At Yeshiva University, students pursue a wide array of interests. Some conduct cutting-edge research with the guidance and support of faculty mentors. Others, fascinated by foreign cultures or historical texts, sharpen their analytic skills and broaden their worldviews with Semitic language courses. And still others deepen their connection to Torah and Judaism by immersing themselves in top-level shiurim [lectures] at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS).

Kornbluth, a Teaneck, NJ native who graduated Yeshiva College in May, majored in physics, minored in mathematics and Semitic languages, and enrolled in rabbinic studies at RIETS in his senior year. Now a graduate student in a joint MS/PhD program in applied physics at Columbia University, he is also continuing his semikha studies at RIETS. It may seem like an unlikely combination, but according to Kornbluth, it's all part of the same equation.

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Last  Friday, we arrived at the Yeshiva University Israel (Gruss) campus in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Jerusalem. It was interesting seeing how YU has stretched itself all the way to the Holy Land. The Shabbat started off with a beautiful Carlebach davening that really put everyone into the spirit of Shabbat, followed by a meal full of all the classic Israeli AND American foods. The zemirot were incredible and the other guests at the meal were extremely friendly; they described for us their experiences at Gruss and in Israel in general. After the meal, we met up with some of the Gruss students for a tisch at the "bachur house." There was singing, dancing, divrei torah and enough candy and soda to keep us up all night (and an fantastic chulent as well). We all had an amazing time. The following morning started bright and early with a 7:50 shacharit. The lunch meal was full of singing and really good meat. Over the course of the afternoon, we had time to learn, nap, and/or go on a walk.

After maariv, everyone gathered in the auditorium for pizza and a melave malka. The MC11 were zocheh to hear two speeches- one in Hebrew and one in English- from YU Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Meir Goldwicht. After the divrei torah were delivered, Benji Leibowitz, a Gruss Kollel student who organized the entire shabbat, arrived with pizza, and past participants of the MC-MTA Exchange program, from Israel and America, came with their smiles and their instruments. We enjoyed connecting with the older MC alums, comparing stories, teachers, and the overall experience. Standing ovations were given, divrei torah heard, and fun was had.

On Tuesday, which was Election Day in Israel, we went on a tiyul in the City of David. Afterwards, we were zocheh to meet Rav Yehoshua Eichenstein, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yad Aharon, one of the prominent Lithuanian Yeshivas in Israel today. After arriving at the yeshiva, in the Katamon section of Jerusalem, we davened mincha. We then sat down in the home of Rav Eichenstein and we heard some divrei torah from a true Gadol Yisrael. The Rav talked about the opportunity we have and the differences between Jewish life in the USA and Israel (he knows as he is originally from St. Louis, Missouri). He stressed that we should always look for the path that will better our Judaism, citing universities as an example; when we pick a university, we have to be conscience of the effect it will have on our Judaism, and we should try to pick the university that will be the most conducive to our Judaism. It was a truly great speech, and it reached all of us.

Our final stop on Tuesday was to the polling location...we watched as Uri, our madrich, voted!

After last Shabbat, in which MTA and MC really collaborated, we all recognized that there were many thanks that had to be said. First and foremost, we would like to thank Yeshiva University, who has helped create, support, and manage this experience into a truly life changing one. Furthermore, we would like to thank Yeshivat Makor Chaim, for housing us and being our "sister school" in Israel. Thank you Benji Leibowitz, for coordinating and being our madrich on the Shabbat in Bayit Vagan. We would also like to thank Rabbi Taubes for helping to organize this trip, arranging meetings with great rabbanim, and being an amazing Rosh Yeshiva of a yeshiva high school that gives us a truly unique experience that no one else can claim. Last, but definitely not least, we would like to thank Mrs. Rosenberg. Mrs. Rosenberg is the biggest reason we are so fortunate to be part of this experience. She has put in countless hours of work into making sure this entire trip works as smoothly as possible - from arranging the trips, to checking in on us, to coordinating all the intricate details. Thank you all!