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Introduction
Derech Etz Chaim (DEC) is a post-high school religious zionistic yeshiva located in Har Nof, Jerusalem, Israel. It was designed for students to spend a year or more studying Torah after completing their high school studies and before embarking to university studies. It focuses primarily on the study of Talmud, giving students the ability and confidence to carry on learning Torah independently upon leaving DEC.

History
DEC was founded in 1998 by Rav Aharon Katz, who received semicha (rabbinic ordination) from both R' Yaakov Weinberg z"l and R' Moshe Halberstam.

Educational Philosophy
The educational philosophy at DEC is to provide small shiurim (classes), top-notch facilities and a non-institutional environment that allows high school students to transform into young responsible adults. Furthermore, DEC is uniquely focused on independence: independence in learning, independence in thinking, and independence of the individual as part of the greater community; constantly challenging students to think for themselves. Students will be appreciated for who they are while striving towards the realization of their unique potential. A close kesher (connection) with full-time dynamic rebbeim coupled with a challenging learning environment builds a foundation upon which future learning will firmly stand.

DEC is a proud affiliate of the Jewish Agency’s MASA Program

Daily Schedule
The daily schedule is divided into three major study segments:

Morning seder (9:00 - 12:30) is devoted to in depth B’Iyun seder of chavruta learning guided by our full time staff, followed by a dynamic and interactive shiur. Here students build essential comprehension tools toward independent learning as well as fine tune their analytical skills



Afternoon seder (15:00 - 17:30) is dedicated to an intense B’kiyut Program with built in periods of chavruta review and group review which completes approximately 120 daf per year. Every student is challenged to learn at least one entire mesechet and to know it thoroughly.

Night seder (20:00 - 22:00) is reserved for the remaining spectrum of Torah study either in shiurim, chavruta or guided independent study depending on the students preference. In-depth shiurim in a variety of subjects offered including Chumash, Halacha, Machshava, Parshat Hashavua, Sefer Hachinuch, and Mussar. In addition, a Navi Yomi program enables students to complete all of Neviim Rishonim over the course of the year.

An intensive Ulpan course is also offered, enabling students to improve their Hebrew speaking abilities.

Student Life
The DEC facility is a four story villa containing the dormitory, dining room, weight room, lounge areas, Beit Medrash and Shiur rooms. Each floor has spectacular views overlooking the Jerusalem Forest.

The small, personal, home-like environment of the yeshiva allows for personal accommodations designed for each individual student, with special attention to food, room arrangements, furnishings and sports facilities for optimal student well being. Shabbos and Yom Tov meals take place in Yeshiva twice a month, filled with ruach and the spirit of Shabbos. The homes of rebbeim are always open to students throughout the year as all rebbiem live within walking distance of the yeshiva.

DEC participates annually in the American Flag Football League in Israel each fall/winter, as well as basketball league and/or softball league in the spring. The Yeshiva provides a weight room for student use, as well as an indoor gym for basketball.

Derech Etz Chaim, provides a number of yeshiva-wide trips around Israel, including the Golan, Upper Galilee, Lower Galilee, Eilat, Negev and other major religious sites, on both full-day tiyulim, overnight tiyulim and shabbatonim. Trips are also filled with many activities such as rappelling, rafting, hiking, biking, swimming, jeeping and general touring. DEC believes in integrating your day-to-day Torah learning with an acute appreciation for the unique beauty of Eretz Yisrael. Staff members always participate on each tiyul, allowing students to strengthen their connection to their rebbeim in a non-academic setting.

Alumni
Derech Etz Chaim believe in creating relationships with students that last a lifetime. This enduring close communication with alumni is accomplished through distance learning via the Internet, an alumni web-group, as well as an annual shabbaton in the United States. Many alumni return to learn at DEC during their college winter break, for a semester during a leave of absence from university, or for a year or half-year upon college graduation and/or before graduate degree studies. This is a key important part of creating the extended Derech Etz Chaim family among students as well as create a mature beis midrash of alumni that act as role models for younger students.

The overwhelming majority of DEC students continue on to university studies and can be found in many of the U.S. and Canadian top universities and graduate schools, as well as hybrid yeshiva programs such as Lander College, Yeshiva University, Hebrew Theological College (Skokie, IL), Ner Yisrael Rabbinical College (Baltimore) and Talmudic University of Florida (Miami Beach)