At just 17 years old, balancing his yeshiva studies with outreach and promoting MDY’s activities on WhatsApp, Daniel Hahn from Givat Ze’ev shares how he returned to learning Gemara in the aftermath of the war—and how it transformed his life. “Instead of listening to music on the road, I listen to shiurim. That’s what gives me success.”
While many teenagers his age are preoccupied with typical youthful concerns, Daniel Hahn, a 17-year-old yeshiva student from Givat Ze’ev, has found himself on an entirely different path over the past year. What began as a child’s curiosity in 2021 has, with the outbreak of the war, evolved into a true sense of mission.
Daniel’s connection to MDY’s Daf Yomi learning began several years ago. He started studying the Daf Yomi within Rabbi Stefansky’s MDY framework. At the time, the shiurim were delivered only in English, and there was no AI support; young Daniel did his best to integrate into the learning. After a break, he returned to learning the Daf. Yet he admits honestly that at first he struggled to connect to the depth of the Gemara’s discussions.
The dramatic turning point came with the launch of Operation “Am KeLavi”, when Daniel felt an inner need to contribute his share. He expresses that he wanted to give of himself and return to structured learning. When he saw that they had begun studying Masechet Avodah Zarah, he decided that this was his moment to join the circle of learners. Since then, he says, his life has undergone a complete transformation.
For Daniel, the learning became a genuine tool for personal development—one that opened his mind and reshaped his daily routine. He shares that whereas in the past he would listen to music while traveling, today he takes advantage of every spare moment to listen to Daf Yomi shiurim, something that gives him a deep sense of fulfillment and achievement in life. Yet Daniel does not limit himself to personal study alone; he has become an ambassador for Daf Yomi in his yeshiva and in his local community. He has already succeeded in bringing three of his close friends into the circle of learners, and he works actively to strengthen the local viewing point for the shiurim in Givat Ze’ev.
Despite his young age, he has taken on a significant logistical and communal role, overseeing the publicity and distribution of the shiurim in WhatsApp groups throughout the Givat Ze’ev and Jerusalem area. He makes sure to attend the viewing point every evening and encourages others to join, through a belief that learning is the true anchor during complex times—and in life in general.
And thanks to Rabbi Eli, I merited to complete a tractate for the first time in my life.