Yeshiva in Israel during Corona

When it became apparent during the summer that the COVID-19 pandemic was going to be a prevalent factor during the upcoming school year, my friends and I faced a dilemma. We had to acknowledge the fact that our longstanding hopes and plans to continue learning in a yeshiva in Israel were in jeopardy. Would the yeshivas open at all? Would they succeed in devising a plan to ensure the safety of their students and staff? This was Israel, where the government is stricter and the rules less clear. Even if our yeshiva opened, should I go, as the experience was sure to be much curtailed?

After contemplating my options, the answer was simple: I would return to Israel for the upcoming year. Simply put, the opportunity to grow in Israel, in the yeshiva where I felt the most at home, was unmatched. After last year’s zman was cut short, I along with all of my friends who decided to return felt that we had unfinished business in yeshiva, that there was more work to be done developing ourselves into proper bnei Torah. Going back meant committing to being purely focused on that growth; after all, what else would we be doing? The months away from yeshiva demonstrated how vital yeshiva actually was, and we were ready to confront the challenges of the upcoming year more motivated than ever. 

Due to the travel ban, these yeshivas and seminaries were required to obtain entry permits for students, find proper quarantine facilities, and create a balanced set of rules that allowed for appropriate freedoms while still ensuring safety. Through the hard work and efforts of many individuals, these obstacles were overcome, and my friends and I, along with thousands of other yeshiva bachurim and seminary girls, were allowed entry into Israel for the 5780, 2020/21 year.

After finally gaining entry to Israel, all the American bachurim were required to quarantine. This created a logistical challenge for the yeshiva, which had to provide us with food, water, and some form of daily structure. This was successfully executed for the most part, and while quarantine was not easy for anyone, the time was used to create new relationships amongst our fellow bachurim. The daily schedule during quarantine consisted of a Shacharis at 8:30 a.m., followed by breakfast, which was delivered to each group of six guys who were quarantining together. After eating, we learned with chavrusas via phone call or Zoom until noon, when we listened to shiur from our rebbeim via Zoom. We davened Mincha immediately after shiur, followed by lunch.

Throughout the day, bachurim who were not from America, and thus not required to quarantine, helped us by going to the store and delivering groceries. At this point, the yeshiva-provided structure was over, and the goal became finding ways to keep ourselves entertained. Some slept, others played board games, and many spent hours on their phones. Despite the challenges of finding entertainment in such a difficult situation, the relationships forged amongst peers who were quarantined together for two weeks cannot be duplicated. This was most evident on Shabbos, when everyone would enjoy singing together at the meals as well as spending hours talking about a wide range of topics.

The yeshiva did everything in its power to make the best of the situation, and that helped many of us get through the quarantine. Most importantly, quarantine allowed us to be back in Israel and achieve the growth that we had all craved during the months stuck at home.

Once the two weeks of quarantine were over, we were broken up into capsules that established our entire class as one nuclear family. This meant that, amongst ourselves, we could act as we normally would, at the cost of being separated from the rest of the yeshiva. This restriction was not simple as so much of the atmosphere of a yeshiva is created by the interactions between younger and older students. Nonetheless, that was the law, and our beis hamedrash and dining room are now separated by thick plastic partitions. Our rebbeim give shiur behind similar partitions, as well as constantly being masked. The yeshiva then described the new rules with which we had to comply: We cannot visit more than one family in the neighborhood, and cannot under any circumstances leave the city in which our yeshiva is located.

The daily schedule from years past remains largely unchanged, yet the experiences that often make the year in Israel so memorable are no longer possible. These rules and restrictions, while understandable, beg an explanation as to why so many teenagers and young adults have gone through difficulties just to learn in Israel. And that is what this pandemic has shown us: that there is no replacing the personal growth and level of connection with Hashem that can be achieved in Eretz Yisrael.

Perhaps that was the challenge that we, as young adults, were meant to overcome. Would we persevere to return to our yeshivas and continue to do Hashem’s will at any cost? Would we allow the negativity and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic to dominate our lives? And maybe there is even more to it than that. The real question may be whether we look at these rules as restrictive or as an opportunity to thrive in an environment where there are no distractions. Of course, we will need outlets and trips to enable us to maximize our potential. However, it is the way we use these precious months that we have been miraculously given to be in Eretz Yisrael that will define how we, as yeshiva bachurim, look back on the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020.

Sidebar

Seminary 2020

by a Seminary Girl

What is it like being in seminary this year? Let me describe our arrival and daily routine.

When we got here, we had to quarantine for 14 days. I am in a room with five other girls. Luckily, our room has a mirpesset, a balcony, so that we didn’t feel so cooped up, and we could talk to girls on the other balconies. We didn’t start real classes right away, rather listened to speeches and rules and some shiurim over Zoom.

Our seminary has two dorm buildings, so once we were out of quarantine, we were split into two “capsules.” We can mingle with our “family,” but we have to social distance from the other capsule. We study in the same classrooms with a plastic divider. They had to tear down a wall to accommodate the whole class.

In the beginning, before Rosh Hashanah, we could go anywhere in Bayit Vegan during our four-hour break. Now, with the lockdown, we have to stay within 500 meters of the dorm and wear masks. This means we can’t see friends in other seminaries. In fact, my cousin is at Maor, which is very close to us but not close enough. This led to an interesting incident: There is a makolet between our two seminaries. It is within the allowed distance for me but too far for my cousin. One day, she asked me to buy her some things. I did, but I was unable to bring them to her. I had to order a cab to deliver it that short distance.

We are not allowed to go away for Shabbos right now. Once the restrictions ease, we will hopefully be able to stay in the dorm for Shabbos or choose one family in the neighborhood for the month, switching to another family every month.

People ask me if I am happy with my decision to come to seminary. My answer is yes! Despite the current situation, I am really glad I came because seminary is giving me the ability to enhance my avodas Hashem while discovering my purpose in life. This year teaches me important life lessons as well. As my new seminary friend said, “Even though it’s not what you expected doesn’t mean it’s not what you need.” So I’m glad I am learning to deal to the best of my ability with the circumstances Hashem has put me in.