After two intense days filled with inspiring learning, competitive leagues and Chabura fun the Kollel took their talents down south for the day. Starting with an 11:30 PM departure on Monday night, four busses packed tight headed to the Harei Eilat to enjoy an early morning hike. Not far behind, a 2 AM trip to Masada followed. After a quick rest on the busses, the Harei Eilat trip split and two simultaneous hikes started their ascent at 430 AM. After some water a bit of sweat and some breath-taking views of the countries surrounding Israel’s most southern border, the boys wrapped themselves in teffilin and started davening Shacharis for a once-in-a-lifetime experience as the sun rose in front of them. The Masada trip had also started their ascent in the early hours of the morning and davened from the top of their mountain. A quick and brief history was given over by Eli Morell explaining to the NCSYers about the Jews in the time of the Roman rule who gave their lives for what they believed in.

When our kids in the middle of wiping the sweat off their brows, our final trip to the bullet factory was taking place. After a great tour the NCSYers were treated to ice cream at the Ben and Jerry’s factory where they could all cool down from the hot summer sun.
Our Harei Eilat and Masada trips then joined together to go on the “Party” boats for a few hours where they could enjoy the beautiful Red sea. Swimming, Tubing and banana boating were all provided and, in fact, taken full advantage of by everywhere. Still exhausted from the hike though some NCSYers (and Madrichim) chose to relax and sleep for a little in the gorgeous weather. Music was blasted, engines roared and splashes were heard as all had a good time on the Red Sea.

The Bullet Factory trip continued on their own to water sports in Ashdod. They too had a phenomenal time and even rumored that more staff were thrown off the tubes by campers than vice versa.

After a long day, the Harei Eilat trips they headed back to Beit Meir where they were served some savory burgers from Burgers Bar with all the sauces, while the Masada trip headed to the ice mall for a little. Some chose to get their feet nibbled on by fish, a refined form of picking dead skin as others chose to just hang out around the mall. Soon they too departed back to the north and had their own homemade fries and burgers bar. The Bullet Factory trip enjoyed Halo Teiman Schwarma or Burgers their choice and returned to camp after an exciting day.

The tiyulim were all exhilarating, exciting and exhausting! When all the NCSYers are sleeping on a bus ride back you know that it must have been a great trip.

Elazar Mermelstein is 20 years old and is currently enjoying his second summer on NCSY Kollel. He attended MTA and KBY and is planning on returning for his 3rd year. This is Elazar’s first year as a Madrich.

Elazar’s Chaburah is made up of of the best guys around: Dovi Erlbaum from Philadelphia (Mesivta of greater Philadelphia); Binyamin Fox from Teaneck (Mta); Yosef Gottlieb from Beit Shemesh (ישיבה לצעירים ירושלים); Yosef Niknam from Philadelphia (Mesivta of greater Philadelphia); Sage Settenbrino from Between Passaic and Clifton (Breuers); and Ari Smith from Cleveland (Fuchs Mizrachi).

This summer, Elazar’s Chaburah will be focusing on Perek Ben sorer umoreh. They will be learning about a variety of topics including The relationship between a rodef and a person who is chayiv misas beis din,the reason we kill a “rodef”, and giving up one’s life Al Kiddush Hashem, and much, much more. The goal of the learning is to “enhance gemara skills, specifically focusing on understanding how the conceptual underpinnings of the sugya are hinted to in the language of the Gemara and Rishonim themselves”.

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

Gilad Vann is 21 years old and is currently enjoying his 4th summer on NCSY Kollel. He attended Florida Atlantic University High School, followed by OJ and Shor Yoshuv and is about to get married! This is Gilad’s second year as a Madrich.

Gilad’s Chaburah is made up of 4 of the best guys around: Moshe Gottlieb from Silverspring (Yeshiva Greater Washington); Elli Heisler from Brooklyn (Zichron Paltiel (Chofetz Chaim); Avraham Donaty from Baltimore (Talmudic Academy Baltimore); and Avi Ferneau from Silverspring (Yeshiva Greater Washington).

This summer, Gilad’s Chaburah will be focusing on Avodas Cochavim. They will be learning about a variety of topics including returning lost items to a goy and saying the names of other deities, and much, much more. The goal of the learning is “to gain an appreciation for yiddishkeit through learning about one of the most fundamental mitzvos we have, and to realize how special it is to be a Yid.”.

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

Dovi Marcus is 20 years old and is currently enjoying his first summer on NCSY Kollel. He attended SAR and Torat Shraga and will be spending next year in YU.
Dovi’s Chaburah is made up of 5 of the best guys around: Yehuda Wildes from Manhattan (MTA); Shai Friedman from Bergenfield (MTA); Mordechai Gelernter from Bergenfield (MTA); Eli Cohen from Pilkesville (Beth Tefiloh); and Gavi Stein from Chicago (Skokie Yeshiva).

This summer, Dovi’s Chaburah will be focusing on basic ידיעות in both machshava and hashkafa within Judaism.. They will be learning about a variety of topics including “Making sense of “Torah Sheb’al Peh,” “Why we daven and the effectiveness it has,” “What’s so important about learning Torah anyways!?!?”, and much, much more. The goal of the learning is to “ultimately strengthen our Jewish identify which will hopefully help us truly understand exactly who we are and what we do”.

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

Today was a very exciting day on the Kollel (as usual). After davening, Rav Schachter’s halacha shiur and breakfast the NCSYers had awesome morning shiurim. The beis medresh atmosphere was electric during chavrusah time. After lunch, the beis stayed rockin’ with chaburahs.

The afternoon had its own set of enjoyable activities. There was a visit to the fascinating and exciting Slifkin museum in Beit Shemesh. On the courts, multiple games went into overtime and one game ended with a buzzer beater three.
The day ended where it began: in the beis. The NCSYers were able to have an awesome night seder learning with Madrichim and going to their night shiurim. The day ended with 4 full busses headed to Harei Eilat.

Today we were privileged to be joined by Mr. Moishe Bane, president of the Orthodox Union, who spoke to our staff and spent time speaking one on one to them.

NCSY Kollel continued forward this Sunday, still riding high off of our amazing Shabbos together. A strong Morning Seder was followed by lunch and mincha after which the special activity of the day was revealed.

Every chaburah chose from a number of exciting options which contained some sort of activity and food. Choices ranged from the pool, to apache relay races, to soccer. Chaburas had to quickly decide on an option and snag a spot on the trip they wanted. An abbreviated league break was followed by the activities themselves win which much ruach and fun was had.

Night Seder had a special twist as well. NCSY Kollel was joined for the night by the TJJ bus from the West Coast. Kids from public school learned side-by-side with their peers from Yeshiva day school in a beautiful moment of brotherhood.

Stay with us for more exciting updates as the summer progresses.

NCSY Kollel was excited to welcome Rabbi Shaya Greenwald, Rosh Kollel of Yeshivat Yishrei Lev tonight. Rabbi Greenwald delivered a shiur to the NCSYers on zmanim in halacha.