How is This Night Different.......Again!

Over Pesach, Derech Etz Chaim doesn't shut down the way other yeshivot may, but rather we encourage students to stay for the bein hazmanim period. About half of our students stuck around for the month of Nissan and -- as usual -- we had many homeless guests from other yeshivot looking for a warm home.
One special and generous gesture, by the Rosh Yeshiva and Mrs. Katz, is hosting the second seder for our students (along with all the other yom tov sheini meals) and any of their guests. After many shiurim on the Haggadah in the past month at yeshiva, the boys can fire away with their questions as well as be marveled by thought provoking commentary on the Haggadah by the Rosh Yeshiva.
This year was especially exciting as our students have been learning Mesechet Pesachim this year. The boys saw how much they were able to participate and understand due to their studies throughout the year, enhancing their seder experience.

Matzah Baking 2008

Unfortunately until we get pictures from the Matzah Baking this year you will have to settle for pictures from last year's Matzah Baking.

Aside from our students Derech Etz Chaim received some extra help from alumnus Chanan Baer, Michael Deutch, and extended family Shifra Katz, Uncle Josh, Grandmom. And the hard work paid off as most of the rebbanim agreed that this year's batch of Hand Made Shmurah Matzah was the best ever.

Tzfat Shabbaton

On Shabbas Parshat HaChodesh, Derech Etz Chaim took their yearly pilgramage to Tzfat; our last yeshiva Shabbaton on the road. After many consecutive years at the Hadar Hotel, we spent this year at the Carmel Hotel around the corner. As usual we took over the entire Hotel. Here we have Uri Henig showing us the main lobby area.

Most of the shana bet and gimmel students remarked on how the rooms, the views and the general atmosphere of the Carmel was much more comfortable and heimish. R' Sheftel Weinberg remarked on the complete haphazard decor of the hotel and how not one thing on the wall remotely matched the other. Below is Ian King who we caught helping set the dining room late Friday afternoon

The yeshiva davened Kabbalat Shabbat at the lively Breslov minyan. However, one of the highlights of the Shabbos was the Shalom Zachor of the Gersten Family after dinner. R' Betzalel, with his children Elisheva and Ezra, came to Tzfat for the shabbaton with the yeshiva while his wife and newborn son rested comfortably over Shabbos in Sharei Tzedek hospital back in Yerushalayim.

Rebbanim who spoke at the meals were R' Binyamin Wolff, R' Moshe Eliyahu Rosenbaum and the Rosh Yeshiva spoke to us at Seudah Shlishit -- his final address to the yeshiva at the end of a successful zman and to prepare them for the challenges of bein hazmanim. Our alumni Danny Sobel, who joined us for Shabbos gave a beautiful walking tour of Tzfat on Shabbos afternoon. After a lovely Shabbos in beautiful Tzfat we headed back to yeshiva

The Third day of Purim

This year in Yerushalayim we had Purim Meshulash which means:

Megillah and Matanot L'Evyonim on Friday
Al Hanissim and Purim Torah Reading Maftir on Shabbos
Mishloach Manot and Seudah on Sunday

On Sunday the yeshiva starts at Rav Gittleman's house on Rechov Shaulzonfor for lots of Purim Torah, breakfast and some of Rav Gittlemans special wine. It is not like R' Gittleman's shiur are the only ones invited to his house, but they are usually the only ones who can get up that early as they are rigorously trained to be on time for morning seder.

After a while we all head to R' Mendel's on Rechov Mishkelov for a nice spread for brunch, more alcohol of assorted variety and a lot of interesting characters (friends of R' Mendel) who show up. This year there were no wine slushes available. Also, the dining room table didn't collapse like last year, but it was still a lot of fun.

Next we head back to Shaulzon Street to Rabbi Katz's house for Mincha and join the Rosh Yeshiva for his seudah. Mrs. Katz always makes great food and Rabbi Katz sings his favorite tune of Shoshanat Yaakov.

Finally around 2:30 or so we all end up in Beit Vegan at R' Sheftel for the official Yeshiva Seudah. Lots of singing, more food, more wine and this is where the guys from yeshiva pour out their hearts to their rebbeim and their friends. נכנס יין יצא סוד. This is where our guys talk about who and what they are and who they want to striving to become.

Some reflections: Steibel and Schaffer; Akiva letting Meir Gersten hear it; R' Mendel lets Sam Ash have it; Yeruchum begging R' Sheftel; Josh, Simmy and Rabbi Katz; Uri sleepover; Birnbaum decides to sit down for Maariv; Calling on DEC guys to post your own comments..........

Purim Shpeils

Motzai Shabbos March 22nd the Yeshiva got together in the cheder ochel for our annual Purim Shpeils. Pictured above is R' Sheftel Weinberg with two of his talmidum from his bekius shiur Bert (Binyamin Jacobovitz) and Ernie (Gil Broochian)

The night featured some form of standup comedy from R' Mendel Horowitz. Purim Grammen from shana alef students Moshe Kaplan, Mordechai Landesman and Ari Leskowitz; as well as stand up from Lesko. Josh Gersten and Meir Gersten (no relation) put on a variety of skits about life at DEC. The show stopper was a music video and a documentary about the yeshiva put together by Ari Galster, Ari Manheim and Danny Aronovski.

But by far the most unbelievable, extraordinary and shocking moment of the night came when R' Zalman Gittleman was caught on camera in a Purim costume.

Derech Etz Chaim capped off the night with a beautiful Melave Malka of singing and deli. It was a very sweet touch to a ruach filled Shabbat Purim at the yeshiva. A lively Kabbalas Shabbos led by R' Sheftel and Shabbos Meals with all of the DEC rebbeim in attendance was part of a three day Purim weekend that won't come along for more than a DECade -- 2021

The Music Video from this year's Shpiel