Efrayim Saks is currently enjoying his third summer on NCSY Kollel. He attended TABC and Yeshivat HaKotel and is currently entering his junior year in YU. This is Efrayim’s first year as a Madrich.

Efrayim’s Chabura is made up of 5 of the most amazing guys on the program: Noam Kornwasser from Teaneck (MTA); Avi Rothberg from Teaneck (MTA); Ophir Rauzman from Teaneck (TABC); Michael Rosner from Beit Shemesh (Chorev); and Shai Warso from Skokie (Skokie Yeshiva).

This summer, Efrayim’s chabura will be focusing on using Ishay Ribo songs to learn about different topics. They will be learning about a variety of topics including procrastination and much, more.

The goal of the learning is to appreciate the relevance and beauty of Torah, and the chabura cannot wait to continue the best summer ever!

Moshe Fogelman is currently enjoying his second summer on NCSY Kollel. He attended Heichal HaTorah followed by Shaalvim and the famous Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim. Moshe plans on attending YU next year, and this is his first year as a Madrich.

Moshe’s Chabura is made up of six of the best guys around: Yaakov Tabacznik from Teaneck (MTA); Avi Cohn from Teaneck (MTA); Max Zurkovsky from Teaneck (TABC); Aaron Pavel from Fairlawn (TABC); Yosef “Joe” Warburg from Bergenfield (MTA); and Koby Gryfe from the Upper West Side (Ohavei Torah).

This summer, Moshe’s Chaburah will focus on using interactive challenges to build their Jewish skills and Middos. To build their skills, they will be engaging in a Shul Rabbi Scenario where each guy will be tasked with a Shul Scenario, such as a Bar Mitzvah or Bris, and will proceed to put on a tallis and give a Shabbos Drasha and proper Mazel Tov to the Baal Simcha. To build their middos, they will be taking the Enneagram test, which many believe is based on Kabbalah. This test will help them determine areas of middos they can try to work on this Summer. This is all aside from Moshe’s Night Seder shiur, which most of the Chaburah attends as well. The shiur will learn about a living Gadol throughout the week and then meet the Gadol in Yerushalayim on Friday.

The summer has been amazing so far, and will hopefully only continue to get better!

Yisroel Lebowitz is currently enjoying his second summer on NCSY Kollel. He attended DRS and Sha’alvim and planning on attending YU next year. This is Yisroel’s first year as a Madrich.

Yisroel’s Chabura is made up of 6 of the best guys around: Yechiel Weisstuch from Boca Florida (KYHS); Naftali Kieffer from Boca Florida (KYHS); Shuey Silkin from Boca Florida (KYHS); Baer Boczko from Woodmere (DRS); Shaya Singer from Lawrence (DRS); and Zev Epstein from Cherry Hill (Mesivta High School of Greater Philadelphia).

This summer, Yisroel’s chaburah will be focusing on Talmud Torah and Tefilla. They will be learning about a variety of topics including Torah Lishma, Learning when other mitzvos come up, Davening from a smartphone, and much, much more. The goal of the chabura is to learn Torah in a fun chilled out enjoyable way and to learn to love learning.
The summer has been great so far and it should only get better from here!

This morning, the North Campus beis medrash was privileged to welcome HaRav Dov Zinger, Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivat Mekor Chaim, who is spending a few days in Beit Meir and Ramot Shapira learning with both the NCSYers and staff of the program.

In the afternoon, a mini-tiyul was offered to the Biblical Museum of National History as well as the Beit Shemesh Mall, and on the courts, there were several riveting hockey and basketball games, including some that went to overtime and even double overtime!

At night, the program welcomed the arrival of YU Rosh Yeshiva Rav Mayer Twersky as well as Rabbi Josh Grajower, who will be gracing the batei medrash with their presence over the next few weeks. The program also enjoyed the first batch of hot food orders from Yummies, including Poppers, Yummies Burgers, Crispy Chicken Sandwiches, and French Fries.

We can’t wait until tomorrow for another incredible day!

Today marked the first full day of tiyulim, which included some amazing trips! 

The first trip left at 11:30 last night for Har Shlomo in Eilat to daven Vasikin on top of the mountain overlooking Magnificat views. Afterward, the group went to the Red Sea, where everyone had a blast and enjoyed boating and water sports! 

Another group had amazing kayaking up north followed by water rappelling, and a tour of Tzfat and Teveria from Akiva Ackerman, before making their own chocolate at a factory and enjoying both awesome water activities at AquaKef and a delicious schwarma dinner!

Another trip hiked up Masada to daven Vasikin before driving to Eilat, boating in the Red Sea, and enjoying an incredibly cool aquarium trip!

An additional group woke up early and headed up north for a hike called Jilabun that everyone loved. Activities after the hike included jeeping, free time in Teveria, and Aqua Kef!

The latest trip visited Rabban Gamliel’s Kever, got Ben & Jerry’s, had a meaningful time at the Blind Museum, and then enjoyed awesome water sports at Ashdod!

On Thursday morning, the entire program embarked on a myriad of extreme sports trips, including dirt-biking, water skiing, and laser tag, in addition to softball, flag football, basketball, and a walking tour of Nachlaot. This was followed by chabura tours of the Old City, a group visit to the Kotel for Maariv, culminating with a special Burgers Bar Mishmar in Beit Meir!

For Friday, NCSYers and madrichim went into Yerushalayim and visit Ben Yehuda, Machane Yehuda, and Meah Shearim before kicking off the official beginning of basketball leagues and beginning preparation for Shabbos.

An incredible first Shabbos in Beit Meir included tisches with Rav Burg, Rabbi Gormin, and Rabbi Lebowitz, as well as shiurim given by Rav Schachter, Rabbi Benovitz, Rav Tanchum Cohen, and Rabbi Israeli, concluding with special Seuda Shlishit sichos from Rabbi Benovitz and Rabbi Lebowitz. 

During Motzaei Shabbos, the NCSYers enjoyed a Malevah Malka at houses of their respective morning shiur rebbeim, while the staff had a special Melava Malka with Rav Dovid Miller!

Sunday marked the first full day of morning Seder shiurim as well as the kickoff of hockey leagues and the first-ever Chavrusa tumult, where NCSYers got to meet their Night Seder Chavrusas! Additionally, there was first mini Tiyul of the summer to Castel and the Mevaseret Mall, and the program was zocheh to welcome Rav Lavi Greenspan back to our Beis Medrash!

Today was an absolutely incredible day including leagues, full sedarim, and a mini-tiyul during the break to the Bar Kochba caves!

We cannot wait for our first full-day tiyul tomorrow!

On Wednesday morning, the entire camp was treated to a late wakeup, followed by an incredible halacha shiur from Rav Schachter as well as orientation both for the staff and the NCSYers. After lunch, everyone was able to enjoy a variety of options for the afternoon, including playing sports on the courts, catching up on sleep, enjoying a walking tour from madrich Eitan Pfeiffer of the beautiful campuses, and just hanging out with friends. Followed by that was the official kickoff to chaburas, with each group having the ability to learn together for the first time, and afterwards, each chabura enjoyed a special Ben and Jerry’s treat as well as a riveting game of Chabura Trivia, topping off an incredible day.