Earlier in the semester, Dr. Feldblum’s students read Lisa Genova’s novel “Still Alice,” about a family struggling with the effects of the matriarch’s dementia. Rabbi Blau joined in the classroom discussion of the novel, which included a comparative analysis of similar challenges faced by the talmudic sage Rav Ashi in the Gemara. In a series of stories about Rav Ashi, he confronts the challenges of kibbud av v’em when his mother’s condition deteriorates.

Last week, Dr. Feldblum joined Rabbi Blau’s Gemara class in their discussion of Aggadata, the narrative portions of the Talmud that feature hundreds if not thousands of instructive, colorful and fascinating stories. Dr. Feldblum discussed with the class the role that stories play in our lives, leading to a deeper understanding of the importance of Aggadata, both religiously as well as culturally. The class read an article about how scientific studies have shown that reading stories increases empathy; the class discussed why that might be, and how reading leads to a layered understanding of the human experience. The class came away with a deeper understanding of how, while the Gemara is a legal document, it also contains a deep understanding of the multifaceted nature of human life.

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While at �鶹����, the YU participants will have the opportunity to hone their pedagogical skills in and outside of the classroom, and gain invaluable insight into the everyday workings of teaching in a yeshiva high school. In addition, the RIETS students will have their own seder and shiur under the guidance of the rosh kollel, �鶹���� Talmud faculty member Rabbi Noah Gardenswartz. The Legacy Heritage Fellows will have shiur with �鶹���� Tanach faculty member and freshman grade dean Shoshana Chanales, and the program will be under the guidance of Shani Taragin, who will be coming in monthly from Israel.

“The goals of the program are to enhance �鶹���� as a yeshiva and makom Torah, with young men and women learning here seriously and modeling to the students what it means to choose to learn lishma as a young person,” said �鶹���� Associate Principal Rabbi Joshua Wald. “The YU participants will be connected to the classrooms, which will enhance the learning of the students. It will provide students with more individualized attention in both Gemara and Chumash. In addition, �鶹���� will serve as a training ground for these future educators.”

The YU participants will also take part in weekly discussions (coordinated by Chanales and �鶹����’ Rabbi Shalom Richter) with seasoned �鶹���� educators. The discussions will center around a variety of pedagogical issues, such as lesson planning, discipline and maintaining positive teacher-student relationships.

“The faculty at �鶹���� are very warm. They seem excited and passionate about what they’re doing and it’s great to be here,” said recent musmach Rabbi Chaim Gerson, who is also completing his master’s in Jewish Education at YU’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. He hopes that having the kollel at �鶹���� will allow the high schoolers “to see that learning is cool, and it is fun.”

YU participant Penina Torczyner, who is completing a joint bachelor’s and master’s in Jewish education from Stern and Azrieli, agreed. “I hope the students will see that college students can take time out of their day and sit in the beit midrash and learn,” she said. “A Torah life is a Torat chayim and we want to show that it’s enjoyable as well.”

�鶹���� students are looking forward to having the program participants on campus. “Having a large beis presence makes learning in the beit midrash easier and more meaningful,” said �鶹���� junior Uriel Simpson.

Among the robust cohort of YU participants, multiple approaches to Torah learning are represented. “We come from different backgrounds and were exposed to different elements of talmud Torah,” explained Legacy Heritage Fellow Rivka Lichtenstein Anapolle. “Seeing us come together for the sake of learning lishma will show the students that we can all come together and learn Torah.”

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