Yeshiva Students Conquer Tel Aviv

By a student of Yeshiva Chazon Eliyahu

Tel Aviv on Purim. How can we, the bochurim of Yeshiva Chazon Eliyahu, transform the city of Tel Aviv to enhance the Purim spirit?

Our committee of students worked their strategies over and over. Passersby must feel Purim Mitzvos are “easy”! We had to be lightening fast. The Jewish people filling the streets of Tel Aviv are rushing! They move at high speed. And so must we!

Details were daunting! Ideas were flying among the bochurim! The idea was to “conquer” Tel Aviv on the day of Purim with three mitzvas of the day! Our small army “taking on” the masses. Purim was quickly approaching. One short day. Reaching out to so many people. So much to be done…but how? Our team of bochurim would give it their best.

Purim morning arrived bright and sunny. Beautiful weather. The bochurim of Yeshivas Chazon Eliyahu Tel Aviv are primarily American Israeli Balai Teshuva studing with Rabbi Meir Arie Schmerling. They are up-beat, ready to take action, and prepared to “do what it takes” to bring Purim to these city streets!

With nonstop streams of people passing by on their lunch break, our stands of Tefillin popping out like islands in the ocean to greet them. This Purim day in Tel Aviv was filled with great success! Continuous “customers” putting on tefillin! Our “tents” maxed to capacity for Megillah readings every hour on the hour!

At 10 am one Megillah tent is filled with 75 people! Jewish people from all walks of life and the most diverse backgrounds imaginable. All sitting with their graggers. Groups listening to the Megillah from early morning until the last evening hour. Over 500 people throughout the course of the day. Purim joy conquered Tel Aviv.

Mountains of Mishloach Monos prepared and distributed to men, women, and children. Explaining how to exchange these packages with their friends to fulfill one more mitzvah of Purim. People loved it, happily taking our packages!

Equipped with lots of half shekel coins and a tzedakah pushka, our bochurim explained that proceeds are for those less fortunate. Full of enthusiasm, passersby in the streets fulfilled this mitzvah of Matanas l’evyonim.

With Purim music playing constantly, dancing in the funniest costumes was our specialty. A day infused with pure happiness. Of the many places to which I have traveled on Purim, there was nothing like the Jews of Tel Aviv joyously fulfilling the mitzvas of Purim with Jewish pride that definitely would make Mordechai and Esther proud!