This Monday was a unique day at Shvilei- The boys went on three different tiyulim. The first group of guys who are taking the David Project course this semester started their day at the Temple Mount Sifting Project where they took part in the ongoing archaeological dig. From there, the guys were hosted in a house in East Jerusalem to learn about the Israeli- Palestinian conflict first hand. Mondays are never complete without some chesed at Shvilei, so the guys then traveled to Holon to do some volunteer work at the Children’s Hospital.


While the David Project students were kep very busy,the rest of the Shana Aleph guys had special shiurim in the morning with Rav Shulman and Rav Mann. After some great learning the guys embarked on a hike from Efrat down Derech Avot to Bat Ayin where they found a maayan (a natural spring) to go swimming. This was the first day that the temperature reached over 90 degrees farenheit, so the hiking and swimming were very pleasant.

The Shana Bet guys spent Monday on a special tiyul with Rav Cohn and Rav Wexler doing a scavenger hunt in the Old City. This entertaining and enlightening activity was followed by a BBQ in Gan Sacher.

Rav Baruch Simon came to visit the Yeshiva on Tuesday to speak about preparing for Pesach. He also pointed to the fact that this week commemorates the days when the Mishkan was put up and taken down each day in preparation for use – teaching us that starting over and over again (tshuva) is an essential and necessary part of life.

Wednesday’s Pesach Sicha spot this week was a tag-team between Rav Reichel, Rav Shimon and Reb Norman. Each of the Rabbanim discussed a different aspect in Pesach preparation. Each of these topics will help the talmidim prepare for Pesach and the Seder.

Mishmar on Thursday night was truly a bittersweet event. It marked the last Mishmar that all the Shana Bet guys will be with us as many of them will not be returning after Pesach. Their presence at the Yeshiva this year really enhanced all of our experiences and we will really miss them at Mishmar, in the Beit Midrash and just around campus in general.

As the last Shabbat before Pesach break, this Shabbat is a staff Shabbaton, where each of our students will be spending a wonderful Shabbat in the homes of one of their Rabbanim.

Shabbat Shalom