AFYBA SCARSDALE RECEPTION Over 100 friends of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva from Scarsdale and New Rochelle participated in a reception honoring the Tzachi Fenton memory of Rabbi Jacob Rubenstein z”l, by dedicating the English Judaica Library in his name at Yeshivat Hakotel in Jerusalem. Rabbi Rubenstein and his wife Deborah lost their lives in a fire that engulfed their 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 Alan Wildes with honorees of 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. The event’s guest speaker was Lt. Colonel (res.) Tzachi Fenton, a graduate of YBA Netiv Meir and the Hesder Program at Yeshivat Hakotel, who spoke about the miracles that he and his troops experienced in the Gaza Strip during Operation Cast Lead last January.

YBA MARKS 70 YEARS AT KFAR HAROEH On the tenth of Heshvan [October 28], YBA in Israel marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of the first Bnei Akiva Yeshiva at Kfar Haroeh by Harav Tzvi Moshe Neriya zt”l. Guests of honor at the event included some of the original 13 students who accompanied Harav Neriya to Kfar Haroeh in 1939, and the rabbi’s widow, Mrs. Rachel Neriya. First YBA graduates with Rabbis Zuckerman and Drukman “Who could have imagined 70 years ago, that this small, seemingly insignificant group of students studying Torat Eretz Yisrael on this hilltop in the spirit of Harav Kook zt”l, would so quickly grow in numbers and influence, to impact the course of Jewish history, the contours of Israeli society – the very soul of our nation?” said Elchanan Glatt, Director General of YBA. The program featured a panel discussion addressing the question “Yeshiva High School Education: Where Do We Go from Here?”

ULPANAT KFAR PINES CELEBRATES JUBILEE Over 1,300 alumnae of YBA Ulpana Kfar Pines joined the school’s 400 students for an evening of celebration in recognition of the school’s 50th year of educational excellence. The school’s central courtyard was filled to capacity with young and old graduates chatting with classmates, viewing video presentations and listening to the school’s music department perform. The joyous occasion was capped by an address by Rosh Ulpana, Harav Yoram Tzohar, marking his 28th year as headmaster of the school. Kfar Pines is affectionately known as the “Mother of All Ulpanot,” serving as the model of religious Zionist dormitory education for girls, in the same way that YBA Kfar Haroeh served as the model for religious Zionist yeshiva education for boys.

“YAGDIL TORAH” TALMUD SCHOLARS AWARDED PRIZES

Ben Lande with Rabbi Engel and students

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 Merhavya Community Outreach Center are scheduled to be completed by August 2010. The new campus will allow the yeshiva to continue to grow from 160 students today to a maximum of 300 students.

AKKO MAYOR VISITS NY:
Mayor of Akko Shimon Lankry recently spent two days in New York participating in a series of meetings on behalf of YBA Yeshivat Hesder Ruach Tzfonit, Akko. Mayor Lankry, himself a graduate of YBA Kiryat Shmuel in nearby Haifa, played a key role in establishing the yeshiva in Akko in 2003, as part of his plan to lead a Jewish renaissance in the city.

JCRC-NY VISITS AKKO:
During his visit to New York, Mayor Lankry met the leadership of the Jewish Community Relations Council and volunteered to host the JCRC’s next mission to Israel in Akko. The group of 15 ommunity leaders toured Akko in August and learned how the municipality is constantly working to improve relations between the city’s Jewish and Arab residents, including investments in parks, community centers, educational and economic opportunities in both sectors.

For more infornation visit www.yakko.co.il

Nine graduates of YBA schools are presently serving in the as Members of Knesset, representing four different political parties in both the coalition and the opposition. YBA proudly salutes all its alumni who carry on the YBA tradition of excellence and leadership as Israel’s elected legislators.

Of the 500 Hesder yeshiva students inducted into the IDF in August, close to 80% were sent to infantry combat units, while others were drafted into the Armored Corp, Field Intelligence, and Navy. YBA proudly salutes the new recruits from its eight affiliated Hesder Yeshivot: Akko, Hagolan, Hakotel, Holon, Maalot, Or Etzion, Neve Dekalim, and Shadmot Neriya.

A recently released IDF research report measuring the motivation of inductees to serve in combat units revealed that eight YBA schools were among the highest ranked high schools in Israel. YBA Chairman Rabbi Haim Drukman commented, “We place a strong emphasis on teaching religious Zionist values: service to the State of Israel and the Jewish people alongside the study of Torah. The results can be seen in the high motivation of our graduates to serve in the IDF’s toughest combat units.”

To enhance its curriculum on Teshuva (Atonement) during the month of Elul, YBA Tikvat Yaakov invited former Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball star Doron Sheffer to address the students about his inspirational life story. Sporting a large white kipa and beard, Sheffer spoke about 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 embarked on a spiritual quest leading to his eventual return to his Jewish heritage. Today Sheffer learns Torah full-time in a Jerusalem yeshiva.

UBA Amana in Kfar Saba was ranked eighth nation-wide in Israeli high school matriculation (Bagrut) scores in a recent Ministry of Education study. UBA Segula in Kiryat Motzkin near Haifa was also ranked as the leading school in Israel’s northern district.

Yeshivot Bnei Akiva in Israel has selected three recent high school graduates as the winners of the annual Edythe Sommer Memorial Torah U’Maada Scholarship Award. Eitan Adler (Rambam Mesivta of Long Island), Benjamin Frieling, (DRS Halb) and Ryan Fiter (Hebrew Academy High School of Quebec) are all spending the year at the Yeshivat Hakotel Overseas Student Program, in Jerusalem’s Old City.

Established through the generosity of the Sommer Family of Chicago, the award recognizes post high school American students studying at YBA schools in Israel for their academic excellence, exemplary midot [character traits] and involvement in chesed and communal activities.