Yeshivat Torat Shraga
Rosh Yeshiva: Rav Avishai David
Menahel: Michael Olshin
Yeshivat Torat Shraga is a new and exciting Yeshiva in Israel for post-high school students. As a serious program for those who desire to spend at least one year in pursuit of intensive Torah growth, YTS focuses on the development of those skills needed for a lifetime of learning. YTS not only provides its students with a 'derech halimud' commonly known as the 'brisker derech', but, perhaps more importantly, a 'derech hachaim'.
Now in its second year, YTS has developed a reputation for attracting bright, self-motivated students to its rigorous program. It is the goal of YTS to advance its students to the next level on their way to becoming leaders in the Jewish Community. A YTS student is someone who not only wants to be personally impacted by his education and environment but is someone who would like to share and convey that passion and excitement for learning to others as well. He understands that a strong foundation in Torah learning on the highest level, while simultaneously developing a deep-rooted love of Eretz Yisrael and Am Yisrael, will be the key to realizing those lofty aspirations.
The Yeshiva's unique combination of high-level shiurim and unparalleled Rebbe/Talmid relationship is reflective of the personality of its Rosh Hayeshiva, Harav Avishai David shlit"a. Rav David, a close talmid of Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik zt"l and Rav Nisson Alpert zt"l and a renowned Talmid Chacham in his own right, has held numerous educational and Rabbinic posts in North America before making aliyah with his family 8 years ago. Since then Rav David has served as the Rav of Beit Medrash Torani Leumi in Beit Shemesh, as Maggid Shiur in Yeshivat Ohr Etzion, Shaarei Mevaseret Zion, Michlala and as the Rosh HaYeshiva of Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim.
Yeshivat Torat Shraga is located on the beautiful campus of the Yeshiva University Gruss Kollel in Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem. Our facility includes a beautiful newly renovated air-conditioned Beit Medrash, on campus dorm apartments, basketball courts, and computer room. Many of the Gruss Kollel fellows have established warm relationships with our talmidim through the medium of chavruta study, late night chaburot and their home hospitality.
As a division of Ohr Torah Stone Colleges and Graduate Program the YTS students have an opportunity to hear shiurim and develop a relationship with a number of the exceptional educators associated with OTS, especially its Chancellor and Dean, Harav Shlomo Riskin.
Staff
YTS has assembled some of the finest young educators in Israel today to enable the Yeshiva to reach its educational goals. Some of their names are synonymous with high standard religious education in the Torah World. They include Rabbis
Reichman, Werblowsky, Willig, and Yudin. Another unique aspect is that they are present in the Beit
Medrash, either teaching or learning, but always available to the talmidim, throughout the entire day. The extraordinary opportunity to develop a
Rebbe/Talmid relationship comes to the fore in the ongoing "talking in learning" and in the encounters outside the Beit Medrash with these young, dynamic Torah Scholars. An intimate bonding has resulted. Indeed, they have become "models" for the entire Yeshiva.
Scholars Program
YTS has established a Scholars program which has attracted graduates from many of the top Yeshivot in Eretz
Yisrael. These students have developed a sterling reputation for excellence in scholarship by dint of their regimen in learning the last number of years. They are learning directly under the tutelage of the Rosh HaYeshiva and are mentors to the students in the first-year program with whom they have developed a big-brother nexus.
A Typical Day in YTS
7:15am Shacharit
8:15am Breakfast
9:00am Halacha Shiur given by Rav David
9:30am Seder B'Iyun
11:45am Shiur B'Iyun
12:45pm Lunch and Break
1:45pm Optional Daf Yomi w/ Rav David
2:45pm Mincha
3:00pm Seder B'kiyut
5:30pm Sun. - Chumash B'Iyun w/Rav DavidMon., Tues., Thurs. - Da Ma Shetashiv w/ Rav
OlshinWed. - Sicha by Rav David
6:30pm Mussar Seder
7:00pm Dinner
8:00pm Maariv
8:15pm - 10:00pm Night Seder Mon. - Nach shiur w/ Rav David
10:00pm Every Night optional chaburot w/ Kollel
Some Distinctive Highlights of our Daily Schedule
Everyday, morning seder begins with an half hour Halacha shiur given by the Rosh HaYeshiva to the entire Yeshiva. Rabbi David's vast experience as both Community Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva creates a rare blend of practical halacha and thorough analyses of the methodology of the halachic
decisors. For many the highlight of their week is Rav David's Thursday Halacha shiur when he holds an open forum for all halachic and/or hashkafic queries.
The Bkiyut program is led by Rav Yudin and Rav Werblowsky. The goal is not only to cover ground and gain general knowledge in Shas but also to be
"koneh" the pages learned. This is accomplished through their creative bkiyut incentive program.
The latter part of the Afternoon Seder is focused on subject matter other than
Gemora. Twice a week, in the 5:30pm to 6:30pm slot, the Rosh HaYeshiva says a shiur or a sicha in Chumash and contemporary issues. On the other three days, Rav Olshin runs a popular seminar called
"Da Ma Shetashiv". Based on the mishna in Pirkei Avot, every Jew should be equipped with the tools and information needed to present the beauty and philosophy of Torah Judaism to others less schooled in these areas. This class, then, aims to arm the students with the fundamentals of our faith in a clear and cogent manner so that it may be shared and conveyed with the larger community.
The afternoon concludes with mussar seder where the first year students are paired with members of the Scholars Program bechavruta to study from the classic Mussar texts.
The Land and People of Israel
The tiyulim throughout the length and breadth of Eretz Yisrael, including three three-day excursions, combined with
mini-tiyulim in and around Yerushalayim are designed to imbue our students with a love of the land and its underpinnings in
Tanach. It also fosters the opportunity to meet the varying population strata of Eretz Yisrael and to see the holistic beauty of the Jewish People.
YTS on a periodic basis arranges visits to some of the great Torah personalities of Israel from the broad spectrum of Jewish leadership. In order to nurture a familiarity with the variegated communal settings of the country, shabbatonim are organized in different communities throughout Eretz
Yisrael.
In addition, through the Yeshiva's Chessed program which offers different venues, the student is able to accentuate and solidify his overall spiritual and ethical growth.
Contact Information
Rabbi Michael Olshin - Menahel
Yeshivat Torat Shraga
POB 16284
Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem
Phone - (02)642-9907
Fax - (02)642-9903
Mobile - (068)560-214
E-mail - yts@ohrtorahstone.org.il
Click here to download an Application Form.
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