Sep 19, 2007 -- Six hundred high school students spent Wednesday evening preparing for one of the yamim noraim (days of awe) in a special way. They got a taste of Yeshiva University’s (YU) vibrant beit midrash (study) experience when they visited YU’s uptown Wilf campus and midtown Israel Henry Beren campus last night for an evening of chaburah learning (small group discussion of Jewish texts) suffused with the university’s singular brand of ruach (spirit). The chaburah learning was followed by shiurim (lectures) led by some of YU’s most learned and inspiring rabbis and teachers. It is part of the Torah Leadership Network (TLN), a program coordinated by Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future (CJF). Each high school student learned in a small group with a YU undergraduate or student from the YU affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) in preparation for Yom Kippur (the day of atonement). “Chaburah learning is a very special experience,” said Raffi Rosenzweig, a 2007 Yeshiva College (YC) graduate who is now a YU Presidential Fellow. “Learning with a small group of peers allows you to challenge yourself intellectually in a way that doesn’t always work in the more general setting of a classroom. It’s more focused, more nuanced – it makes you push yourself to a higher level.” As a way to enhance this exceptional experience, each participant received a copy of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s makhzor (prayer book for Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur with commentary adapted from the teachings of Rabbi Soloveitchik). Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903-1993), known as the Rav, was the world-renowned scholar at RIETS. He served as an advisor, guide, mentor, and role model for the Jewish community, both as a Talmudic scholar and as a religious leader. “It’s a special way to celebrate the history and wisdom of YU and to pass on the Rav’s insights to the next generation,” said Philip Moskowitz of CJF, who is coordinating the program. The TLN boy's evening shiurim were led by Rabbi Daniel Rapp, assistant visiting professor of Talmud at RIETS and assistant dean of undergraduate Judaic studies at YU and Rabbi Andi Yudin, Talmud instructor at the Marsha Stern Talmudic Academy Yeshiva high school for boys (MSTA) and rosh kollel (principal) at DRS yeshiva high school for boys. The TLN girl’s evening shiurim were led by Rabbi Josh Blass, mashgiach ruchani (spiritual advisor) at RIETS, and Mrs. Shira Schiowitz, a noted Tanakh (the five books of the Torah plus the books of the prophets and additional writings) instructor. All are noted for their abilities to illuminate and make accessible even the most complex texts. The students, from high schools all over the tri-state area, who had to apply to take part in the program, are part of a high school Torah leadership movement designed “to bring them in contact with role models who can help them grow as confident Jewish teenagers,” said Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, interim director of Community Initiatives at CJF. ““High school students have the unique opportunity to experience the energy and vibrancy of YU. The camaraderie that is fostered here helps to nurture them as committed Jews,” said Rabbi Leibowitz. This is just one of several programs that take place throughout the year that revolve around Torah and personal leadership growth.