Shortly before Pesach, the Yeshiva University High School for Boys (MTA) Yeshiva Fellowship held its second annual Yeshiva Fellowship shabbaton. The shabbaton began on Friday with some of the talmidim playing a few games of paintball at the Paintball Asylum in the pouring rain, which really added to the experience, and others bowling in Bowler City, and then rock climbing at High Exposure. Everyone then met up at the Best Western Hotel at Hunt’s Landing in Pennsylvania to prepare for Shabbat. As a major goal of the shabbaton was talmud Torah, each member of the Yeshiva Fellowship chose his makom kavua for learning seder by placing his seforim there.
On Friday night, Rabbi Axelrod led an inspiring Kabbalat Shabbat, infused with beautiful singing and dancing. The talmidim ate a delicious Friday night seudah, and heard a Dvar Torah by senior Noam Josse. After the seudah ended, there was learning seder, during which the talmidim learned, mostly b’chavruta in the Beis Midrash for forty-five minutes. Following seder was an oneg Shabbat, led by Rabbi Axelrod, who also shared a meaningful Dvar Torah. The talmidim listened while enjoying delicious cholent and potato kugel. Following the oneg Shabbat, many talmidim continued learning while others played games in the dining rooms or in their rooms.
On Shabbat day, the boys made their way to the beit midrash for Shacharit led by Elishama Marmon and Musaf led by Dov Tuchman. Rabbi Schenker spoke about the importance of appreciating and learning from your rebbeim and after a kiddush and another powerful forty-five minutes of learning, the Shabbat day seudah was served. The boys sang zemirot, led by Rabbi Mendelson, who also gave a Dvar Torah about Pesach, specifically the arba leshonot of geulah. Two talmidim, juniors Akiva Cooper and Zeve Kornwasser, then shared amazing Divrei Torah. After the seudah, some talmidim learned, while others had the privilege of hearing from Rav Lavi Greenspan, who inspired everyone with the story of how he went blind at age 26 and how he kept his emunah despite his nisyonos. The talmidim sat and listened intently to Rav Greenspan’s powerful story. Everyone had the opportunity to ask Rav Greenspan questions about his experience and then either continued to learn or went back to their rooms to nap or enjoy Shabbat with fellow talmidim.
Senior Ben Tzion Zuckier led Mincha, which was followed by seuda shlishit and divrei chizuk from Rabbi Pearl. Rav Greenspan led Ma’ariv, and Rabbi Axelrod made a beautiful Havdalah. Then, there was a spirited melave malka and everyone loaded the buses to go home.
Thank you to all the rebbeim for organizing this shabbaton and making it so meaningful. Thank you to all of our chazanim for helping to uplift everyone’s davening and to Rav Greenspan for coming to inspire them with his story.
By Elishama Marmon
