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What's New in Yeshiva? (Elul 5762)

Week of 23-29 Tishrei / Sep. 29 - Oct. 5
Shabbat Bereishit

Overseas Tiyul to Eilat: The overseas talmidim traveled on a three-day tiyul to Eilat. They stayed at the Shalom Hotel and enjoyed swimming in the Red Sea, rapelling, and a lot of hiking up hills and down valleys. Amongst the highlights of the tiyul was a boat ride in the Red Sea, with singing and dancing aboard, and a Kumsitz along the shores of Eilat. They were accompanied by Rav Ari Katz and his family, and the overseas madrichim, Guy Doron and Yaakov Kastner.

Close to forty talmidim remained in the Yeshiva for Shabbat, concluding Tishrei and Bein Hazmanim with additional inspiration. The Chatan Torah and Chatan Bereishit held an Seuda Shlishit for the community and the talmidim who were present.

Week of 16-22 Tishrei / Sep. 22-28
Succot - Shemini Atzeret (Simchat Torah)

The Annual Dinner was held in the Succah of the Ramada Renaissance Hotel in Yerushalayim, with close to 500 people participating. This year's Guests of Honor were Hamashgiach Rav Avraham Rivlin shlita, upon 35 years of dedicated service to the Yeshiva, and Mr. Bernard Hochstein, long-time President of the American Friends of KBY and Chairman of the Board of KBY, upon his 90^th birthday. The dinner featured the international Chazan Yitzchak Meir Helfgot and a multimedia presentation about the Yeshiva. The beginning of the 50^th Anniversary Year of the Yeshiva was officially announced.

Simchat Beit Hasho'eva: Inspired by the success of the Melave Malka at Tel Hashomer Hospital, the Yeshiva decided to hold its annual Simchat Beit Hasho'eva there, instead of at the Rosh Hayeshiva's house, in conjunction with the IDF Rabbinate. The choir and band of the IDF Rabbinate performed for the patients and about 100 of their family members, and the event was graced with the presence of Rav Yisrael Weiss, Chief Rabbi of the IDF. A succah was set up outside the lobby, and food (including home-baked cakes) and drink were provided by the Yeshiva. Buses were arranged for the talmidim from Yerushalayim, Haifa, and Be'er Sheva. The occasion was filled with great ruach, and served as a tremendous Kiddush Hashem.

Shemini Atzeret (Simchat Torah): The Yeshiva came to life for Simchat Torah, with most of the talmidim and families returning from their Succot stays with relatives and friends. Hakafot were held throughout the day, after Maariv, Shacharit and Mincha. Rav Kalman Ber, who returned this year from Sabbatical in Belgium, was honored as Chatan Torah, and Rav Benzion Algazi as Chatan Bereishit. As customary, the Yeshiva families ate together in the Dining Hall together with the talmidim. On Motzei Yom-Tov, a group of Kollel families and talmidim, led by Rav Yitzchak Levi, went to participate in Hakafot Sheniyot in the nearby city of Gedera, while others joined the adjacent Kevutzat Yavneh. Meanwhile, the overseas students observed the second day of Yom Tov as Simchat Torah, and were joined in their dancing and singing by the local Ramim and Avreichim. (Photos of second-day Simchat Torah are available at http://www.kby.org/photos/simchattorah63.html )

Mazal Tov to Rav Avraham and Ruth Rivlin upon the birth of a grandson.

Week of 9-15 Tishrei / Sep. 15-21
Shabbat Succot

Yom Kippur: Once again, the Yeshiva was full for the inspiring Yom Kippur davening, led by Rav Posen and Dayan Be'eri shlita. We hope that the prayers of all Klal Yisrael were accepted, and that we will be blessed with a year of peace, health and prosperity.

Mazal Tov to Ze'ev and Ronya Friedlander upon the birth of a son, Yedidya Aharon.
Mazal Tov to Rav Aharon and Avishag Friedman upon the birth of a son, Yisrael.

Week of 2-8 Tishrei / Sep. 8-14
Parshat Ha'azinu - Shabbat Shuva

On Tzom Gedalya, Rav Zion Luz gave a sicha, Pardon and Atonement, in which he explained the difference between the pardon of Rosh Hashana and the atonement of Yom Kippur.

Memorial Gathering for Fallen Soldiers: The Yeshiva held its annual "Day full of Torah" commemorating its fallen soldiers, many of whom were killed in the Yom Kippur War. Shiurim were given throughout the morning in the context of the weekly educators' enrichment program. In the afternoon, the Yeshiva went to recite Tehillim and "Kel Malei" at the gravesite of Avraham Feldman hy"d, who is buried in the kibbutz cemetery adjacent to the Yeshiva. This was followed by a memorial gathering in the Beit Midrash, at which the Rosh Hayeshiva shlita spoke, along with two guest KBY alumni: Rav Yisrael Ariel, Director of Machon Hamikdash, who fought in the paratrooper brigade that freed the Old City in the Six-Day War, and Rav Shmuel Rosenberg, head of the IDF Yeshiva and its Halacha unit, who served in the Yom Kippur War.

The Rosh Hayeshiva gave the Shabbat Teshuva drasha, in which he discussed the relationship between free choice and the ability to transform oneself through Teshuva.

Melaveh Malka at Tel Hashomer: Upon the initiative of the Rosh Hayeshiva and Rav Aryeh Stern, Rav Rivlin led a busload of talmidim to hold a Melaveh Malka at the Rehab Unit of Tel Hashomer Hospital. A former talmid, Tamir Kalfa, has been recuperating there from very serious burns he sustained fighting in Kalkilya shortly after Pesach.

Week of 24 Elul - 1 Tishrei / Sep. 1-7
Shabbat Rosh Hashana

Rosh Hashana: The Beit Midrash was filled with talmidim, Yeshiva families, and guests for Rosh Hashana. A number of small tables were removed to made additional room. The Sefardim, who do not say piyutim during chazarat hashatz, held a separate minyan in accordance with their customs in Beit Orfus. On the first day of Rosh Hashana, Rav Kav shlita spoke before shofar blowing, and on the second day, the Rosh Hayeshiva shlita spoke.

Week of 17-23 Elul / Aug. 18-24
Parshat Nitzavim-Vayeilech

Selichot: The Ashkenzim began reciting Selichot (while the Sefardim have been saying since the beginning of Elul). The Rosh Hayeshiva shlita introduced the Selichot with a sicha, "The Matter [of Repentence] is Dependent only on Me" (available in audio), and Rabbi Posen, who serves as the Chazan on the Yamim Noraim, led the Selichot.

Mazal Tov to Rav Meir and Esther Orlian upon the birth of a son, Aharon.

Week of 11-16 Elul / Aug. 1-17
Parshat Ki Tavo

Teveria Shabbaton: The talmidim woke up early Fri. morning, and after davening and breakfast left for a Shabbaton in Teveria. They were accompanied by the Rosh Hayeshiva shlita, Rav Blachman, and Rav Katz. On Fri. they toured the holy sites of Zefat and Teveria, and swam in the pool of the Ariston Hotel, where they spent Shabbat. The talmidim returned to the Yeshiva about 1:00 AM, tired, but in great spirits from a wonderful Shabbat.

Week of 3-9 Elul / Aug. 11-17
Parshat Ki Teitzei

The Yeshiva resumed a normal schedule this week. The daily shiurim began, as well as the schedule of weekly chugim. The Mashgiach gave a sicha (available in both audio and text) about ben sorer u'moreh and the need to choose a proper path in life.

KBY Jubilee "50 Shiurim" Series: As part of Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh's 50^th year celebration, which will begin IY"H in Cheshvan, Rosh Hayeshiva Rav Mordechai Greenberg shlita and the KBY Ramim plan to deliver a series of fifty shiurim throughout Israel and overseas to alumni and friends of the Yeshiva. The "marathon" began this week with a day of shiurim in northern Israel; in Ramat Hagolan, Chatzor Glilit and Kiryat Shemona.
Rav Greenberg's first shiur was in Yeshivat Hagolan, where he was greeted by local KBY alumni, the Rosh Hayeshiva, Rav Amnon Shugarman, and the Rav of Chispin, Rav Aharon Eisenthal. (An additional shiur was given to an IDF artillery unit in the area, where KBY Hesder talmidim are serving.) From there Rav Greenberg continued to the Zionist Kolel "Chen Hamakom" in Chatzor Glilit, where the Yeshiva's alumni gathered from Zefat, Meiron, and Chatzor. The concluding shiur that evening was given at the Yeshivat Hesder in Kiryat Shemona, where he was greeted by the Rosh Hayeshiva, Rav Zephania Drori, who was one of 12 members of the founding class of KBY in Cheshvan 5714.
(Adapted from Hatzofeh, 7 Elul 5762)

Visit to Kotel: The overseas talmidim set out in two buses Fri. morning to daven at the Kotel. After davening they toured the Kotel tunnels, and then went to Mea Shearim - Geula, where they had the chance to acquire seforim, take care of other necessary errands, and visit with family and friends. They met in the early afternoon at Binyanei Ha'uma, where the buses were waiting to return them to Yeshiva for Shabbat.

Mazal Tov to the Rosh Hayeshiva Rav Mordechai and Rabbanit Bilha Greenberg shlita upon the birth of a granddaughter.
Mazal Tov to the Mashgiach Rav Avraham and Rabbanit Ruth Rivlin shlita upon the birth of a granddaughter.

Week of 26 Av - 2 Elul / Aug. 4-10
Parshat Shoftim

On Erev Rosh Chodesh, the Yeshiva davened Tefillat Yom Kippur Katan, following the call of the Gedolei Hador and the Israeli Chief Rabbinate.

KBY 5762-3: KBY reopened on Thurs., the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, filled to capacity. In addition to a large and motivated group of incoming talmidim in both the overseas and Israeli programs, almost all of last year's overseas talmidim returned for shana bet. The Kollel returned to learn in Beit Orfus, and extra tables were added in the Beit Midrash to accommodate the large numbers.
The Yeshiva benefits from additional personnel as well. Rav Kalman Ber returned from two years of shlichut in Belgium, and Rav Yitzchak Levi will be giving a first-year Israeli shiur. Rav Ari Katz, who had been very actively involved with the overseas talmidim for the past two years will also be giving a daily shiur. Rav Meir Orlian resumes official capacity as Sho'el Umaishiv in the afternoon, along with Rav Etan Zanbar. At night, Raphael Katz, who returns to KBY after many years of service in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Rav Moshe Amsalem serve as Sho'el Umaishiv.

The Rosh Hayeshiva shlita opened the zman with a sicha underscoring the importance of self-discipline in learning, especially in the Yeshiva Gevoha setting. He reiterated this message in his sicha on Fri. night, and spoke further of the need to be empathic to others, and to listen to their needs even if it is not possible to actually help them. On Fri. morning, the Mashgiach shlita opened Elul with a sicha about the proper balance in one's attitude towards justice, mercy and repentance. The opening shiur in Masechet Ketuvot (first perek) was given by the Rosh Hayeshiva shlita on Shabbat morning.

Mazal Tov to Zvi Davidson of London upon his marriage to Ora Maizels of Capetown. The new couple is making their home in Israel in the KBY Kollel.
Their families spent Shabbat sheva brachot at the Yeshiva, and all the talmidim were invited to a melaveh malka-sheva brachot in their honor. In commemoration of Rav Kook zt"l's yahrzeit on 3 Elul, Rav Yaakov Filber shlita, author of "Ayelet Hashachar" and one of the founders of Mercaz Harav Yeshiva was invited to speak then. He was among the founding class of KBY, and spoke of the early pioneering days at KBY when the Beit Hamidrash was temporarily used to store wheat for Kibbutz Yavneh, giving a new meaning to Chazal's statement, "Im ain kemach ain Torah."