Summer 2015

Meet team “Giving Brachos!”

Top: (Left to right) Joe Baruch, Heezkeyahoo Burstyn, Robbie Schrier*, Dani Scheinman, Moshe Spirn, Jonathan Gibber

Bottom: (Left to right) Shmaryahu Schulman, Ben Liechtung

Meet team “NCSY Benchers!”

Left to right: Eitan Kaszovitz, Moshe Keller, Shlomo Landsman, Bennet Schwartz*, Yona Benscher, Yaakov Nachimson, Ephraim Weiner

*Denotes Captain

Meet Team “The Nicknames!”

Left to right: Dovi Kopolovsky, Daniel Rozenberg, Aharon Yudin, Shlomo Ashkenazy*, Zach Frisch, Akiva Ackerman, Levi Nicknam, Yoni Schwartz

*Denotes Captain

Meet Team “White Katz!”

Left to right: Avremel Brimm, Jacob Rifkin, Eliyahu Stark, Ezra Alyeshmerni, Rabbi Akiva Resnick*, Aryeh Weis, Binyamin Glanz, Yoni Katz

*Denotes Captain

Meet Team “Siyata Dishmaya!”

Left to right: Mordy Ackerman*, Yehuda Benovitz, Yair Isaacs, Josh Blumenthal, Rabbi Netanel Lebowitz, Leib Weiner, Ezra Warso

*Denotes Captain

Meet Team “Buch and Beer Club!”

Top: (Left to right) Josh Beer, Binyamin Buchbinder, Eliezer Feder, Yisrael Rubin, Yitzy Nissel, Ari Aaron

Bottom: (Left to right) Jacob Spiro, Menachum Polack*

*Denotes Captain

Meet our Basketball and Hockey League teams!  Now that official names have been attributed to each of our teams, over the next few days, we will be introducing you to each of our exciting league teams! We can’t wait to meet you!

 Today was yet another exciting day, filled with unique experiences, on NCSY Kollel.

Beginning this morning, Kollel was privileged to host TJJ Ambassadors.  Upon arriving, TJJA headed straight towards the Beit Medrash where they joined Kollel to hear a few words of introduction presented by Rabbi Sobolofsky.  Rabbi Benovitz then spoke to TJJA, explaining to them the significance of the Kol Torah that exists in the Beit Medrash, and learning about the importance of learning with a Chavruta.

Throughout the day, Kollel had the incredible Zechut of hosting Rabbi Arye Sufrin, principle of YULA Boys High School.  Rabbi Sufrin treated the staff to a staff training during lunch.  Following a regular schedule of Chaburahs for Kollel, during which TJJA experienced their own Chaburah on the topic of Tefilah, Rabbi Sufrin partook in a special 3-on-3 basketball challenge.  In a battle of “East Coast vs. West Coast,” Rabbi Sufrin, joined by Yair Isaacs and Micah Gill (both post-11th graders from Los Angeles), competed against Rabbi Yisrael Kaminetsky (Menahel of DRS), Aaron Heideman, and Shmaryahu Schulman (both post-11th graders from the Tri-state area).  The West Coast would end up winning a tight one by only 3 points!

While the usual league games were played on the courts, TJJA joined many members of the Kollel on one of the most exciting mini-Tiyulim of the summer.  NCSYers and advisors from both programs enjoyed a biking Tiyul through the beautiful, scenic mountains of Israel.  It was a tremendous opportunity for the NCSYers to spend some time together, getting to know each other in an informal, fun and enjoyable setting.

Later in the evening, Rabbi Sufrin gave a Mussar Shiur to both Kollel and TJJA.  Night Seder followed, and as the day wound to a close, the Kollel members spent some down time with the members of TJJA (as well as TJJ Bus 7, who joined us for part of the evening) before they departed until their return on Thursday.

After an incredible day of learning, sports, trips, and meeting new people, Kollel ended the day preparing for another amazing Tiyul day that lie ahead tomorrow.

This past week I had the incredible opportunity to travel with a large group of my peers on Kollel to Yad Eliezer. For those of you who don’t know (which I myself did not until that day), Yad Eliezer is an organization dedicated to helping those in need by preparing and delivering boxes filled with different foods as well as any other items these people may require. For the short hour we were there, it was our job to assemble, pack, and wrap as many of these boxes as we could. Every person was assigned to a different station along one long assembly line. The boxes were put together at the beginning, taped up at the end, and along the middle, one person was assigned to pack a specific item into each box.

I was assigned (probably the most important) job of packing the body wash. Like everyone else, I started off excited and enthusiastic about my job. One by one I filled boxes with those ever so important bottles. But after a while I began to ask myself, “What is it that I’m actually doing? In what way is it relevant? How big of a difference can this seemingly tiny and insignificant contribution actually make?” Of course this didn’t stop me from doing my job. I kept packing those body wash bottles until we ran completely out of time. That’s when I finally looked up and saw the over 250 boxes we had prepared (despite the few technical difficulties that had slowed us down along the way) being wrapped up and prepared for delivery. It was then I realized that while the contribution that I, as well as everyone else, had made may have been small on its own, when put together we managed to make a difference large enough to affect the lives of over 250 people. Even making the smallest contribution whenever you have the change can end up taking part in the largest differences.

 – Nachi Fleischaeker (Memphis, TN; 2nd year on Kollel)

After an enjoyable, relaxed free-weekend, Kollel returned renewed and refreshed, geared up for another exciting week that lay ahead.

This morning, following the normal early morning routine of Davening, Halacha Shiur with Rav Schachter, and breakfast, Kollel was privileged to hear from Dr. David Luchins, a lecture that Kollel has the Zechut to hear once every summer.  Dr. Luchins spoke about the significance of the deal with Iran, and the importance of the state of Israel.  The lecture was both informative and enjoyable, and the NCSYers walked away having gained a greater understanding of the situation.

During lunch, Kollel was treated to a meat lunch as part of a beautiful Siyum on Masechet Nedarim by Madrich Ben Zion Feld.

The day continued as normal with great Chaburahs, intense league games, and an amazing mini-Tiyul; a hike along the Burma trail.

Tonight brought a special schedule to Kollel, a brief deviation from the usual night Seder schedule.  Prior to night Seder, Rav Moshe Taragin, of Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush), gave Divrei Hesped for his Rebbe, Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, A”H.   Following the Hesped, the NCSYers split up between two panel discussions as part of Kollel’s Leil Iyun.  On one panel, Rav Taragin and Rabby Yisrael Kaminetsky, Menahel of DRS, discussed the topic of Tefillah and the role it plays in the life of a high school student.  In the other discussion, Rav Mordechai Burg and Rav Yosef Bronfeld discussed issues and difficulties that teenagers in high school face in today’s day and age.  The Leil Iyun was a success in fostering discussions about relevant topics the the NCSYers found interesting and enjoyable.

After a Shabbos recharge and an inspiring Lei Iyun program, Kollel is ready to roll on this week with exciting activities just around the corner!