If you believe in G-d, you understand that some things are simply meant to be. It doesn’t matter what is taking place in the world, whether it be wars, forest fires, rockets, ballistic missiles, airport closures, or nuclear threats. It doesn’t matter how many times man has scrupulously planned, abandoned those plans, and developed ever more elaborate backup plans and safety options. When something is meant to be, G-d’s laughter ultimately thunders down upon us, unperturbed and unconcerned. A couple of weeks ago, this defiant laughter took the form of an unassuming email from NCSY Summer stating that “our Israel groups will fly on their scheduled days.” With this email, it became clear that NCSY Kollel 2025 was meant to be, and Yitzchak Hagler couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it!!
A resident of Bergenfield, NJ, Yitzchak attended MTA for high school, and he has followed that up with three years at Yeshivat Sha’alvim. Next year, Yitzchak plans to return to Washington Heights to begin his studies at Yeshiva University. This is Yitzchak’s second summer on NCSY Kollel, and his goal in Chaburahs this year is to explore different areas of Torah—Machshavah, Parshah, Lomdus, Mussar, and Halacha—and encounter the depth and sophistication present within each of them.
As privileged as Yitzchak feels to be on NCSY Kollel in Israel this year, he’s even more excited that he gets to spend the summer with an awesome Chaburah of six amazing guys. So without further ado, let’s meet the Chaburah.
First up, we have Simmy Baum. Simmy lives in Bergenfield, NJ, and he attends Heichal Hatorah. Simmy is a true masmid, eager to learn and to do it with a smile. If anyone is looking to sponsor Mak’s cakes for someone, Simmy is your guy. Next, we cross over two bridges to Yonah Herrmann, a product of North Woodmere and DRS. Yonah gets along with everyone, and he is a model of consistency in davening and learning, always showing up to Chaburahs ready to learn and participate. Staying in the DRS greenhouse, our next Chaburah member is Moshe Kagan of Woodmere. Ever since he took the lead in the Chaburah acappella challenge in the beginning of the summer, Moshe has found his niche in the Chaburah as the one always ready with an insight in learning or a funny reference. Moshe also made his mark with a dominant Chaburah Jeopardy performance which fell just short based on a questionable call from the referee. Next up is Adin Lopin, a student of MTA hailing from Brooklyn. Ever thoughtful, Adin contributes to the Chaburah with his insightful and persistent questions. An avid chess player, we know that Adin will represent the Chaburah well in the NCSY Kollel chess tournament. We then travel back to New Jersey for Bentzi Tabaczynik, a resident of Bergenfield and student at Heichal Hatorah. Bentzi pulls the Chaburah together with his fun demeanor, and he can often be found in the Beis Medrash late at night learning Sefarim of nigleh and nistar. We are ever grateful to Bentzi for providing the Chaburah with its first Chaburah points, and his dominant performance in Chaburah basketball lives on in the Mak’s cakes it was supposed to earn. Rounding out the Chaburah, we have Mosher Tokayer, another Brooklyn-based MTA lion. After acting as the brains behind an imaginative Chaburah picture early in the summer, Moshe has continued to be right on the money with his questions and insights in Chaburah, and he can often be found in intense discussion about important topics in Machshavah and Hashkafah.
All in all, this Chaburah has a quality and depth which is truly unmatched, and so far they have been having an amazing summer. If NCSY Kollel in Israel this summer was meant to be, Yitzchak’s Chaburah has made it their mission to make the most of it.
