Welcome to The Ivy League Torah Study Experience

	I came to ILTSE to take time out for myself. I discovered a new world of wisdom and inspiration. Most importantly, I learned about myself, my history, and my heritage. ILTSE created an environment that allowed me to grow and realize my potential. Thank you ILTSE! Tatanya Plotkina NYU, NYC
	Ivy League Torah Study Program was and is such a blessing to me. I learned basic to fairly complex lessons in Chumash, Tanya, and history and, most importantly, I learned sisterhood. I've never known truth so true or warmth so warm. Ivy League gave me the confidence and foundation to really get into Jewish study and it gave me the motivation to strive for more. I have grown so much since my first day at Ivy League. Lindsay Hoffmann University of Tampa
	Ivy League transformed my connection with Shabbat and the beauty of keeping it. I learned to appreciate the intricacies of the different rituals and the communal joy in welcoming the Shabbos the Bride. The campsite provides a perfect get-away from busy everyday life and provided me with a sanctuary to relax and truly take-in everything I learned. Sasha Parsley Western Washington University
	Ivy League was an amazing experience. It is a place where you can learn and grown in an environment filled with people who care. Ivy League combines the best world-renowned teachers, with exciting classes, trips, and more! The friendships, connection, and memories we made are unforgettable. It was truly the best summer of my life. Heather Canz University of Tampa
	The Ivy League Torah Study Experience was a fantastic introduction for me into what it means to live every day as a Jew. Through daily lessons, fun excursions, and full spiritual immersion with new friends from across the country, I was able to see how the laws of Judaism were applicable for daily events to which I had normally never given any thought – from the very act of getting up in the morning to going to sleep at night. This is a program that I endorse for any Jew who is interested in broadening their religious horizons. Jacob Sager Western Washington University
	At the Ivy League Women’s Program I was privileged to experience true expression of love and concern for a fellow Jew. The faculty is comprised of strong, intelligent, and beautiful Jewish women who go above and beyond their job requirements to educate and nurture their students as mentors and role models. Learners come to Ivy League from a broad gamut of backgrounds and quickly form unique bonds while supporting one another through their spiritual journeys and challenges. After a year and a half I am still discovering the ways in which my experience at Ivy League impacts my growth in Torah. I whole-heartedly recommend the program to everyone; you will discover that your heritage is an invaluable treasure. Mara Finver Cornell College
	Super Duper! Overall, my most educational summer of my twenty two years. It greatly helped in establishing my Jewish identity. This program has been absolutely essential to my Jewish education. Without the ITLSE, I would have probably never learned all I have over these few weeks. For people like me, yeshiva is simply not even an option. This style of program seemed tailor made for people like myself. It’s a Judaism 101 for those of us who weren’t brought up with it. This program brings the Judaism back into Jews. Vincent Villaverde University of Texas
	Fantastic! As my first source of Jewish education it was very helpful. It has helped me take the next leap forward: learned davenning, Hebrew, how to find info in texts, learn how to think, Tanya, Talmud, why I do a mitzvah. If I could come back next year I would! I feel like the 5 weeks was not enough time. The program is a success and I will recommend to everyone I know. I want to personally thank everyone who has made this experience possible! Shaun Harrison St Edwards Uinversity Austin, Texas
	The Ivy League Torah Study Experience is an extremely enriching, refreshing, and stimulating program. It helped me satisfy my thirst for learning and encouraged me to never stop doing so. It was the first time I fully experienced the benefits of a Torah observant lifestyle. This in itself inspired me to take on more mitzvot. Initially, I was hesitant, but every single person I met became my second family and made me feel like I belong. No matter who you are or what your background is, you can find your place here at Ivy League, and you will be loved and accepted for who you are in this beautiful, warm, and loving atmosphere. This experience is unique and satisfying; you will never have another one like it. Coming here is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Carolyn Bordowitz SUNY New Paltz
	ILTSE is an amazing opportunity not only to learn about our beautiful religion but also to actually live it. I have done several other programs, yet this experience was by far the most rewarding educationally, spiritually, and personally. The teachers, the rabbis, and all the people at ILTSE have the most genuine passion for what they teach and a great dedication for what they do. Plainly put, it's just one of those things you definitely have to experience for yourself! Danielle R. Bernard UC Santa Barbara

A Student’s Musings Derek Kwait University of Pittsburgh At the Ivy League Women’s Program I was privileged to experience true expression of love and concern for a fellow Jew. The faculty is comprised of strong, intelligent, and beautiful Jewish women who go above and beyond their job requirements to educate and nurture their students as mentors and role models. Learners come to Ivy League from a broad gamut of backgrounds and quickly form unique bonds while supporting one another through their spiritual journeys and challenges. After a year and a half I am still discovering the ways in which my experience at Ivy League impacts my growth in Torah. I whole-heartedly recommend the program to everyone; you will discover that your heritage is an invaluable treasure. My name is Derek Kwait, I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and went to Ivy League the summer before my senior year at the University of Pittsburgh, where I major in fiction writing, with minors in film studies and Jewish studies. When my campus rabbi suggested Ivy League to me, at first I wasn't sure it would be right for me— I had never been in a formal Jewish learning environment besides Sunday and Hebrew school; I am not Chassidic, plus I would have to arrive late. But my rabbi put me in touch with a friend of mine who had gone, and talking with him convinced me. When I arrived at Ivy League, I had practically no idea what I was getting myself into. I didn't know how many other guys would be there, how the food would be, who the teachers would be, or even if there would be air-conditioning. Plus, coming late, I didn't even know if the guys would accept me. When I arrived, I put my stuff down in our bungalow —four rooms with three to a room, each with its own bathroom and air conditioner surrounding an enclosed common stoop with benches and a refrigerator stocked with ice pops and beer - it’s like they knew us. Then I went down to the main building and met the guys. I was expecting more, but to my pleasant surprise, there were only eight of them (there would end up being 10 of us total), from all over the country and all over the Jewish landscape. After five weeks of living and learning together, of experiencing so much together 9 other guys aren't my friends; they are my brothers. Then there were our counselors, two 24-year-old rabbis who were always with us, to answer our questions or just hang out. Being from such a different world from us, they should have seen us as helpless miscreants, and, indeed, we gave them every reason to. But they didn't. They earned our respect by taking our commitment to Judaism seriously even when it might not have seemed like we were, while keeping up with our banter and being part of the guys. Our rabbis were all a credit to their profession. Even when we didn't see eye-to-eye, their erudition and down-to-earthiness earned our respect. My biggest worry coming into the program was that it would be five weeks of people trying to make me Chabad, but now I would say that on the whole, they weren't trying to make us Chabad as much as they were trying to make us better, more learned Jews, who would be prepared to take their Judaism back to the outside world with them, know what they're doing and why and not be ashamed of it, and in that they succeeded phenomenally. Outside of class, we had two trips to New York City to see Lubavitch World Headquarters in Crown Heights, the Jewish Heritage Museum, the Ohel, and to hear women speakers on Jewish relationships; went on a rafting trip on the Delaware River; spent an unforgettable Shabbaton with two fantastic families in Monsey, New York, in addition to regular trips to town for shopping and phone calls, and trips to the library for Internet. It was the experience of all our lives but too soon it was over and we were all left asking, ''Where to go now?“ All of us had our challenges to come back to, to use this experience and each other to move our lives and the lives of those around us forward in the best possible way. For me personally, I feel Ivy League has taught me so much, not only about Judaism, but about people and about life. Anytime I think back on anything Ivy League, I smile, and when I observe some precept of Judaism I learned there, there is an extra joy and relevance in it for me, and when I get correspondence from one of the guys, it makes my day, because it brings me back to that wonderful time learning Torah with them in the mountains. I would strongly recommend this experience to anyone seriously interested in exploring his Judaism while still staying in school or at work. It will help you to take Torah with you and find relevance and meaning in it in wherever you go and in whatever you do. Oh, and the food was very abundant and very good!
Bonnie Herman Penn State University
I didn't grow up identifying as Jewish, but that changed as I began to learn what it really meant to be a Jew. After studying on my own, I realized that my spiritual quest wasn't going to end anytime soon. I'd been learning for about eight months, but with work and university courses to deal with at the same time, I was not able to give Judaism my full attention. Ivy League, however, looked like I could get just that: an in-depth chance to study Judaism without the worries and distractions of college life. The stipend was what could make it all possible, so when I found out about it, I rushed to apply. I came to the Catskills with an open mind, and left with a dozen sisters and broader definition of what it means to be Jewish. We learned a staggering amount of material in a comparatively minute amount of time; our days, nights and weekends were jam packed. But we didn't just learn. We laughed, cried, sang, shared, and bonded so fully, so fast. From the day trips to the Shabbos tables, everything affected me. The environment was beautiful, the food was delicious, and the extra-curricular activities were enjoyable and meaningful. No matter what someone's inclinations, they had the chance to express themselves. During our breaks, girls went shopping, swimming, hiking, did yoga or just got to know each other better. We made Shabbos decorations and mezuzzah covers, learned and practiced micro-calligraphy (artwork), and on our own, started a weekly newsletter. We even made kosher sushi! I felt at home with those young ladies, and happily surprised to discover that their goals of spiritual growth were on par with my own. In the months that preceded Ivy League, I often felt judged negatively for thinking that there could be a deeper purpose to life. I encountered tensions among friends and family as I didn't always tactfully or successfully convey my changing value system. I could recognize a lot of beauty and wisdom in Judaism, but I didn't know how to incorporate that into my life without leaving my loved ones in the dust. But Ivy League helped me with all of that. I could be honest about my beliefs and questions, and the two madrichot (or "counselors"), girls that grew up in observant homes, always gave supportive and thoughtful answers and advice. I learned as much from my peers as from the lecturers, and gained insight and strength by sharing my own lessons and experiences. Another thing that impressed me was that I was never put down for disagreeing with a Rabbi's, teacher's, or staff member's idea. Before coming to Ivy League, I was worried that I might be pressured to fit inside a tiny little box of Orthodoxy. But once I got there I realized what a baseless fear that was. Ivy League certainly offered a wealth of learning, but I was never forced to do anything I wasn't comfortable with, and I was never told I was wrong or bad. Girls there called themselves Reform, Conservative, Modern Orthodox, Chabad or just Jewish, and if they weren't ready to take on a certain observance, no one looked down on them. It was obvious that all of the teachers and staff members cared about us deeply. Their main goals were to provide us with an opportunity to grow and share in the beauty of true Torah Judaism, free of worry and restrictions. I believe they achieved that and more. Ivy League helped me focus and strengthen my awareness of concepts that were only peripheral to me at the beginning of that summer. Looking back I realize how blessed I was; instead of paying thousands to travel to Israel, I got paid thousands to study in upstate NY! At Ivy League, I was able to develop the intellectual tools to define my spiritual identity. I was worried about committing to too much too soon, but Ivy League allowed me to expand my horizons without falling off the the cliff! For all of these reasons and more, Ivy League was the perfect next step in my spiritual education. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to have a meaningful, unforgettable Jewish experience.