DEC and Yad Eliezer

Once in a while the students at Derech Etz Chaim need an opportunity to express their chessed outside of the yeshiva walls. Yad Eliezer, one of the most integral charitable organizations in Israel, relies almost completely on volunteers to help make their programs successful, enabling more than 95% of their contributions to go towards helping people.

DEC has been a proud partner of Yad Eliezer for the past few years. The students especially love visiting the warehouse to pack food boxes for needy families.

Every month, Yad Eliezer delivers food boxes to over 6,000 families, assisting 50,000 people. Each box contains the essentials for a hungry family: rice, beans, pasta, sugar, flour, oil, laundry detergent and more.

By supplying food to the home, rather than feeding people in soup kitchens, Yad Eliezer eases the plight of the needy, while maintaining family stability and dignity.

A Message of Chizuk for Winter Zman

Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan is upon us at Derech Etz Chaim in Har Nof. We have adjusted to life in yeshiva over Elul. We heard the wake up call of Rosh HaShana, endured through Yom Kippur and celebrated the joys of Succos. Now is the time to get our bearings again, and make the most of the z'man ahead of us. Sometimes it may seem like we are running on a treadmill.
Weeks and weeks of davening, learning and Chef Dani's menu from now until Pesach. Blatt after Blatt of bekiyus, marching through Mesechet Shabbos. But NO PAIN, NO GAIN. We have to push ourselves, we have to give it our best effort, because that's why we came to Derech Etz Chaim. There is someone looking down from up above
and he is rooting for us (on and off the field) and all he wants is for us to be the best we can be. Let's unite together, encourage each other and let's turn the corner on Purim and look back with no regrets. This is the first day of the rest of the z'man. Let's come out of the gate strong. Hatzlacha to all of us.

Simchas Torah at DEC 5770

A lot of activity this year so far, but not too many pictures being posted up to show for it - let's work on that DEC

These are some pictures that Derech Etz Chaim News was able to get in an exclusive backstage look at Simchas Torah Round II. Unfortunately no photos could be taken of Round I. Thus, it will only continue to exist in the hearts and minds of those who were privileged to experience it in person.


After Hakafos #22 though #28 DEC was treated to Chinese Cuisine for Seudas Yom Tov. A D'var Torah from R' Gittleman reminding us all that true meaning Simcha can only be attained through spiritual pursuits and not through fleeting material means void of Avodas Hashem. Yakov Rose and Jeffrey Mally anchored the group with Z'miros

This brings to a close our Holy-day season and the start of the winter z'man. We want to thank the Rosh Yeshiva, R' Mendel and R' Sheftel for their chazanus, their hislavus and their Rebbetzins' cooking. Uncle Dave for Tikyat Shofar and B.J. for Koheles and Torah Reading. And of course 'Teleporter' for everything else.

Matzah Baking 2009

Once a year the students of Derech Etz Chaim bake matzot for Pesach with the rebbeim and friends of the yeshiva. This year was an added challenge. After moving into the new building adjustments had to be made to accommodate the equipment. Fortunately, Rabbi Katz and R' Sheftel had already thought of this long before the move into the new building. Of course it is one thing to design the "matzah baking factory" in their minds and another to put it into practice.

Two big differences was the 90 degree angle from the rolling tables to the boring tables and the ovens. Also the ovens were inside the building this year instead of on their mirpeset.


As usual the boys worked hard (some harder than others). Special thanks to Uncle Josh who took on a lot of the pounding. Yaakov Hill who handled much of the kneading and R' Sheftel for working the oven and for setting up the equipment.