Optional Night Seder Program – Yeshiva University High School for Boys – MTA

Optional Night Seder Program

Optional Night Seder Program

Beginning with the 2016 school year, MTA unveiled a new and exciting Night Seder initiative. This program encourages students to grow in their personal learning, expand their commitment to Talmud Torah, and foster a sense of unity and belonging across community boundaries.

The program is designed and managed by Associate Principal Rabbi Shimon Schenker who describes how a main goal of the program is to further the Yeshiva environment in MTA in a way that builds on its core values and goes hand in hand with academic excellence. This goal is reflected in the schedule and programming of Night Seder. The program takes place on Monday and Tuesday nights until 8:30 PM, and on Thursday nights until 10:00 PM. Most general studies exams take place on either Mondays or Thursdays, so as not to conflict with the Night Seder schedule. Additionally, Monday and Tuesday nights feature an hour of learning, followed by time for supervised studying to help students stay on top of their schoolwork.

This hour of learning will take place in Yeshiva University’s vibrant Glueck Beis Midrash to take advantage of the school’s amazing location and campus. During this time, in addition to experiencing the amazing Glueck Beis Midrash environment, students can learn directly with current YU students, many of whom are MTA alumni. This gives them further exposure to the world of the Beis Midrash, and the importance of prioritizing Torah.

To further motivate students to attend, there is free pizza offered every night before learning, raffles based on attendance, and all students who attend 2/3 of night seder will have a test grade of 100 inserted into their Gemara averages.

  • The ability to be absorbed by the Kol Torah of the YU Beis Midrash is amazing. The opportunity to learn in the same environment as Gedolei Torah is an unbelievable privilege.
    Zeve Kornwasser (’18)
  • It is nice to be able to learn lishma and to learn with a college student that is only few years older than you.
    Donny Morris (’20)
  • When I entered the Glueck Beis Midrash for the first time I was amazed by the Torah energy in the room and now I'm a part of that. Plus, the pizza doesn't hurt either.
    Kovi Pahmer (’20)
  • It’s an amazing experience every night to watch these boys, after putting in a long and full day of school, come in and sit down and learn.
    Rabbi Shimon Schenker
    Associate Principal