate and grasp.
In the newer sections of the city there was plenty of positive activity as well. We had a fascinating behind the scenes tour of the Knesset, stops in various modern and restored shuls, and a riveting visit to Ammunition Hill. Here, the emphasis was on present day Israel, and the realities of future life in the Jewish homeland.
The final option was one of our longest recurring trips, and an absolute NCSY Kollel classic. Rabbi Moshe Gordon led his “History of Torah in Yerushalayim” tour, through the streets and alleys of the new city, Meah Shearim, and the surrounding neighborhoods. The tiyul combined visits with key leaders and rabbis, and stops at historical places and points of interest. From Rav Kook’s house to the palatial Belz world headquarters, and from the Mirrer roshei yeshiva to Rav Tzvi Meir Zilberberg, there was a steady stream of uplifting Torah and thought provoking interactions. This was Israel as the source of Torah scholarship and learning, and evoked a deep appreciation for the Torah accomplishments of modern Israel.
Each and every one of these tours were consistent with the “daily tiyuls” we have been on since arriving here. Both in Beit Meir and on our frequent trips, there is a constant emphasis on the land and its allure. This immersion is critical, as there is no single event or lecture that can adequately provide the connection and understanding that we look to provide over six weeks of varied and moving experiences.
The same approach is utilized in the more regular curriculum. On Thursday night we enjoyed a world class Leil Iyun/Night of Learning, with choices from among 11 different shiurim on the topic of Tisha B’Av and the Land of Israel. While these classes were outstanding, their efficacy was greatly enhanced by the context in which they were delivered. The ideas discussed were not presented in a vacuum or in contrast to the educational offerings of the rest of the summer. They were entirely consistent, and of one thread, with virtually every shiur and discussion. We are often asked how we succeed in programming such moving Tisha B’Av events. The truthful response is that it is more a product of this context and consistency than it is the power of any isolated presentation. To hear Rav Sobolofsky introduce some of the Kinnos is to hear from a Rebbe who has given over a worldview and feelings for the land for 5 weeks. It makes a difference.
We are extremely proud of the quality and level of participation at the Leil Iyun. There were three themed slots of shiurim, with multiple offerings in each. The first dealt with the relationship between Torah and the destruction of the Beis haMikdash, the second was focused on the world of social interaction and brotherhood, and the third was about love for the land and anticipation of redemption. Most of these are available on our website and on YU Torah, and you too can enjoy what was one of the learning highlights of the summer.
While this all was valuable in its own right, it also served as preparation for our Shabbos Chazon together in Beit Meir and for our plans for Tisha B’Av on campus and at the Kotel.
There were other noteworthy elements to our week. The sports courts were electric day after day, with the continuation of the thrilling 3 on 3 tournament, conclusion of our regular season leagues in basketball and hockey, and back to back intercamp games with Sulam and NCSY JOLT. These intercamps are NCSY Kollel style – they are multifaceted interactions, with learning, sports and bonding. This year’s games were particularly thrilling. We came up short in the basketball contests against Sulam, but found more success in soccer and in an incredible performance by our all star hockey squad. JOLT also gave us plenty of good competition, extending the NCSY Kollel stars to a third overtime. The steady and confident NCSY Kollel team thrilled the crowd by pulling away at the end. There was bonus game of Kollel-JOLT NCSYers against Kollel-JOLT staff. The game had extra importance placed on it because of the number of JOLT staffers who are Kollel alumni, and the number of brothers playing against each other on the two teams. It was most appropriate for a day and week that was so taken up with the notion of fraternity.
But it really all came back to reflections and deepening relationship with the land. This was the week when we identified most strongly with our roots and national destiny, and spent the time to allow the many lessons of the summer to form a basis of ideas and priorities. There was extra attention paid to the example of our Rebbe staff (the overhwleming majority of whom are North American olim), the breathtaking views of the Beit Meir campus, and the contributions of the brave soldiers serving in the IDF.
Each Shabbos we spend together is special. But the combined ingredients of a point of holiness in time (Shabbos) with a focus on holiness in space (Israel) should create something extraordinary.
So it is that we wish you an uplifting Shabbos and a meaningful fast, from all of us here at The NCSY Summer Kollel…in Israel.
Moshe Benovitz