By: Zelig Katzman
In a special online event, MyShliach’s international Yeshivas Erev program marked the conclusion of its third year. The sense of pride and accomplishment was palpable as hundreds of boys celebrated the completion of one or more mesechtos. They heard speeches extolling the virtues of toiling in Torah study and the tremendous nachas they cause Hashem by doing so.
Geared towards providing young Shluchim between grades 4 and 8 with an opportunity to grow in learning while creating lifelong friendships, this afterschool program is modeled after the traditional Yeshivas Erev that a child growing up in a regular frum community might attend, but with a special twist: it knows no borders.
Held every evening from Monday to Thursday, the students are split up into three time zones: West Coast, East Coast and Europe, enabling boys from vastly distant locales to reap the benefits of the program. Serving over 260 boys across the globe, Yeshivas Erev empowers them to learn a masechta of Mishnayos with the help of their teachers while forging relationships with peers and teachers.
Mrs. Rachel Jacobs of Birmingham, UK shared the impact this program had on her son Menny “Yeshivas Erev was a tremendous gift to Menny, unlocking his potential, teaching him new skills and giving him a chance to learn together, meet new friends, finish mesechtos, and create long-lasting friendships and skills that he will build on throughout his lifetime.”
Every evening the program begins with the teacher reading that day’s Hayom Yom, setting the tone for the rest of the program. After that, the children learn the Mishnayos with their teacher and then are split into pairs to review with their friends. The chavrusa period gives the boys a chance to interact with fellow young Shluchim, an opportunity that many of them seldom have.
“It is truly remarkable to see how the boys devoted large parts of their free evenings to tackle difficult masechtos, from Bava Kamma to Sanhedrin. They take to heart the words of Chazal that Torah knowledge is acquired best at night, and their investment will surely pay off with much future success in learning,” said Rabbi Mendy Shanowitz, director of MyShliach at Merkos 302.
The speakers at this event included Rabbi Aharon Ganz, Rosh Yeshiva of YTTL Morristown, who spoke about the value of devoting one’s free time to learning. Rabbi Avremi Elberg, Rebbi of the 4th grade classes, shared how much he enjoyed teaching the boys and how inspiring he found their enthusiasm for it.
The highlight of the event was when each of the students were presented with special certificates recognizing their achievements which were subsequently mailed to each of them individually in a beautiful frame, giving them a tangible symbol of their hard work and achievement. Several lucky boys won additional prizes, including a drone, a scooter and a set of the freshly typeset edition of Lekkutei Dibburim.
“The power of this program in both the chinuch of young Shluchim and their sense of community was underscored to me by many parents,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of Merkos 302. “I am certain that celebrating their achievements will spur their continued growth and empower them in their unique Shlichus.”
What a good older brother