By COLlive reporter
Dozens of Jewish students from universities across the United States spent a recent weekend immersed in the atmosphere of a traditional Lubavitch yeshiva during a special Yeshiva Weekend Encounter hosted at the Rabbinical College of America in Morristown, New Jersey.
More than 40 students traveled from campuses including Arizona State University, Brooklyn College, Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Penn State and others, accompanied by campus shluchim Rabbi Dan Abelev of Chabad at ASU and Rabbi Itai Kreisler of Chabad at Brooklyn College.
The program gave participants a firsthand experience of yeshiva life, beginning with a tour of the Rabbinical College of America’s sprawling 82-acre campus. Throughout the weekend, the visiting students joined Tomchei Temimim bochurim for chavrusa learning sessions and farbrengens, gaining an inside look at the daily rhythm of study and chassidic camaraderie.
Students also attended yeshiva-style classes on Chumash, Chassidus and Gemara, offering a deeper dive into classical Jewish texts and Chabad thought.
Rabbinical College of America Dean Rabbi Mendy Herson welcomed the group and spoke with participants about the mission of the yeshiva and the importance of Torah study.
The weekend also included a lively Melava Malka featuring music, dancing and entertainment, followed by a farewell lunch with the yeshiva’s students and staff, where participants reflected on the experience and discussed practical takeaways for campus life.
Travel grants that helped bring the students to the program were heavily subsidized through a partnership between the Rabbinical College of America and the Chabad on Campus International network, enabling students from across the country to take part in the immersive weekend.
