More than 200 public school teens from across North America came together to spend their winter break studying Torah at the NCSY international Yarchei Kallah in Stamford, CT. The primary focus of Yarchei Kallah is text-based Torah study. The teens are given the opportunity to engage in textual Torah study for the first time with the guidance and direction from rebbeim, educators and advisors. Each year a different theme from Chumash is chosen in order to create a cohesive beis medrash environment. This year, the participants focused on the incident of the golden calf. Participants were also treated on to an energetic concert from the Maccabeats, several of whom happen to be active NCSY advisors.

Shabbos at Yarchei Kallah was held in the Teaneck, NJ. Rabbi Yaakov Glasser, Director of Education for NCSY and Regional Director of New Jersey NCSY said, “We want to expose teens to a Shabbat-observant community. We wanted the Yarchei Kallah participants to meet community members outside of NCSY staff who embrace a Torah way of life. It demystifies what it means to be a Torah-observant Jew.”

The beauty of Yarchei Kallah is watching the teens transform themselves into passionate and inspired Jews with a new appreciation of the relevance, wisdom, and timelessness of the Torah’s values and message.