Home of Rav Mordechai Machlis: Jerusalem

By Jacob Siegel (East Brunswick, NJ)

Today my fellow NCSYers and I had a day devoted to Chessed. We all split into groups and we each had different trips to different places. My group went to the house of Rav Machlis who lives in Yerushalayim next to a large outreach yeshiva. Rav Machlis is famous around the world for housing at least 100 people every Shabbos, because his door is always open and whoever wants to can walk into his house for a Shabbos meal. This often includes people who are homeless, people who just want to visit, or even non-Jews who want to experience Shabbos. Rav Machlis lets everyone and anyone into his house for a meal. There was once a man who wouldn’t enter Rav Machlis’ house without his pet donkey who he was traveling with, so Rav Machlis let the donkey into his house along with the man. Rav Machlis is a tremendous person and very giving and selfless. We went to clean and organize his house because it’s often hectic because of the amount of people that are in his house at one time. It was a very meaningful experience because we helped Rav Machlis continue in his tremendous Mitzvah and we got to be a part of helping him and hundreds of people.

Former Residents of Gush Katif: Nitzan

By Binyamin Pfeiffer (Teaneck, NJ)

This past Wednesday NCSY Kollel embarked on an incredible day of Chessed. Different groups traveled throughout Israel to help the less fortunate of our country. Some went to soup kitchens while others brought happiness to the lives of soldiers at army bases. One group went to a Yishuv called Nitzan, where many of the residents had experienced the disengagement of Gush Katif. In the month of Av, this display of friendship brought us closer to the Geula.

When the NCSYers arrived in Nitzan, they were introduced to a tour guide named Moshe. Moshe experienced not only the Sinai disengagement but the expulsion of the people in Gush Katif with his nine kids as well. The NCSYers gained a lot from his personal story of his difficult trials before and after the Gush Katif disengagement. After watching powerful videos of children telling their personal stories of Hashgacha Pratis, the NCSYers interacted with their Israeli counterparts who had experienced the severe difficulties of Gush Katif. They played them in a friendly game of basketball (and won) and both groups benefited from each other’s presence. We switched up the teams eventually to show achdus and reius. Overall, it was a big win for Team Am Yisrael. Following the game a seventeen year old kid told his touching story of his experiences in Gush Katif. It was an amazing experience for both the NCSYers and kids of Nitzan.

Chazon Yeshaya Soup Kitchen: Jerusalem

By Dani Scheinman (Woodmere, NY)

Chesed Shel Emes is defined as the doing of good deeds for which the person performing them expects to receive nothing in return. It is something that comes from the pure kindness of one’s heart and with only the intention of helping others. On Wednesday, many of the boys on Kollel were able to partake in this incredible Mitzvah as they took a trip to Chazon Yeshaya. Chazon Yeshaya is an amazing program that works to help poor Jewish families throughout Israel, whether it be through their soup kitchens, dental clinics, free vocational training programs, or home delivery services. Kollel members traveled to Chazon Yeshaya in Jerusalem to help out with their soup kitchen and deliveries. NCSYers and Madrichim alike worked tirelessly to help prepare, package, and deliver food. The boys were split into two groups, each of which performed a different service in aiding the soup kitchen. One group entered the kitchen to help prepare the meals while the other headed to the warehouse to package groceries to be delivered. In the kitchen, dressed in gloves and aprons, some of the boys worked alongside other volunteers as they peeled and diced potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions. Another group cooked and separated soup and chicken while others prepared portable meals of beans and rice. Across the street, in Chazon Yeshaya’s warehouse, the group of boys worked together to package basic groceries like sugar, oil, and pickles, and even some clothing, that would ultimately be delivered to families in need. Passing food along a chain of boys and Madrichim, they separated the groceries into individual packages ready to be sent out. With the preparation almost completed, boys from both groups gathered the deliveries they had prepared and carried them to homes around the community. Knowing full well that there would be no return for their morning of hard work, the boys nonetheless helped to the best of their abilities, smiles on their faces throughout. The mere feeling of warmth felt by all from the knowledge of the Chesed they had each performed was a return in itself. They truly experienced Chesed Shel Emes firsthand.

Institute for the Blind: Ramat Gan

By Sam Glauber (Portland, Oregon)

Aside from the tremendous opportunity to improve our learning skills and connection with the Land of Israel, NCSY Kollel also fosters an environment of tremendous Ahavat Yisrael, the love for our fellow Jew. Generally honed through our middot on the basketball court, and learning with each other, Wednesday’s Yom Chesed was a unique opportunity to put these values into action. 150 teenagers bussed to various organizations and charities. It may seem overwhelming, not to mention logistically complicated, but Yom Chesed was truly one of the highlights of NCSY Kollel 2011.

I was initially nervous about the assignment given to me as my bus arrived at the Ramat Gan Institute for the Blind, as I had never spoken to a blind person before. As the manager spoke to us and explained our task, assisting blind people in their jobs assembling simple machinery, I couldn’t imagine how I could possibly help. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Shmuel, the man I sat next to, has been blind since he was 4, but was an excellent driller and worked quickly screwing together parts for the electrical components. He taught me how to drill and work with him, and we chatted for the duration of the morning as we worked together. As our time at the Institute winded down and I had to say goodbye to Shmuel, he thanked me for the company and assistance I provided, and I left feeling inspired that I had helped another Jew.