There are four central programs to the Sussya Yeshiva:
The Beit Midrash
Making a connection to the word of G-d
The underlying basis of the yeshiva’s Jewish studies program is the belief that each individual must find his own way, with his own capabilities and inclinations, to connect to the word of G-d and to find his personal connection to Torah.
Thus, each student is required to locate that area, or field, to which he will devote his scholastic energy, be it Talmud, Bible, Aggadah or Halacha. In so doing, he will be better able to fulfill his potential and strengths.
Following this path, he will also be given the tools that will inspire the desire and the joy connected with being involved in Torah in his free time as well, and for the rest of his life.
The Torah studies take place during the first half of the day, the main focus of the learning being the Babylonian Talmud, which is the pillar on which our Halachic and intellectual world is built.
Both daily individual learning sessions (sdarim) are devoted to preparing and going over the Talmud lessons, as well as to a comprehensive learning of Halacha and Bible studies, utilizing study booklets produced by the yeshiva.
After two years of Talmud studies, the student is given a choice of continuing his learning in Iyun Gemarah – in-depth study of Talmud, or Iyun Midrash – an in-depth study of Midrash, Aggadic material. This approach is geared to make the student love his studies and find the path that better suits him in his Torah studies.
Once every two weeks, prominent spiritual leaders and teachers come to the yeshiva to speak before the students. This, a most important formative experience, creates a connection between the students and the main contemporary figures of the Torah world.
In addition, optional Torah lessons are offered in the evenings, in which books dealing with faith, Bible and Chassidut are discussed and learned, thereby exposing deeper layers, which can only be done within a small group of learners.
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The Environmental Courtyard - Development, Reconstruction and Restoration
The yeshiva campus is being built around the
"environmental courtyard", which is a reconstruction
of Biblical life and culture, focusing on the elements
of grain, wine and oil. This reconstruction is carried
out through trees, Biblical verses, plastic figures and
agricultural equipment used in the threshing floor,
wine- and oil-presses of times past. So that by merely
walking along the campus, the values of the land,
its legacy and faith are internalized and a student
who is faithful to his G-d, his people and his Torah
is being formed.
The Rujum al-Hamiri site, near the yeshiva, including
an ancient Roman road, the largest and most
impressive of the Roman Limes fortresses, two
functioning water wells and an ancient,
impressive underground cave – has been found
suitable for restoration and maintenance by
the yeshiva students. The yeshiva firmly
believes in educating toward spiritual
activity in the outdoors and in promoting
authentic tourism.
The development program includes:
- Restoring the Roman road and fortress
- Installing lighting fixtures
- Establishing an observation point overlooking Mount Hevron
- Setting archeological findings about
- Putting up signs
- Gardening and putting up benches
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Social Involvement - Chesed and Tikkun Olam
In accordance with the yeshiva's philosophy, by
which human beings and how they are treated, are
at the center of environmentalism, the students are
taught and guided to be involved in social action
and helping others, whether it is your classmate,
someone from a neighboring city or even someone
of a different nationality who needs help.
In practical terms, the 12th grade students devote
one day a week to volunteering in after-school clubs
in Jerusalem and Be'er-Sheva, working with
children who have functional or developmental
difficulties.
The 11th grade students run
a chesed program for families in
distress. Through this operation,
known as Shachen Tov, "good
neighbor", food items are collected from the
neighboring settlements, moshavim, factories
and stores, money is collected and
consequently, Shabbat baskets are
distributed to the needy on Fridays and
before the holidays, in the nearby city
of Arad.
The lower-grade students contribute
their part by tutoring disadvantaged
children in the Mount Hevron region.
All the yeshiva students participate
in the "peak" activity of Chodesh Adar.
During which, the yeshiva operates "purim carnivals and activities" in Be’er-
Sheva for children from weak and disadvantaged families.
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Environmental Studies
At the basis of the yeshiva’s educational outlook is the
belief that the hands-on learning experience offers the
student an in-depth observation and study of creation
and its wonders. The outdoors, with its amazing learning
potential, is an open school which provides a multisense
experience which encourages curiosity and
learning and infinitely improves the quality of the
internalization of the learning.
Being out in the field
brings out a deep, long-lasting love for the Creator, his
creators and his land in the student. It’s not just about
creating the experience of “connecting”, but, rather, a
cognitive learning combined with emotional experience,
physical effort and sweat.
A unique four-year environmental program was
designed by the yeshiva staff in order to accommodate
students who are capable of developing their personality,
their connection to environmental issues and their
knowledge, through the different levels in which the
environment is experienced.
The studies are carried out on two levels
simultaneously: the theoretical and the fieldoriented.
In their theoretical studies, the students take courses,
which will enable them to complete an extensive bagrut
in ecology and Eretz Israel studies.
In addition, every
student in the higher grades is required to write and
present an “ecotop” and “geotop”
paper, in which local sites and
ecological phenomena are
researched. At the same
time, the lower-grade
students are required to
produce computer-oriented
research papers.
The annual field-oriented
learning is composed of weekly
day tours and two week-long
workshops in the outdoors. Much theoretical preparation
is done prior to the tours.
The programs of the tours include geological, botanical,
zoological, ecological, archeological, historical, Biblical,
Midrashic, as well as social contents.
The tour program has a spiral structure – it extends
from the introductory material to the expanded
teachings, from that to the research.
All 150 tours, and the eight workshops, are accompanied
by an environmental guide, who personally gets to
know each student and follows his progress.
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