This past week marked a brand-new milestone at The Yeshiva of South Shore Mechina Division. The talmidim together with their fathers/grandfathers joined together to give kavod haTorah and celebrate the inaugural year of their Tuesday night mishmar. This mishmar program is unique in that it is completely optional, and yet was an amazing success! Every Tuesday evening, 7th & 8th grade Talmidim came to “The Island shul” and together with their chavrusos, they sat and they shteiged! No bells and whistles, no fanfare, and no over-the-top smorgasbord; just a group of highly motivated talmidim who appreciate what it means to go to the Beis Medresh at night a learn! Each week, they heard divrei bracha from a local rav, rebbi, or rosh yeshiva, and each week they went home with the sweet feeling of true accomplishment.
To celebrate this special program, they invited participants together with their fathers and grandfathers to join together for an evening of Torah and song and the event was truly something special! As one parent noted “this was one of the most powerful and inspiration events I ever participated in”! The 6th grade talmidim were also invited, and encouraged to join this mishmar when it resumes next year and by the time the singing and dancing was over, they were eagerly awaiting to join the mishmar. Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, Rosh Yeshiva, expressed that every single talmid has a spark inside of him that is being fanned and strengthened each time he choses to do more, and that this mishmar is something that they should be so proud to be a part of.
In a world where the question often is “do I have to?” it is so powerful to witness a group of boys who come and learn each week because “I want to”!
