CONTENTS

1. AFYBA Scarsdale Reception
2. Yeshivat Hesder Ruach Tzfonit, Akko Campus Dedications
3. "Yagdil Torah" Talmud Scholars Awarded Prizes
4. New Overseas Students Program at YH Shadmot Mechola
5. YBA Tikvat Yaakov Hosts First Israeli NBA Player
6. YBA Ner Tamid Dedicates Classroom Building
7. Registration for AFYBA January Mission Continues

YESHIVOT BNEI AKIVA –
ON THE FRONT LINES OF JEWISH SURVIVAL –
IN THE FOREFRONT OF JEWISH EDUCATION

Click here to view a map of the 63 schools in the YBA educational network.

AFYBA SCARSDALE RECEPTION

          Over 100 friends of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva from Scarsdale and New Rochelle participated in a reception honoring the memory of Rabbi Jacob Rubenstein z"l, by dedicating the English Judaica Library in his name at Yeshivat Hakotel in the Old City of Jerusalem. Rabbi Rubenstein and his wife Deborah lost their lives in a fire that engulfed their New Rochelle home in April 2008. Rabbi Rubenstein became close to YBA as a result of his organizing a series of "Spiritual Safaris" for his congregants at Yeshivat Hakotel.

          The reception took place at the home of AFYBA President Alan and Denise Wildes. Alan is himself an alumnus of the YBA Yeshivat Hakotel's Overseas Students Program. Three other alumni of the program were honored at the event: Ari Loren, Harris Lukashok and Ari Raskas. 

          Lt. Colonel (res.) Tzachi Fenton, a graduate of YBA Netiv Meir and the Hesder Program at Yeshivat Hakotel was the guest speaker. His slide presentation addressed some of the miracles he and his troops experienced in the Gaza Strip during Operation Cast Lead last January. Photographer and filmmaker Judah S. Harris documented the AFYBA Westchester Tribute Event, and photos can be seen at www.judahsharris.com/visit

          Click here to view a gallery of photos from the event.

YESHIVAT RUACH TZFONIT AKKO BUILDING DEDICATIONS

          Construction of the new campus for YBA Hesder Ruach Tzfonit in Akko continues at full speed, with two campus buildings already completed ahead of schedule. In September, Mrs. Chava Kreitzer was on hand to help dedicate the yeshiva's dining hall, and in October, the extended Nordlicht family attended the dedication of the Beit Midrash. The campus classroom building, student residences and community outreach center are scheduled to be completed by the start of the coming school year (August 2010). The new campus will allow the yeshiva to continue to grow from 160 students today to a maximum of 300 students.

Click here to view more photos of the Beit Medrash dedication

"YAGDIL TORAH"
TALMUD SCHOLARS AWARDED PRIZES

           Over 400 students from 14 YBA yeshiva high schools who participated in last year's "Yagdil Torah V'Yadir" Project packed the Beit Midrash at Yeshivat Givat Shmuel, near Bar Ilan University, to congratulate their classmates for mastering at least 50 daf (double sided pages) of Talmud, over and above their regular Talmud curriculum. The winners earned sets of Talmud and other Jewish texts, such as Tur, Rambam and Shulchan Aruch. 

           The number of prize winners has grown every year from 90 (25%) in 2007 to 130 (32%) in 2009, including 20 students who mastered over 100 daf last year. Mr. Ben Lande, the program's generous sponsor, was joined by his family members to extend a "yasher koach" to the boys. "It is a Kiddush Hashem and a huge zechut for Yeshivot Bnei Akiva that you boys sitting here today have collectively learned over 10,000 daf of Talmud; that's more than the entire Shas four times over!" he said, "Today, on the eve of Yom Kippur, may it be a zechut for Klal Yisrael as well."

           Presently, in the fourth year of the YBA Yagdil Torah Project, over 500 students from 15 schools are participating in the Talmud study program, and over 1,000 students from 16 schools are studying Seder Nezikin in the Mishnayot study program.

NEW OVERSEAS STUDENT PROGRAM
AT YBA HESDER SHADMOT NERIYA

           YBA Yeshivat Hesder Shadmot Neriya has announced the opening of a new Overseas Students program for Diaspora high school graduates who wish to spend a year studying Torat Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael before starting university. The yeshiva is located in the Jordan Valley settlement of Shadmot Mechola, near the town of Beit Shean.

           "What separates our program from all the other yeshiva programs in Israel is the amount of contact with native Israelis and the Land of Israel that we will offer," says yeshiva director, Rabbi Moti Goodman. "Besides daily Ulpan [conversational Hebrew] classes, every student will be assigned an Israeli chevruta [study partner] and adopting family from the settlement. Our program will feature more tiyulim [field trips] than other yeshiva programs, so that our students will really get to know the country and develop a genuine love for Eretz Yisrael."

           The program will open in August 2010, and scholarship assistance is available for qualified students through the MASA Program of the Jewish Agency for Israel.

           Click here to view a two-minute video about the Yeshivat Shadmot Neriya Overseas Student Program.

YBA TIKVAT YAAKOV
HOSTS FIRST ISRAELI NBA PLAYER

           In addition to providing exceptional formal education, all YBA schools make use of informal education methodology to strengthen Jewish values. For example, to enhance its curriculum on Teshuva (Atonement) during the month of Elul, YBA Tikvat Yaakov recently invited former Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball star Doron Sheffer to address the students about his spiritual journey of Teshuva.

Sporting a large white kipa and beard, Sheffer spoke about his youth as an All-Star point guard at the University of Connecticut, his draft into the NBA and his years leading Maccabi TA and Israel's national team to numerous championships. His talk took on a more serious note when he related how, in 2000, he was diagnosed with cancer, forcing him to retire from professional basketball at the height of his career.

           Sheffer went on to beat the disease, and then traveled to India in search of the meaning of life, finally returning to Israel in 2003 to resume his professional basketball career. After finally retiring from the parquet two years ago, Sheffer took up again his spiritual quest, this time in his own backyard, delving into his Jewish heritage. Today Sheffer learns Torah full-time in a Jerusalem yeshiva.

            The students were entranced by Sheffer's lecture, and after fielding a number of questions, Sheffer joined the boys and yeshiva staff for a friendly scrimmage game on the yeshiva's home court.

          Click here to donate online to any of the 63 YBA educational institutions.

YBA NER TAMID DEDICATES CLASSROOM BUILDING

          The sounds of conversations in English were heard alongside Hebrew at the dedication ceremony of a new classroom building at YBA Ner Tamid, located in Hashmonaim – a settlement near Modiin that is a popular destination for olim from North America.

            The new building replaces the temporary caravan classrooms that have served the yeshiva since its establishment in 1995. Ner Tamid's founder and President, Rabbi Aharon Adler, formerly from New York, and Rosh Yeshiva Palti Granot addressed the participants, as well as YBA Chairman, Rabbi Haim Drukman, YBA Director General, Elchanan Glatt, and other municipal officials.

            YBA Ner Tamid has announced a $40,000 capital campaign to complete the interior of its new dining hall, to replace the temporary structure presently used by the students for meals.

            Click here to donate online to the YBA Ner Tamid Capital Campaign.

JOIN AFYBA MISSION TO ISRAEL
JANUARY 9-17, 2010

Looking for a unique vacation combining Chesed and Torah? Looking for an unforgettable Israel experience with a dynamic tour leader? Join AFYBA’s inaugural mission to Israel, led by Rabbi Benjamin and Shevi Yudin. This amazing mission will combine hands-on Chesed projects and visits to off-the-beaten-path places such as Akko and Sussya, with insightful Torah commentaries by Rabbi Yudin, all while staying in five star hotels. There will also be many surprises along the way!

For more information call 212-248-0471
or go to our website www.afyba.org.

            You are receiving this e-mail because you are currently subscribed to receive the AFYBA E-newsletter, a monthly informational e-mail communication sent by the American Friends of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva. We would appreciate your confirming your interest in continuing to receive the AFYBA E-newsletter by clicking on the "confirm" link at the top of the e-mail, or by sending a blank reply to this message.

            If, however, you would like to be removed from this list, please feel free to click on the "unsubscribe" link at the top of the e-mail or on the "SafeUnsubscribe" link at the end of the e-mail, and your address will be automatically removed from our mailing list. For more information on Constant Contact's anti-spam policies, we invite you to read their "Privacy Policy," also at the end of the e-mail. 

            If you enjoyed reading this issue of the AFYBA E-newsletter please feel free to forward it to others who might share your interest in Yeshivot Bnei Akiva in Israel. You can be assured that they will not be bothered with unwanted spam messages and will only receive future issues if they choose to subscribe.

Oz Ben-Shmuel
Director of Public Relations
oz@yba.org.il

Visit our web site @ www.afyba.org

212-248-0417 |  office@afyba.org  |  www.afyba.org