Yaakov Fuchs is enjoying his 4th summer on the NCSY Summer Kollel, and his second as a madrich. After graduating from DRS Yeshiva High School, Yaakov spent two years in Yeshivat Shaalvim and is entering his final year at Yeshiva University, where he has the zechus to learn under Rav Mayer Twersky shlit”a.
Yaakov’s chaburah is widely considered one of the most fiery and lively groups on the Kollel, with a goated group of 5 Mevakshei Hashem in the mix.
Leading off from Bergenfield is the venerable Natan Burg (MTA). Natan’s quick and sharp mind helps infuse our chaburah with a sense of intellect, and keeps the group on their toes with his incredible bekius in Rav Soloveichik’s Torah on Meseches Gittin.
The next Bergenfield bachur is the outspoken and epic Avrumi Shor (Heichal). Avrumi keeps the energy flowing in the chaburah, with his fun loving attitude and insightful comments. Never scared to share his take, bringing the beautiful ‘milchamta shel Torah’ to the midst of the learning, Avi is one of the anchors of the ‘Burah.
Taking a break from the in-towners, down on the farm in Baltimore is the one and only Dov Hirsch (TA ➡️ Mesivta of Philadelphia). There is never a day in chaburah where Dov doesn’t work his hardest to get to the Emes of the sugya, with a tremendous thirst for intellectual honesty and authentic Yiddishkeit.
Coming back to the tri-state area, from the enclave of Monsey is the cool and calculated Moshe Lorber (MTA). Moshe is one of the more reserved members of the chaburah, soaking in the emes of Torah, but is not scared to share his take or answer when called to the task. A wonderful Ben Torah with fantastic middos, Moshe keeps the chaburah grounded (quite literally in our chairs) and ready to roll.
Finishing us off, from the city of Passaic NJ is the great Akiva “Snitty” Snitow. Akiva is the designated chazarah man of the chaburah, giving a brief chazarah at the beginning of the chaburah, so that the chaburah can retain the Torah that we learn. Akiva is known to seek additional ruchniyus opportunities during other points of the day, learning with Moreinu Harav Schachter shlit”a in the afternoons.
This summer, the chaburah is focused on a unique limmud in preparation for all of our wonderful tiyulim across Eretz Yisrael. Each week, the chaburah focuses on a different city in Eretz Yisrael, and learns parallel sugyos in Shas, Halacha, Machshava, and Chassidus which bring greater depth to the city. The week of the Eilat trip, the chaburah tried to figure out if Eilat is part of the Halachic Eretz Yisrael, and its ramifications for Terumos and Maasros. The group then plunged into the sugya of Kedusha Rishonah and Shniyah, in both lomdus and Chassidus. In preparation for Teveryah, the chaburah learned about Rebbe Meir Baal Hanes, and what it means to be a Child of Hashem.
The goal of the chaburah is to develop a close connection to the light of Eretz Yisrael, Torah, chaveirim, and Hashem together!
The summer has been epic so far, and will only continue to get stronger!
