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An English E-Newsletter for Yeshivat Har Etzion
Alumni | ||||||||||
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Dear Alumnus, It's been an action-packed few months for alumni of Yeshivat Har Etzion both here in Israel and overseas. The annual dinner in New York, celebrating the Yeshiva’s 40th anniversary, has come and gone and we hope that all who attended enjoyed the program and meeting with all four Roshei Yeshiva and fellow alumni and friends. As you are aware, there have been numerous Shabbatonim, shiurim, Lunch & Learns, and other events with the Roshei Yeshiva and Ramim in various communities and we are gratified by the high attendance and enthusiastic feedback. More detailed coverage and photos will be found in the upcoming issue of Etzion Update. In the meantime, pictures are available through the Yeshiva’s website: www.haretzion.org – just click on Media Gallery on left. Three "Mifgashmerim" (Mifgash Machzor, V'chetzi Mishmar) took place at the Yeshiva in recent months (January 10 for the first 13 machzorim, March 6 for the next ten machzorim, and most recently, April 10, for the younger machzorim). Each program was designed to combine shiurim and a social reunion with other alumni (including “chutznikim” who have made aliya) and their wives. A unique Bar Mitzvah Program took place at the Yeshiva on April 8, attended by over 30 alumni and their bar mitzvah-aged sons. The day-long program featured a shiur by Rosh Hayeshiva Harav Baruch Gigi, a workshop on how tefillin is made by a Sofer Stam alumnus, a tour of the library, personal meetings with the Roshei Yeshiva and a tour of Gush Etzion, including the audio-visual presentation at Kibbutz Kfar Etzion. The next Bar Mitzvah Program is scheduled for the end of Kayitz Z’man for boys celebrating their bar mitzvahs from Rosh Chodesh Tammuz 5768 through Rosh Chodesh Kislev 5769 and their alumni fathers. According to Rosh Hayeshiva Harav Yaakov Medan, the 40th year celebrations have two basic goals. The first is to bring the Yeshiva's unique message to a wider audience, in particular the religious Zionist community in Israel and throughout the world, and second, to consolidate Har Etzion alumni and to sharpen their awareness that the Yeshiva is not just a tunnel that a young man passes through for a number of years during his youth, but rather, a home for alumni throughout their lives. The Yeshiva strives to provide each talmid with the skills to grow and develop into a talmid chacham so that even when he leaves the Yeshiva, regardless of his chosen profession, he will continue to grow as a Ben Torah who carries the Yeshiva’s path and outlook within him wherever he goes and whatever he does. A big happening- Aliya Le'Regel - is planned for Isru Chag Shavuot (June 10/ 7 Sivan) for all alumni and their families. We look forward to seeing you then. One last thing - Please be sure to read the letter from Dr. Meyer Brayer and Yizhak Recanati about the planned publication of two special books in honor of the 40th Year Anniversary of the Yeshiva. Take a few minutes to fill out the questionnaire to help ensure the success of this project. Best wishes to you and your family and Klal Yisrael for a Chag Kasher V'Sameach! Shira Schreier and staff of Etzion News | ||||||||||
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From the Desk of Dr. Meyer Brayer
Dear
Alumnus, In the framework of the events
of the 40th year anniversary of the Yeshiva, we are planning to
publish two books. The first is a collection of articles about the unique
path and worldview of the Yeshiva and its Roshei Yeshiva written by
alumni. We are at an advanced stage of collecting articles from various
alumni for this book. The second book will be
album-style and is intended to open a wide window into the world of the
Yeshiva's alumni, both Hesder alumni and alumni from overseas. It will
include memories from Yeshiva, as well as reflections on the influence of
the Yeshiva on your lives and activities today. It is our hope that this
book will include as many alumni as possible.
To ensure the success of the project, we need the cooperation of each and every one of you. To this end, we have prepared a short questionnaire, and we would greatly appreciate your taking a few minutes to fill it out and send it back to us at your earliest convenience. For complete letter and questionaire...
Recent Visits by Roshei Yeshiva and Ramim in the U.S.
On the evening of April 4, Harav Baruch Gigi gave a stimulating shiur at the shul of Rabbi Benjy Samuels ‘86 in Boston, MA on the two songs of Hallel sung on Pesach night. The highly interactive shiur was garnished with frequent laughter at Harav Gigi's clever lines as well as many questions from the interested audience. After the shiur, Harav Gigi met with a contingent of bogrim and prospective students who had traveled to the shiur from Brandeis at the home of his gracious hosts, Dr. and Mrs. Bob Pick (parents of Yoni ’99-‘00). Discussion and dessert lasted late into the night. Harav Gigi's three-hour trek to Boston is representative of the tremendous effort on the part of the Ramim and Roshei Yeshiva to meet with as many bogrim as possible during their visits to Chutz La'Aretz. On Monday night, although both Harav Medan and Harav Gigi had landed that day, Harav Medan delivered a dynamic shiur on the topic of Korban Pesach when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbat, and both he and Harav Gigi held a tisch for bogrim currently studying at Yeshiva University. Later in the week, on their one day off, Harav Gigi, Harav Medan, and Harav Bazak met with a group of students in Central Park for some serious Tanach talk over a picnic lunch. On Shabbat, large numbers of students gathered in Queens to attend shiurim by Harav Mordechai Friedman and Harav Amnon Bazak. However, Yeshivat Har Etzion does not cater only to its bogrim. In Boston, before Harav Gigi began to speak, everyone gathered in the room explained his or her connection to the yeshiva. It turned out that the group of Harav Gigi's students from Migdal Oz, Yeshivat Har Etzion and Midreshet Lindenbaum was augmented by a group of Israeli post-doctoral students from MIT, members of the community, and of course, parents of past and present students.
Thank you to all the Ramim and Roshei Yeshiva for sharing your time and your Torah with us. Through these programs and shiurim, you strongly convey the sentiment jovially expressed by Harav Medan at the yeshiva dinner: “I'm happy to see you all tonight, even though you live in Chutz La'Aretz.” A Visit to Sederot
Creation of the World - Recognizing Science and
Torah
By Benjamin Abramowitz ‘07 On January 6th, students and
faculty of the Yeshiva had the opportunity to hear a lecture from
world-renown mathematician, Rabbi Dr. Leon Ehrenpreis. Dr. Ehrenpreis
opened our eyes to a new means of synthesizing the Creation story with
modern science, revealing how the views of our Amoraim regarding Creation
correlate seamlessly with the major theories of primordial
matter-formation posited by modern-day scientists.
The next day, a panel discussion was held
with Rav Ezra Bick, Rav Elyakim Krumbein, Rav Mosheh
Lichtenstein and Rav Reuven Aberman (father of Rav Moshe
Aberman), which was moderated by Rav Reuven Ziegler, and
included brief comments by Ethan Isenberg. According to Rav Yair
Kahn, who organized the event together with Craig Lubner, each
of the panelists described the impact of the Rav zt"l from differing
angles by recounting personal experiences and focusing on the importance
of the Rav's legacy today. For complete
story...
Dvar Torah for Pesach The night of the Seder is in essence an experience in education. For whom is this educational experience meant? The Rambam, in the seventh perek of Chametz U'Matzah, writes that the mitzva of Sipur Yetziat Mitzrayim consists of two different commandments. One is derived from the pasuk, "Zakhor et hayom hazeh asher yetzaatem mi'Mitzrayim". This pasuk commands us to tell the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim regardless of whom we are with. Clearly, this commandment is meant to affect the story teller, as a reporter of the story, no less than it affects those who are listening as the story is told. It can, therefore, be concluded that this aspect of Mitzvat Sipur Yetziat Mitzrayim is directed predominantly at educating oneself. On the other hand, in halakha bet, the Rambam speaks of a commandment to teach the children, derived from the pasuk, "Vehigadeta levinkha". We can, therefore, fittingly conclude that the instruction at the Seder is meant to impact the story teller as well as to educate others.
It is interesting to note that the Rambam opens with the
commandment to educate oneself and only after that proceeds to discuss the
details pertaining to the education of others. I believe this is not coincidental,
and that the Rambam is teaching us a lesson in education and Talmud
Torah. In the first halakha
the Rambam states, based on the Mekhilta, that even great
scholars must tell the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim. Clearly, these scholars do not need
to learn the events that transpired at Yetziat Mitzrayim and yet
they must tell the story. Why? The purpose of their discussion is
to reinforce and deepen the commitment that stems from the awareness of
Yetziat Mitzrayim. Only after one has reinforced his
own roots in Avodat Hashem can he proceed to convey his knowledge
and commitment to others. It is interesting to note that while both halakhot
alef and bet are written in the singular, the line about
"Chakhamim gedolim chayavim le'saper…" is in the plural form.
In this change we may see a
halakhic message: Though one can technically fulfill the mitzva on his
own, it is preferable to do so with others. This corresponds with the halakha
found in reference to eating the Korban Pesach. The Rambam rules like the opinion
in Chazal that an individual may bring and eat a Korban Pesach on
his own (Korban Pesach ch.2 hal.2). Yet, he adds that we must make an
effort that a Korban Pesach not be slaughtered for an individual
as is stated in the pasuk, "ya'asu oto", they
shall bring it (Korban Pesach). If the Seder night is meant as an
educational experience, then we can conclude from these sources that when
it is performed in a group the experience is far more significant and
meaningful. All of us - parents, teachers and educators - need to make sure that we are
properly fortified with Torah so that we can, in turn, convey its values
to our children, students and chanikhim. To that end, I urge you all not to
suffice with the chizuk of the Seder night, but to continue the
experience and be kove'a itim la'Torah on a regular basis. Furthermore, as it is preferable to
tell the story and eat the Korban Pesach on the night of the
Seder in a chabura, so, too, some of our learning should be done
in a group in a Beit Midrash. When we learn with others, we
enhance the quality of our own learning as well as fortifying the learning
of others around us. May we all be zocheh to tell the story of
Yetziat Mitzrayim be'chabura with a Korban Pesach bimhera
be-yameinu. Chag Kasher
Ve'sameach, Rav Moshe Aberman
Recent Yeshiva Publications
For more information and how to
order...
Pre-Army Mechina Visits Yeshiva
On January 9, (2 Shevat), a large group from the pre-army Mechina Nachshon for both religious and secular visited the Yeshiva.
Harav Medan greeted the group after which they divided into smaller groups for text-based learning with Har Etzion talmidim, and a follow-up summary of the topic.
Approximately 1,500 people
[!] visited the Yeshiva this year, including soldiers, high school
students and other groups.
Alumni News The section of this
newsletter over which we fret the
most!! We do our best to include all relevant
information accurately, but undoubtedly have missed something – our
apologies mei-rosh - please send your news to: shira@etzion.org.il Marriages Jonty Blackman '88 and Abi
Ofstein Yoni Ray '98 and Rena
Ginsburg Yonatan Schechter '99 and
Shira Siev Gabi Spiewak '00 and Yael
Hall Richard Hyman '01 and Tamar
Bordoley Oren Chazan '02 and Keren Levy
MO '06 Mark Meyerson '03 and Dina
Bergsen Jonny Hillel Katchen '04 PC and
Talya Frohlich Yoni Zarbiv '04 and Gila
Kanal Shmuel Daniel ('06 Hesder) and
Bareket Katvan Marriages of
Children Menachem ’72 and Rena Schrader
on the marriage of Tirza and Baruch
Perlman Eli '75 and Sharon Lerner on
the marriage of Ezra and Faige
Younger Zev (Billy) '78 and Karen
Levine on the marriage of Netta and Chanan Ben
Ichay Births Doniel ’86 and Aviva
Schreiber, Shmuel Nachum, Alon
Shevut Daniel '87 and Na'amah
Roselaar, Chanania Baruch, Ari '87 and Anita Berman,
Yonatan Meir, Neve Daniel Tani ’89 and Miriam Wallach,
Ayelet Hashachar, Moreshet Gedalya '90 and Miriam Berger,
Baruch Meir, Mount Vernon, NY Daniel '92 and Rachel Wolf,
Yaniv Yehuda, Alon Shevut Ben '95 and Shuli (Weiner)
Sandler, Nava, NYC Dani '95 and Nina Bieler,
twins: Atara Simcha and Noam Shmaya, Hillel '95 and Yael Maizels,
Elisheva Talya, Alon Shevut David '95 and Shari Domb,
twins: Alexander and Nathan,
NYC Yaakov '96 and Yocheved
Lipshitz, Ahava Bracha, Chicago,
IL Hillel '96 and Yifat Levin,
Noa (Beth) Batsheva, Avraham '97 and Dani
Bronstein, Ne'ima Yael, Jonny '97 and Lauren Newman,
boy, London, England Sammy '98 and Rachel Groner,
girl, Riverdale, NY Jonny '98 and Gaby Steel,
Matan Simcha, Modiin Yehuda '98 and Elissa
Chanales, boy, NYC Aryeh '99 and Penina Dienstag,
Tifferet Tehila, Tel Aviv Binyamin '99 and Deborah
Radomsky, Betzalel Tzvi, Elazar Avi "Big Av" '99 and Chanie
Wiesenberg, boy, London,
England Dovid '00 and Ellie Erdfarb,
Nechemia Asher, Alon Shevut Ephraim '01 PC and Sarah
Mernick, Akiva Chanoch, Riverdale,
NY Binyamin (Bruno) '01 and
Rachel Belaciano, girl, New York,
NY Jonathan '03 and Shari (Gross)
Lauer, boy, NYC Shalom (Program Coordinator
for Darkaynu Program) and Bryna Ozarowski, Neriya Shlomo, Alon
Shevut Dani (Shana Vav, Madrich
Darkaynu Program) and Mazalit Appel, Shoham, Alon
Shevut Births of
Grandchildren Zvi '74 and Rahel Bessin on
the birth of a granddaughter, Shira Adina (parents: Tamar and Eytan Rund)
and grandson, Yehonatan Amichai ( parents: Miriam and Lazer
Love). Josh ’75 and Shira Schreier on
the birth of a grandson, Amichai (parents: Rahel and Yair
Moses) Shmuel '76 and Shainde Sohn on
the birth of a grandson, Uri Noam, (parents: Elazar, machzor lamed-heh,
and Sara Sohn) and a granddaughter, Morasha Bitya (parents: Atara and
Gilad Lewis) Menachem ’77 and Thea Leibtag
and Shuki and Efrat Reiss on the birth of a grandson, Gilad, (parents:
Leah and Yedidya Reiss) Scot A. Berman '77 and Esther
Meiersdorf on the birth of a grandson, Yehoshua Nachman, (parents: Tzippy
and Jason Smilovitz) Raymond ’79 and Vicky Harari
on the birth of a grandson, Yerucham Moshe (parents: Avi and Zahava
Harari) Mazal Tov to George and
Stephanie Saks on the birth of twin grandchildren and to parents, David
and Margi Saks Mazal Tov to Rosh Hayeshiva
Harav Yaakov and Ruti Medan on the birth of a
granddaughter Mazal Tov to Yedaya Hacohen on
the birth of a grandson and
greatgrandson Mazal Tov to Dr. Meyer Brayer
on the birth of a greatgrandson Mazal Tov to Rav and Rabbanit
Amital on the birth of a
greatgrandson Mazal Tov to Rav and Dr. Tovah
Lichtenstein on the birth of a granddaughter, Odelia Tamar, (parents: Toni
and Oded Mittelman). Bar/Bat
Mitzvas Neriya Yosef (bar mitzvah) and
Ayelet HaShachar (bat mitzvah), (Yehuda '74 and Ariella),
Efrat Yishai Fredman (Michael ’77
and Lisa), Efrat Yitzchak Yair Weber (Eli '81
and Elka), Teaneck, NJ Zechariah Zvi Schwartz (Yoni
'82 and Bashi), Efrat Moshe Yitzhak Haber (Alan '86
and Monica), Alon Shevut Tehilla Ziegler (Ronnie '86
and Yael), Alon Shevut Devorah Roselaar (Daniel '87
and Na'amah), Yehuda Shaul Taragin (Reuven
'88 and Shani), Alon Shevut Penina Taragin (Reuven ’88 and
Shani), Alon Shevut Yakov Yehuda Wallach (Tani ’89
and Miriam), Moreshet Mazal Tov to Rosh Hayeshiva
Harav Yaakov and Ruti Medan on the bar mitzva of
Yisrael. Aliya Binyamin '99 and Deborah
Radomsky, Elazar David Greenberg ‘07, talmid in
Yeshiva Gideon Shaw
‘01 Condolences To Irwin Major '73 on the loss
of his father, Mr. Raymond Major
z"l To Moshe ’77 and Neil '82 Bane on the loss
of their mother, Mrs. Edith Bane
z"l To Dr. Alan Jotkowitz '82 on
the loss of his father, Dr. Seymour Jotkowitz
z"l To Rav Hillel Rachmani on the
loss of his father, R. Levy Yitzchak Rachmani
z"l To Rav Shlomo Brin on the loss
of his mother, Mrs. Tova Brin
z"l. To Rosh Hayeshiva Harav Baruch
Gigi on the loss of his mother, Mrs. Ruvida Gigi
z"l To the family of Mrs. Erica
Jesselson z"l, devoted friend and supporter of the
Yeshiva. äî÷åí éðçí àúëí áúåê ùàø àáìé öéåï
åéøåùìéí
SKA Beit Midrash for Women in Migdal Oz News
A Sefer Torah Dedication Ceremony of the B’Nai Israel Jewish Centre took place on January 20 (13 Shevat) at The Stella K. Abraham Beit Midrash for Women in Migdal Oz.
Honored guests were Mrs. Frieda Nack and her son, Mr. Daniel Nack, and Rabbi Dr. Reuven P. and Mrs. Leah Bulka, daughter of Rabbi Dr. Noah Rosenbloom z”l, Mara D’Atra of B’Nai Israel Jewish Centre.
Herzog College News Some Stats: Established 35 years ago, Herzog College, the largest religious teachers’ training college in Israel, directed by Prof. Shmuel Shilo, has 1,200 current students and 2,000 graduates, with 150 lecturers and 7 tracks of study. There are 40 students in the new Master’s Program. The Pedagogic Library has 30,000 titles. The Employment Fair of Herzog College – Nissan 5768 Tens of school principals
gathered at Herzog College on Sunday, April 6, in order to recruit new
teachers from among Herzog graduates for their schools, yeshivot,
ulpanot, youth villages and shlichut in educational
institutions overseas. "In the religious Zionist community, there is still an ideal of
pursuing a career in Jewish education," says Dr. Ezra
Kehalani, Assistant Director of
Monthly Shiurim: Herzog College organizes monthly shiurim in Tanach and Machshava at many locations throughout the country – Givat Shmuel, Beit Shemesh, Rehovot, Kochav Yair - Tzur Yigal, Tzofim and Haifa - attended by hundreds of alumni and the community at large. For details, see: www.herzog.ac.il
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Yeshivat Har Etzion Websites: www.haretzion.org www.vbm-torah.org - The
Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash Pictures in this issue are
courtesy of | ||||||||||
Etzion
News
Fifty Yeshivat Har
Etzion Hesder talmidim, along with Rav Uzi Friedlich,
Mashgiach Ruchani, Rav Amichai Gordon, Ram, and two
Kollel families, spent Shabbat Va'Yechi in Sederot with the goal of
expressing solidarity with the residents of the city and to help raise
spirits. 
Following
a heartfelt introduction by his son, Saadya Ehrenpreis, a student of
Yeshivat Darkaynu at Yeshivat Har Etzion, Dr. Ehrenpreis began by showing
how the use of the past perfect tense in the preliminary pesukim of
Bereishit indicates existence prior to G-d's creation (yeish
m'yeish). Yet we know that G-d created the world ex nihilo
(yeish m'ayin)! We must understand, Dr. Ehrenpreis maintains,
that Creation is yeish m'ayin from our human perspective, which is
limited by the extent of our knowledge; but, Creation is yeish
m'yeish from the omniscient perspective of G-d. With this in mind, we
can begin to tackle this complex subject.
During
Chanuka, alumnus Ethan Isenberg ('99 PC) Director/Producer of the
documentary film "Lonely Man of Faith: The Life and Legacy of Rabbi Joseph
B. Soloveitchik", offered to screen the film for overseas students at
Yeshiva.
