A DECade at DEC

So about 11 years ago Rabbi Katz met with R' Aharon Leibowitz and shared with him the desire to open up a new yeshiva; a better yeshiva than what was available for high school students coming for a year or two to Eretz Yisrael. A tight knit yeshiva community that could motivate talmidim to achieve beyond mediocrity. A warm environment to create Bnei Torah that can synthesize the Torah with the realities of our world. The result was Derech Etz Chaim

After 10 years of Derech Etz Chaim we have much to celebrate -- and we did. On March 9th, at Ohel Simcha in Queens, New York, the alumni of the past 10 years got together with the Rosh Yeshiva, R' Leibowitz, R' Sheftel Weinberg and R' Mendel Horowitz

Thanks to all the alumni that came and made the afternoon really special. A special thank you to those alumni who helped organize it and were instrumental to putting everything together: Eric Adelman, Chuck Boyars, Morris Isaacson, Zack Eisner, Sam Henteleff and Noah Lang. Last but not least a groissa Yasher Koach to Yoli Margolese for his endless dedication and to Mrs. Miriam Weisel for her special efforts.

Tribute to the DEC Football Team

DEC What....DEC Yeah....DEC OK............

The Year 10 Derech Etz Chaim Football Team made us very proud

A lot of exciting plays and games

After having an excellent regular season the young team fizzled out in the first round of the Tier I playoffs. Well, there is always next year.

Catch the recap of the season and all the highlights at the Derech Etz Chaim Football Blog

Back Row (r-l) Simcha Feldman, Justin Kohn, Eli Mirlis, Yitzy Adelman, Mordechai Landesman
Front Row (r-l) Jacob Kon, David Robbins, Sam Ash, Yeruchim Pliner, Joshua Gersten, Mordechai Birnbaum, Moshe Steibel
Not Shown: Team Owner, Rabbi Katz; Coach Emeritus, Mayer Weisel; Eli Tabaria,

Putting It All Together

Presenting Year 10 of Derech Etz Chaim:

Pictured Above (Back Row l-r) Joshua Gersten, Danny Aronovski, Meir Gersten, Reuben Morrow, Mordechai Birnbaum, Ian King, Ari Leskowitz, David Kohn; (Standing l-r) Uri Henig, Dov Zwebner, David Robbins, Justin Kohn, Meir Hauser, Ephraim Perro, Yeruchum Pliner, Jacob Kon, Sam Ash, Moshe Stiebel, Akiva Kenigsberg, Binyamin Jacobovitz, Gil Broochian; (Seated l-r) Eli Mirlis, R' Sheftel Weinberg, R' Moshe Eliyahu Rosenbaum, R' Aharon Katz, R' Zalman Gittelman, Betzalel Gersten, Adam Szipsiner, Mordechai Landesman; (Kneeling l-r) Moshe Caplan, Moshe Schaffer, Yitzy Adelman, Ari Galster, Ari Manheim; (not pictured) R' Mendel Horowitz, R' Binyamin Wolff, Eli Kenigsberg, Dan Levine, Simcha Feldman, Yehudah Apter, Yaacov Rose, Yisrael Ackerman and Eli Tabaria