Options / Yeshiva - Daniel
Tempted by the wise words of Rabbi Krebs, I, along with some fellow peers, decided to choose the Yeshiva option we were offered. With some hesitation, the 16 of us began our journey to the Gush as it’s known.
Gush Etzion is a region in the West Bank, comprised of Israeli settlements. Surrounded by 5 bodyguards, we entered the family home of Rabbi Moshe Lichtenstein, the grandson of Rabbi Soloveichik (both titans of Jewish thought in the last 100 years). Situated around his living room, I began to grasp the reason I was on the program. The true breadth of knowledge that he applied to the questions that we threw at him was staggering and gave insight into how I should be approaching my own IST - always questioning and taking part in as much as possible.
We next moved on to meet Rabbi Pinchas Cohen of the MTA program and Rabbi Rimon, a future candidate for the Chief Rabbi of Israel. The messages they shared were relevant, powerful and emotive. To consolidate this, we began a hike in Emek HaElah (The Vallley of Elah), the site of David and Goliath’s famous, though short, battle. The differentiation between Israel and other countries becomes painfully obvious as we walked in the footsteps of true giants. Thousands of years of history line the streets and as my one friend lightheartedly put it, that rubbish bin is not just any old bin, it’s where Avraham put his dirty rags. Culminating in a beautiful view of Beit Shemesh and the valley where the Israelites and Philistines were encamped was a true reward. But even more so was the meal afterwards in Tel Aviv at a delight of a restaurant. Free time in the streets of Tel Aviv later that night was incredible and felt truly freeing, even with the weight of too much pizza and falafel.
The next day we began at Torah Tech which is made up of mostly young American students who come for a gap year to learn Talmud and Tanach two days a week whilst the remainder is spent interning at tech startups and large companies. We were paired up with these relatable figures and engaged in an in-depth study of tefilla and discussed the importance of a Jewish people as more than just an ethnicity. A shiur from the head of a startup and a Rabbi who is highly involved in the wellbeing of thousands of Yeshiva students worldwide taught us about the golden rule of Rabbi Akiva (love your fellow as yourself) and the intersection of psychology, science, religion and Jewish mysticism which had us most enthralled.
The program was not without its challenges. Freedom comes with responsibility and the tribulations of waking up on time can be a true burden but we persevered and were enriched with a program that engaged us intellectually, spiritually and physically. The variety of boys who came on the trip allowed for a diversity of opinion and also deeper connection, with some irreligious and others Shomrei Shabbat. This only provided for more interesting discussions and an all-round sense of accomplishment that personally made my Yeshiva experience more worthwhile. I am very happy that I chose to forgo my apprehension and try something outside of my comfort zone that I will never forget.
