In this episode of the Israel Gap Year B’Iyun Podcast, Avi Proctor sits down with Mrs. Shira Melamed, head of Midreshet Torat Chessed, for a thoughtful conversation about what it truly means to be “on the derech” — and why that definition may need to be reexamined in today’s educational and spiritual climate. Together, they explore the role that chessed plays in a student’s year in Israel, and what may be lost when it’s treated as an “extra” rather than an essential part of growth.

The conversation touches on common misunderstandings surrounding bitul Torah, the relationship between Torah learning and midot development, and how spiritual growth can sometimes occur without a parallel growth in empathy, emotional sensitivity, and derech eretz. They also discuss the responsibility educators carry in shaping not just what students know — but who they become — and how structured chessed can help bridge the gap between intellectual learning and lived Torah values.