Lev v’Nefesh 2025
Lev v’Nefesh, the capstone of The Leffell School experience, provides seniors the opportunity to develop an even greater sense of Jewish identity while traveling and learning in Europe and Israel. More than simply a trip or tour, Lev v’Nefesh is a journey that impacts the hearts and souls of our students just before they take the next step in their lives.
Lev v’Nefesh is a ROOTONE-affiliated program. ROOTONE LLC is seeded through a generous grant by The Marcus Foundation and powered by The Jewish Education Project. Visit www.ROOTONE.org for more information.
Student Reflection: Options Week‑ Archaeology
For “Options Week,” I, along with 14 of my peers, attempted to become archaeologists. Our dig took place at the Beit Guvrin archaeological site—home to over 82 caves dating back to the Hellenistic period.We began on Sunday, and every day, we had an hour-long bus ride…
Student Reflection: Options Week‑ Shvil Yisrael
“The air on the 4:30 a.m. bus ride to Shvil was filled with a thick feeling of apprehension and worry. Honestly, the only thought running across my brain was “What the heck did I get myself into?” As we took our first steps off of the…
Back To Jerusalem for Purim
“After a week of hiking in the desert and taking in the sun and sea in Eilat, our students have made the journey back to Jerusalem for Purim. They are currently settling back into Agron, completing their costumes for Megilah reading tonight, and enjoying the transition…
Student Reflections: Week 6 Ketura & Purim
We have just closed up an exciting week where we spent time in both the Negev and Jerusalem! After arriving home from Poland last Friday, we had a much-needed and relaxing host weekend. On Monday, we met up and drove to Kibbutz Ketura, a peaceful community…
Kibbutz Ketura
Our students are feeling very at home on Kibbutz Ketura, where they have been visiting sand dunes and solar panel fields, enjoying hikes and bike rides, and taking advantage of the proximity to Eilat to enjoy time on the beach and in the Red Sea.
Student Reflection in Poland
There is no air underground. Underneath the soil, in the basement, the walls remember. They remember these tormented souls, still searching for a way out. Holding onto hope. …A glimmer of a star.It is not out of reach for some, and it will never be touched…
Student Reflection: A Poland Playground
We have davened Mincha at two synagogues since we have been here. The first, Szydłów, was ornately decorated, full of Jewish items but bereft of Jewish life. The second, Działoszyce, was completely destroyed. I’m not sure if a building without a roof can even be considered…
Student Reflection: Auschwitz
Auschwitz I is the smaller camp. It mostly housed Polish and political prisoners. Unlike Birkenau, it was smaller and is still mostly preserved. It was haunting. The preserved barracks were home to an exhibition. I saw collections of human hair, glasses, suitcases, prosthetics, and shoes. Victims…
Student Reflections on Poland
A shared story of tragic historyA horror our ancestors came out of strongPlaces marked with deathPlaces with walls holding tears and pain…We learn about what happened in each placeWe hold it in our heartsEveryone differentlyEveryone supporting each other along the way It’s not a memory of…
Final Days in Poland
The past couple days have been a whirlwind as we wrapped up our week in Poland. We began yesterday in the once thriving Jewish shtetl of Tiktin, Tykocin in Polish. We then experienced the stillness of the kever achim, the mass grave of the Jews of…
Rzeszow – Lancut – Belzec – Zamosc – Lublin – Otwock
We woke up Monday morning in Rzeszow and were quickly off to Lancut for Shacharit in its beautiful, great synagogue. Many synagogues like Lancut’s were destroyed by the Germans when they occupied Poland in 1939, and they indeed attempted to set fire to this Shul… but…
Auschwitz‑Birkenau & The Bima of Tarnów
Sunday began with a drive to Oswiecim, the Polish name for this small, once very Jewish city, better known to the world by its German name, Auschwitz. We chose to begin our day there with a celebration of Jewish history and life, davening Shacharit at the…
Shabbat & Havdalah in Krakow
Shabbat was a delightful opportunity to be together, connect with the Jewish community in Krakow, and enjoy the tefilot, singing, meals, and slower pace of an LVN Shabbat, all before a very demanding day visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau. Particular highlights of Shabbat included davening at Kraków’s ornately decorated…
Szydlow – Krakow – Dzialoszyce – Krakow
We are now aboard our buses, heading back to Krakow after visiting the ruined synagogue of Dzialoszyce, a small town about an hour to the east of Krakow. It’s rainy and getting dark, but the image of this once great synagogue, still standing without its roof…
Student Reflections: Week 3
We began our week after a well deserved break from the action as we united with family and friends for our first host Shabbat. By Sunday morning we were rested up and back on the road! We went to Caesarea – the impressive port city built…
Week 3: Israel‑ North
The group is in the north of Israel, enjoying their second group Shabbat together. They accomplished so much this week, and met so many different people. They hiked, rode donkeys, enjoyed an Extreme Park, and volunteeredharvesting vegetables. They also met members of Israel’s Druze, Arab, and…
Caesaria, Carmel Mountains, Druze Village
The entire LVN group is back together again after having been spread around Israel for their first Host Shabbat. They regrouped in Caesaria, site of a major port in the Roman period and one of Israel’s largest archaeologicalparks today. From there they headed north to hike…
Student Reflections: Weeks 1 & 2
It has been a little over a week since we arrived in Israel. Students are heading out all over the country for our first host Shabbat, and some are staying with the group in Jerusalem. We arrived in Israel last Thursday and spent ourfirst day resting…
Har HaBayit, Emek Tzuriim, Bedouin Tents
Most of our group is getting to sleep early at the Bedouin Tent in Kfar HaNokdim, in preparation for an early morning climb up the Roman Ramp to the top of Masada – just in time to watch the sun rise over the Dead Sea. Earlier…
Stand With Us & Magen David Adom
It’s pretty late here in Jerusalem and Agron is quiet, after an early curfew in anticipation of an early day tomorrow morning. Today was a meaningful day for most of the group who participatedin an October 7 seminar, and an opportunity to rest, see a doctor,…
Tel Azekah, Nebi Samwel, Old City
Shabbat was exactly what we all needed, with plenty of time to be together, but also plenty of time to rest. A highlight for many was choosing the Shul they wanted to join on Shabbat morning, and the block of free time to rest or hang…
Almost Shabbat in Jerusalem
We are adjusting to our new time zone and rhythm here in Israel, and the students have been diving into the experience, despite the cold and wet weather. Yesterday upon arrival in Jerusalem it was time to settle into our rooms at Kiryat Moriah. After some…
