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Avi Schiff<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When Rabbi Yitzchok Hertz\u2019s twin sons were in seventh grade and his younger son was in fifth, homework was a struggle. Like in many families, each night, the same questions arose: Do you have homework? Did you do your homework?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Homework was a stress, and the learning was something to \u201cget over with\u201d rather than something enjoyable and fulfilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rabbi Hertz knew that something had to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Striking gold<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It was then that he heard from the son of R\u2019 Isser Wolfson z\u201dl<\/em> from Passaic, whose father had \u201cslots\u201d each night to learn with his sons. Each son was allotted 20 minutes, and father and son got to spend that time together learning, bonding, and growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rabbi Hertz tried it himself. He made slots of learning for his children nightly\u2014and it was a game changer. Suddenly, the stress of homework vanished. It wasn\u2019t about getting homework done, but about spending quality, productive time together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And it wasn\u2019t about finishing homework, but about learning. Really<\/em> learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then, Rabbi Hertz\u2019s brother Tzvi z\u201dl<\/em> suddenly passed away. Seeking to do something l\u2019iluy nishmaso<\/em>, Rabbi Hertz thought of an evening learning program for boys. If his idea worked for his own sons at home, why couldn\u2019t it work on a larger scale in a local shul for a greater number of youngsters?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In short order, Rabbi Hertz launched a program that became known as the Homework Kollel, with two initial branches, one in the Westgate beis midrash<\/em> and one in the beis midrash<\/em> of Kelm Woods. The idea was simple: Give boys in fifth through eighth grade an opportunity to transform nightly review of their limudim<\/em> into a rewarding, interactive experience. Throughout the week, the boys would enjoy camaraderie and mentorship while being rewarded with gift cards to local vendors, including a pizza store, an ice cream store, a sefarim<\/em> store, and a toy store. In addition to the gift cards, the boys would be treated each Thursday night to cholent and kugel, a beautiful way to wrap up a week of aliyah<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe saw the impact right away,\u201d remembers Rabbi Hertz. \u201cThe parents felt that their sons finally had some nightly structure and fulfillment. The boys felt important; they felt part of something bigger. And then we got feedback from their rebbe\u2019im<\/em> and menahelim<\/em>, who said that the boys\u2019 sense of gratification was being reflected in their classroom learning and overall performance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, Rabbi Hertz had struck gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Making of a movement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The project took a lot of work and coordination. Each location was assigned its own sho\u2019el u\u2019meishiv<\/em> to oversee the program and interact with the boys, and chavrusas<\/em> were arranged for those boys whose fathers were not available and a paid chavrusa<\/em> could not be arranged to learn with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From a financial perspective, in addition to the costs of running the program, the Homework Kollel employs eight paid chavrusas<\/em> who are available to learn with boys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, Rabbi Hertz wasted no time in exploring avenues of growth, expanding to additional locations in Lakewood. He also brought in r<\/em>abbanim<\/em> and roshei yeshivos<\/em> to speak to the boys from time to time, giving them a feeling of chashivus<\/em>, of being a part of something truly important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And grow it did. Today, the Homework Kollel is comprised of eight locations, including branches in Detroit and North Miami Beach, and services over 400 boys nightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt became a movement,\u201d says Rabbi Hertz. \u201cAnd the boys realized it; they are honored and thrilled to be part of something broader in nature, a program that has been uniting boys from different yeshivos and different communities under the umbrella of the Homework Kollel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The program has had innumerable positive effects, impacting the boys in significant ways. Mechanchim<\/em> have pointed out that large classes in our schools as well as innumerable distractions often shortchange boys of the opportunity to develop passion and clarity in their formative years of Gemara learning. The Homework Kollel transforms nightly review of classroom learning into an interactive, satisfying experience for upper-elementary school-aged students. Through commitment to a consistent learning partner and the enthusiastic atmosphere created by a community of eager participants, the boys are inspired toward Gemara mastery, retention, and achievement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Homework Kollel is an incredible nightly experience for the boys,\u201d observes Rabbi Hertz. \u201cIt\u2019s where a boy\u2019s potential shines in all its glory. It\u2019s a place that is making a difference every night for every boy who participates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it\u2019s not just the learning and the fact that homework gets done. And it\u2019s much more than the prizes and refreshments that the boys enjoy (and they do!). It\u2019s the motivation and inspiration that the boys are infused with. The boys become enthused and energized, eager to continue growing and accomplishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy boys joined the excellent Homework Kollel program in the Tallymawr shul,\u201d says Mrs. Jaradi, a local resident with boys who are part of the Kollel. \u201cThis program impacts their learning and behavior. Baruch Hashem<\/em>, they are shteiging<\/em>… Keep up your great work!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rabbi Hertz recalls several boys who were struggling in school and whose parents had been advised to ensure that their sons receive tutoring to bring them up to par. \u201cAfter joining the Homework Kollel and learning consistently in this special environment, these very same boys shot up to the top of their classes. It was extraordinary. We saw a tangible spiral upward, a spiral of success and feelings of satisfaction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBoys who properly review their limudim<\/em> at night and know what\u2019s going on the next day in the classroom become confident, successful students,\u201d says Rabbi Yaakov Bogart, menahel<\/em> at Tashbar. \u201cThe Homework Kollel provides this opportunity to boys in a most ideal fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rabbi Yaakov Birnhack, a father and rebbi<\/em>, is effusive in his praise for the Homework Kollel. \u201cThis learning program has influenced my sons and their friends to happily spend their evenings in the beis midrash<\/em>, enthusiastically involved in their learning. What an amazing accomplishment!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Notes and letters pour into the Homework Kollel\u2019s office from parents who are deeply grateful for what Rabbi Hertz has created\u2014a virtual revolution in nightly learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe can\u2019t thank you enough for all you are doing for our son,\u201d say Yosef and Orah Bamberger, parents of a Kollel participant. \u201cThe learning in shul each night adds a dimension to his quality of learning and understanding and to his value of limud haTorah<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe boys take ownership of their homework and learning and want to do it,\u201d observes Rabbi Hertz. \u201cThe Homework Kollel has shifted their whole approach to learning, changing it from something they had<\/em> to do to something that they want<\/em> to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n An eye on the future<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy vision,\u201d Rabbi Hertz shares, \u201cis to have a Homework Kollel in every community. Somehow, someway, people have outsourced to the yeshivos the responsibility of inspiring the youth and connecting them to learning. But it takes a community. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child. For all boys, whether their father is available to learn with them or not, and whether they currently have a nightly learning arrangement or not, the Homework Kollel can make it happen.\u201d Ideally, each community would have a rav<\/em> and yungeleit<\/em> running the respective programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Rabbi Hertz seeks to grow the Homework Kollel, he will continue to invest time and effort into expanding the existing locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe palpable enthusiasm and the tangible results speak for themselves and make all the efforts worthwhile,\u201d Rabbi Hertz concludes. \u201cThe pep in each boy\u2019s step and the smiles on the faces of their parents and rebbe\u2019im<\/em> make it all worth it as we ignite our boys with passion and pride.We see the growth of the boys after they join the program, which is one of the reasons why it\u2019s been said that the Homework Kollel is \u2018where a boy becomes a bachur<\/em>.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n