| • Volume 2, Issue 4 | • Tevet 5770 | • December 2009 |
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CONTENTS
YESHIVOT BNEI AKIVA – Click here to view a map of the 63 schools in the YBA educational network. |
AFYBA NAMES NEW CO-PRESIDENTS Two Teaneck, NJ residents have been named co-presidents of American Friends of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva. The new faces at the helm of AFYBA belong to Joshua Annenberg, an attorney with a private practice and a professor at New York Law School, and Daniel Edelman, a commercial litigator and partner at a Manhattan law firm. Among their top priorities is to attract new membership to the organization and draw more participants to future events in Teaneck and in other Jewish communities around the United States. Annenberg and Edelman succeed Alan Wildes, who announced his retirement last month after serving for 11 years as the organization’s president. Click here to read the entire article in the NJ Jewish Standard by Deena Yellin-Fuksbrumer |
RABBI DRUKMAN AT HEBREW INSTITUTE OF RIVERDALE
YBA Chairman Rabbi Haim Drukman lectured on the state of conversion in Israel at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, NY on December 1, 2009. The event was co-sponsored by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School (YCT) and the International Rabbinic Fellowship. An excerpt: "Over 20 years before the gates of the USSR were opened, Rabbi Unterman, the Chief Rabbi of Israel, stood in Jerusalem and said that ‘we are going to expect a great Aliyah from Russia; and many of them will need to be converted, and we must deal with them kindly after all the troubles they went through.’ "We demonstrated for Russian Jews – and who demonstrated? Most of them were religious youth! We knew even back then that once they arrive, the Russian Jews would need to be converted. So we definitely are supposed to help them become complete Jews. We should have done it 18 years ago, when the Aliyah from Russia started. Then, it would have been much simpler in all aspects. But even now, we can't say that it's too late – we have to do whatever we can to help them become complete Jews."Click here for AUDIO (mp3) courtesy of YCT. |
YESHIVAT HESDER RUACH TZFONIT AKKO
Since opening its doors with 20 students in 2002, Yeshivat Hesder Ruach Tzfonit, Akko has become a focal point of a Jewish renaissance in the mixed city, as well as a magnet for religious Zionist couples. When Rosh Yeshiva Yossi Stern (38) from Alon Moreh arrived seven years ago, there was a feeling of distress and despondency among the veteran Jewish residents of Akko. Almost everyone who was able had already left the town for greener pastures. Boaz Amir is a graduate of the yeshiva's first class and a garin member who now serves as Rabbi Stern's right-hand-man. "I came from Karnei Shomron where my wife and I grew up. I saw that there was much to be done to strengthen Eretz Yisrael other than building settlements beyond the Green Line. Daily life here is bright; the veteran residents are filled with appreciation for the garin members and yeshiva students – they even come up to us on the street to say so. It's so invigorating! On the whole, all the residents here are very supportive and friendly, and we feel happy to be here."
Nearly 3,000 Jewish tourists visited Akko during the week of Sukkot and were treated to an up-close and personal look at the spirit of Zionism in the Galilee by the devoted guides of the yeshiva's Midreshet Merhavya. The Midrasha was established after the Second Lebanon War in memory of Hesder student Amichai Merhavya who was killed in the Battle of Bint Jbeil. This Chanukah, the Midrasha expects to see equally strong numbers of visitors touring the ancient sites that once hosted great scholars such as the Rambam, Ramchal, and Ramban and their students. YBA friends and supporters planning trips to Israel are invited to contact the Midrasha to set up tour dates for an unforgettable Jewish Heritage Tour of Akko. To arrange a tour, please contact Midreshet Merhavya at (972-54) 797-2594 or hesderakko@gmail.com |
OROT ISRAEL COLLEGE ON DUGIT BEACH PATROL During the months of summer vacation, Dugit Beach on Lake Kinneret becomes a haven for a hundreds of fun-seeking Israeli teens. Not surprisingly, dangerous teenage behaviors abound every night, including violence, peer pressure, alcohol/drug abuse and casual sexual relations.
For several years, ELEM, an organization that works with youth at risk, has built an open tent at Dugit Beach providing free professional advisors to teenagers in need of information, guidance, support, or just a sympathetic ear. During the summer of 2009, students studying in the Orot Israel College's Department of Social and Communal Education joined the ELEM Dugit Beach Project to help deal with the problems and dilemmas unique to religious youth. Orot's students found the experience of meeting directly with youth at risk, especially from religious backgrounds, both meaningful and challenging. The students found that as religious volunteers, they could play a very significant role in affecting teens at risk, because of their unique understanding of self-image and religious identity issues. In the years to come, Orot hopes to make its participation in the Dugit Beach Project a permanent part of students' volunteer work. Click here to visit the Orot Israel College web site in English |
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR HARAV NERIYA, ZT"L
On the 19th of Kislev (December 6), 14 years after the passing of Harav Moshe Zvi Neriya, hundreds of YBA Kfar Haroeh students past and present, Moshav Kfar Haroeh members, Rabbis, family members and friends conducted a graveside memorial service paying tribute to the founder of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva, and the spiritual father of the kipa sruga generation of religious Zionism. The speakers cited Harav Neriya's personal charisma and vision on the one hand, and his humility and righteousness on the other hand, and expressed gratitude for his virtuous leadership of YBA for over 55 years until his passing. Yehi zichro baruch, may his memory be blessed. Click here to read more about the life of Harav Neriya |
CALLING ALL LAST-MINUTE DONATIONS It's the end of December; do you know where all your philanthropic dollars are going? Please consider making an online donation to the AFYBA Scholarship Fund! It's fast. It's easy. Maximize your IRS tax break for 2009 while helping to support over 10,000 needy children receiving tuition scholarships from YBA, Israel's premier religious Zionist educational network. So take a moment and please give generously. Click here to make an online donation right now! |
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