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Of the four seasons of the year, summer is the most unique. Fall, winter, and spring are variations of the same daily routine of school, work, and home life. The climate may change and there can be more or less of an upbeat and colorful vibe, but schedules tend to be consistent, with rhythm and regularity through these three quarters of the year.
Summer is different. We have summer homes and summer trips and summer reads and summer projects and a host of other ways of describing how summer is the time we reserve to break our inertia and try something new.
Summer camps are costly. With the rising costs of Jewish living, each significant expenditure must be justified. Why transport, entertain, and educate our children in the summer months when a local vacation or work opportunity is the norm in so many other societies?
Common (and compelling) rationales include: the informality of summer education, the fun that motivates growth, the “freedom” from more rigid conventions, and more. But perhaps above all, there is the simple truth that summer is different. Throughout the year we are stuck in routine and expectations. The lack of variance means there are far too few fresh starts, far too little exploration. The Rambam, in his Laws of Repentance, describes geographical displacement as a catalyst for growth. New places allow us to try again and reconsider choices and priorities. New experiences and relationships are similarly effective. The summer is the time when these movements and innovations abound. And NCSY Kollel is a place where it can be clearly seen.
These contrasts are everywhere. Of course, in the spirit of the Rambam, our beis medrash and learning program is based on a break from the norm. But we also carry this approach into planning our trips, sports, and recreational programming. Our first full tiyul day is always a blast and jolt of excitement. Many of the NCSYers spent the day in Eilat while others were hiking points north and still others were enjoying the full Mediterranean experience. In Eilat we split our time between massive mountain peaks and the breathtaking waters of the Red Sea. On one of those hikes there was a fascinating discussion about apt metaphors from the wilderness to our summer. One of the simplest suggestions was to contemplate a mountain itself. No planetary surface has a good reason to be naturally uneven with protrusions. Yet we see hills and valleys most everywhere. Plates collide and there is a geological disruption. Smooth and seamless doesn’t create Everest. Mountains emerge from something out of the ordinary.
There’s no need to rely on these metaphors or images. The tiyul schedule itself provided great examples. We try as much as possible to offer activities that are unfamiliar. Har Shlomo in the south and Black Canyon in the north were not just exhilarating and unforgettable challenges, they were unique ones. Doing something out of the norm awakens all kinds of potential and aspiration. Doing it at the summit of a mighty peak, even more so. As we often explain, we offer options on our trip days with multiple objectives. Clearly, it allows us to match up interests to actions and create far greater buy-in than an imposed itinerary would. But equally important, these options allow us to push each track to the extreme. For those interested in an outdoor adventure, they can be pushed for an outdoor adventure unlike anything before. On the peak of Har Shlomo a post 11th grader commented that he has spent the past two summers on different Israel touring programs and did not even know this hike existed. Doing different leads to thinking different and being different.
   
This philosophy even permeates the sports courts. Historically, we have emphasized games and action over clinics and workshops. Our NCSYers are a bit older and more experienced and our time is limited, so we prioritized the competition over drills. This summer we introduced a range of training, many under the tutelage of our GoodSport ambassadors, Zevi Samet and Avremi Poupko. Aside from the tangible value of improved skills and the modeling of a work ethic and preparation focus that can serve us all well later in life, these sessions offer a subtle something extra too: play basketball like never played before. Do a push up with a new technique or stance. Think and approach life differently. This is what summer is for.  
Notably, there are other adjustments from standard sports to NCSY Kollel ball. An educator visiting our campus this week was wowed by the learning but awed by the athletics. He’d seen full batei medrash before, but not courts like ours. The hockey and basketball (and Ninja Warrior trainings) are in a special context. While working on scoring and defense, there is a camaraderie and higher purpose. This too gives the NCSYers pause. It allows for a thoughtful and creative approach and presents even basketball in a new light. Our Early Risers program- 6:30 Shacharis, short learning chabura, intense workout, breakfast, and a resumption of regular schedule- was especially helpful. A new paradigm of wake up and daily schedule. A new energy for davening and learning. This initiative ran for basketball and hockey and will expand next week to fitness training too. It’s all optional and the NCSYers own the experience. The outcome is not just a great workout. There is a refreshing change of pace and perspective. Summer.
Which brings us back home, to the beis medrash. Hopefully you’ve seen the images of Thursday night mishmar, the ruach, and the learning. Sure, most, if not all, of our participants have learned before. The books and tables are not new. But those pictures and videos are showing something quite different from the norm too. There is a maturation and an energy. There is a focus and a satisfaction level that are outside the regular. There’s also a connection and respect for madrichim and Rabbeim that requires courage to try something new and to trust. It’s not just the quality of learning, but the thrill of discovery of a fresh avenue and approach. This is what fuels our greatest success.
No summer should be same old same old. Leaving our schools or venturing far from home is an opportunity to try something new. Most of our communal habits are nurturing and wonderful. But our culture has also lulled us into a complacency and some less wholesome attitudes. It’s important to reconsider our phones, technology, values, and inclinations towards matters of the soul. Every summer we get such a chance. At NCSY Kollel we do our best to take advantage.
Wishing you the blessing of a new Shabbos that contrasts the days of the week.
In appreciation,
Moshe Benovitz
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