In this episode of the Israel Gap Year B’Iyun Podcast, Avi Proctor sits down with Mrs. Shira Melamed, head of Midreshet Torat Chessed, for a thoughtful conversation about what it truly means to be “on the derech” — and why that definition may need to be reexamined in today’s educational and spiritual climate. Together, they explore the role that chessed plays in a student’s year in Israel, and what may be lost when it’s treated as an “extra” rather than an essential part of growth.

The conversation touches on common misunderstandings surrounding bitul Torah, the relationship between Torah learning and midot development, and how spiritual growth can sometimes occur without a parallel growth in empathy, emotional sensitivity, and derech eretz. They also discuss the responsibility educators carry in shaping not just what students know — but who they become — and how structured chessed can help bridge the gap between intellectual learning and lived Torah values.

This week on the Israel Gap Year B’Iyun Podcast, I sit down with Rav Yair Halevi, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Torah V’Avodah, to discuss his journey in chinuch and how he built Torah V’Avodah into what it is today.

We talk about what shaped him as an educator, the challenges students face in this generation, and how to create a yeshiva experience that develops not just the mind — but the soul.

A major influence on his philosophy is the Piaseczna Rebbe and the idea of “education of the soul” — individualized growth, real relationships, and speaking the language of today’s students.

Thank you to the sponsor of this weeks Episode TheFutureIsCalling.org If you are thinking about staying in israel after Yeshiva or Seminary and you want to find a place with all the info to get that process started you must visit TheFutureIsCalling.org

In this episode of Israel Gap Year B’Iyun, Avi Proctor sits down with four yeshiva ambassadors for an honest conversation about the yeshiva application process.

Together, they talk about what was going through their heads when deciding where to apply, what confused or overwhelmed them most at the time, and the biggest surprises they experienced once they actually arrived in yeshiva.

The conversation explores what really matters when choosing a yeshiva, what students tend to focus on too much, and what they wish they understood earlier about learning style, structure, rebbeim, social environment, and personal growth. The boys share what they would tell their younger selves during the application stage — especially when everything feels uncertain and high-pressure.

This episode offers practical insight for guys who aren’t sure where they fit and are trying to figure out which yeshiva environment will help them grow the most — not just religiously, but emotionally and socially as well.

A must-listen for any student currently applying to yeshiva — and for parents who want a clearer, more honest picture of what the process actually feels like from a student’s perspective.