Stuff they don't tell you about sending kid to learn in EY

Home Forums Yeshiva / School / College / Education Issues Stuff they don't tell you about sending kid to learn in EY

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #603089
    JustHavingFun
    Participant

    Advice please!!!!! High school graduation is only a few weeks away. Then comes summer … they’re working at camp … and then they go to Israel! Bye bye.

    As a first-timer sending kids to learn in EY, I have a feeling that I’m not getting all of the info I need. Oh I know how many pairs of undies to send with the kid. I have the form the yeshiva sent to sign up for health insurance and I know which provider they want you to get the cell phone from. And I know I’ll have to mortgage my left kidney (the other one’s mortgaged from day school payments). One yeshiva has a travel agency setting up a group flight from JFK, with pickup at Ben Gurion, but the other one “doesn’t have any plans yet.” [Is the kid supposed to hitch?] Do I need to put name tags in all the clothing (like summer camp) as one yeshiva suggests?

    Somewhere in the one or 2 days between finishing being counselors at camp and catching flights to Israel I’ll have to orchestrate the packing and organization!!! How can I do this and stay sane?

    What about Bein Hazmanim? The yeshiva says the dorm will be open but will the kid be on his own pretty much for 3 weeks in October and nearly a month in April? Oy! We don’t have family there and my kids are the type that would rather eat Bisli for the duration than phone a contact. Am I nuts to think so far ahead?

    HHHHHHEEEEEEELLLLLLPPPPPP I’m falling and I can’t get up!

    You experienced folk — tell me what I really need to know. Please. Spare my hair any additional grey!

    #874315
    ED IT OR
    Participant

    Don’t panic, hopefully there will be other bochurim in this Yeshiva so meals and stuff are no problem.

    Its definitely not worth mortgaging your second kidney as you dont want it repossessed chas vecholiloh ….

    And hair die is pretty cheap

    Hatzlocho

    #874316
    Yatzmich
    Member

    Just,

    Why are you sending him?

    #874317
    far east
    Member

    Relax!!! dont worry your kids will adjust and figure it out. They’ll be on their own and mature a lot its a growing experience for them.

    #874318
    JustHavingFun
    Participant

    @crazybrit-

    You peeked! yes, my hair looks pretty dead! and I’m to lazy to color (or colour) it!!! LOL

    @Yatzmich (please note, I prefer the nickname of “Fun,” not “Just” LOL)-

    I’m sending them to LEARN. emThey/em think they’re going to spend the first few months on tiyulim! 😀

    @far east-

    “a growing experience for them” … or for me?!? You should have heard some of the conversations I’ve had with them over the past 4 years away at yeshiva!!!

    More comments folks, please!!!

    Tips for packing? (for example: Do you still need to take rolls of TP?)

    #874320
    haifagirl
    Participant

    Pretty much anything needed in the way of toiletries (and toilet paper) is available here.

    I can’t tell you anything about yeshivos, but I’m sure most of them know what they’re doing.

    #874321
    blackhatwannabe
    Participant

    Is the yeshiva he is going to in Yerushaliam-if so, then he can have a “base” in yeshiva and get meals by friends. If he is wearing white shirts and pants all day, then he usually doesnt change so much-sometime even coasts from week to week without showering 🙂 Name tages can only help to make sure things dont get lost Everyone adjusts to yeshiva and sem life

    #874322
    apushatayid
    Participant

    you are worried about bein hazmanim. you should be worried about the zman itself. some minor things like; where will he be living? who is supervising him? who will make sure he is at davening, shiur and sedarim and not elsewhere? who will make sure his free time is not spent at the mall or on the streets just “chilling”?

    #874323
    Nechomah
    Participant

    JHV, I had a whole long post that I apparently didn’t send in prepared earlier today, sorry.

    Let’s see if I can reconstruct some of it.

    First off, is he going to be in a dorm or in an apartment with other boys (organized separately, not part of the regular dorm situation). The reason I ask is because a dorm will provide things that the boys will otherwise have to buy if they’re on their own.

    You don’t need to send anything like TP or tissue anymore. We have it here, even Kleenex tissue in a box. He might have to buy some of it on his own if he wants higher quality products. Yeshivas tend to buy the cheapest stuff available, which can resemble sandpaper, ouch! But good stuff is available at most of the local stores these days. Send a basic supply of toiletries so that he won’t have to go hunting for the stuff right when the zman gets going.

    As far as food, there are tons of falafel stands/pizza restaurants that are to be found in most major parts of EY. A lot will depend on where his yeshiva is located. If it’s in the boondocks, then he will have to manage with yeshiva food and maybe have a stash in his room that he can tide him over when he gets hungry in the middle of the night. If he’s in the Mir or some other major yeshiva in Yerushalayim or Bnei Brak, there are lots of places close by that he can grab something even until pretty late in the evening.

    Bein Hazmanim can be a little tricky, but it is different for guys. Are you bringing him home for Pesach? (I’m assuming Succos is too soon after the start of the year to come home). The Elul Zman ends the day before erev YK and then he will be busy right after with getting his Arab Minim and maybe building a succah by the dorm (don’t know how they work those issues). What will he do for meals during YT and Ch”M? The last week of Bein Hazmanim is the hardest part and a lot of the boys go on tiyulim. He should just be cautious doing those because unfortunately most accidents happen during those times.

    As far as labeling clothes, I would since boys are not always the most organized and once you’ll get a bunch of boys together in one small dorm room (apartment sharing a bedroom is the same difference), so all of those black socks/white shirts, etc, will get all jumbled together. Make sure he knows how to do a load of laundry or find someone who will do it for him periodically. I think Mir has a dry cleaner who will pick up and deliver to the yeshiva, which is a big time savings for the boys.

    BTW, don’t forget about the new luggage restrictions these days. Even El Al has gone to allowing only 1 suitcase weighing 50 pounds. I’m not sure what the prices are for the other airlines, but I had heard that El Al is allowing a second suitcase for $70 or $75 extra. Could be worth it since he’ll be going for an extended trip, unless he’s a really geshikt boy who will be doing his laundry weekly.

    Well, I hope this helps. If you have any other specific issues, post them and we’ll see if we can help further.

    #874324
    JustHavingFun
    Participant

    @apushatayid-

    Those things, the important ones, are beyond my control. I have to have faith in the rebbis, dorm counselors, and power of being immersed in learning that the boys will make good choices. After 4 years dorming in HS, I think a lot of the shtuss of being on their own will not be as exciting as for some. “Chilling”? Ben Yehuda? They’re going to go there anyway. Let’s hope they’re as disgusted by the concept of kosher McDonalds as I was.

    @Nechoma-

    (you ARE a nechoma!) Dorms. Not bringing him home for Pesach. Thanks for reminder about luggage. The yeshiva with the travel agency got some special deal for the 2nd suitcase (free?)! Used to doing own laundry. YT & Ch”M meals? Well, there’s always Bisli!

    The administrations all say no laptop computers, no iPods, no phones with internet connections, no secular music. Right. If it’s the same as at the HS yeshiva, there will be easy access to all the other stuff they want. They’ll just have to look for it harder, I suppose. That’s how it was in the HS yeshiva dorm.

    #874325
    apushatayid
    Participant

    “Those things, the important ones, are beyond my control.”

    They are in your control to investigate and ask about prior to sending your son.

    “Chilling”? Ben Yehuda? They’re going to go there anyway.”

    Wouldnt it be nice to know that the Yeshiva took notice of where they went, who they went with, when they went, how often they went and what they did while they were there? It is something you can inquire about before sending your son. you are concerned about the 3 weeks of bein hazmanim. If you dont look into the really important things, the entire year could end up as one long bein hazmanim.

    #874326
    RabbiRabin
    Member

    this is a link to a guide for student going to Yeshiva or Seminary in Israel for the year http://www.scribd.com/doc/85978890/Pre-Israel-Guide-2012 your child will also receive a hard copy in the next few days. it shoud clear up alot of issues for you.

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.