Yeshiva Student's Song of Encouragement, Military Prep, and Everyday Tech Tips on Weekly Show
The Hebrew-language program "Dvar HaShavua," hosted by Moshe Mans, aired a wide-ranging episode mixing personal inspiration, community tensions, practical technology advice, and military-preparation guidance. The show opened with singer and educator Rabbi Itzy Ackerman discussing his new clip, "You Are Special," a song aimed at teens and yeshiva students who feel discouraged. Ackerman said the message is meant to tell a son, and by extension a person facing spiritual struggle, "Stop thinking I am not satisfied with you. I am your father and you are my beloved son."
Ackerman said the song was not originally his. It came from a yeshiva student writing under the pseudonym Shimi Zilber, and he was moved by hearing the lyrics at a winter Saturday-night kumzitz in Yeshivat Bar Yitzchak, when he himself was feeling low. He described the song as a response to the greatest tactic of the evil inclination, despair. Ackerman also spoke about his connection to families of hostages, describing a moving flight to Zurich in which he met Bar Kupershtein and 11 other freed hostages heading to Brazil, and said he shared whiskey and long personal conversations with them.
The show then turned to the rift between the ultra-Orthodox and national-religious communities, with Ariel Sharfer arguing that the tension stems from different expectations, rigid labels, and media narratives that normalize violence. He said the national-religious public often sees the ultra-Orthodox as dismissive of others, while ultra-Orthodox society pays a heavy communal price for departures from the norm, such as enlistment. Sharfer urged recognition of the broad middle ground in religious life and criticized media coverage that, לדבריו, legitimizes aggression.
Later, technology contributor Alhanan Twieg explained how lithium-ion batteries work and why they degrade after roughly 500 to 1,000 charging cycles, when about 20% of ions can no longer move properly. He said the old advice against overnight charging is outdated because modern phones manage charging intelligently, but warned that heat, especially 35 to 40 degrees Celsius, is the main battery killer. He advised not leaving a phone charging in a car under direct sun or sleeping with it under a pillow while charging.
The final segment focused on the "Kal BaKerav" pre-army program and the new ultra-Orthodox combat track, including the "Hashmonaim" unit. Gidi Cohen, who helps prepare young ultra-Orthodox recruits, discussed selection and special accommodations for observant soldiers. The show concluded that the motivation and determination of these recruits show how far they can go.