All MTA talmidim, rebbeim, teachers and staff look forward to winter break as an opportunity to unwind and take a break from the day-to-day routine. This year was no exception, but took on a new look, as everyone’s minds are more chesed-focused and thoughts are with the people of Eretz Yisrael. Several talmidim spent their vacation doing chesed, both in Israel, and in their hometowns. MTA rebbeim, faculty and staff are so proud of their talmidim for choosing to spend their break in such a positive way.

Here are but a few examples of how the MTA community channeled their energies over break: Many families participated in organized opportunities for volunteers to help out. Israel-based Jewish organizations like JNF and Leket planned times when people could pick fruits and vegetables, to assist the farmers who are so short-staffed. While this was laborious, it was also extremely rewarding, as it gave the boys a literal hands-on feel of working the land of Eretz Yisrael in such an important and time-sensitive way. “I felt like I was having a real impact on helping in the war effort, as many of the farmers had to leave their farms because they were called up, so we picked tomatoes before they went bad, and helped keep this farm operational,” said Davey Kivelevitz (‘24). Others boxed the already picked produce, to be distributed all over Israel, and some packaged dry goods at Pantry Packers to be sent to families in need.

There were also talmidim who focused their chesed in their own communities, by attending rallies to stand up to antisemitism in Scarsdale, or delivering food to needy families in Brooklyn. In addition to the acts of chesed, many talmidim signed up to learn perakim of Mishnayos towards a community siyum in Bergen County. “I felt that it was important to spend my downtime over break learning for something that was important to me and my family,” Yehuda Pfeiffer (‘24) commented.

As MTA begins its second semester, chesed and special learning opportunities within yeshiva are continuing to be a major part of the MTA experience, and those events are appreciated by both the talmidim and their families.