What's New in Yeshiva? (Kayitz 5760)
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Week of 19-25 Av / August 20-26
Parshat Re'eh
The Ramim and administrative staff of the Yeshiva went on a joint vacation with their families to Kibbutz Lavi in the Galil, from Fri. through Sun. The Rosh Hayeshiva gave a shiur, open to all the guests of the Kibbutz, on the topic of, "Yerushalayim: City of Justice and Peace." On Motzei Shabbat the families went jeep riding, and on Sun. on a trip to the water sources of the Jordan River.
Mazal Tov to Mr. and Mrs. Eli Klein upon the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson.
Mazal Tov to Shimon Zuckerman of the kollel upon the birth of a son, Avichai.
Week of 12-18 Av / August 13-19
Parshat Eikev
"No news is good news." The Yeshiva was quiet as the height of Bein Hazmanim arrived. Even the office was closed. Some new kollel couples moved into apartments vacated by the avreichim who left.
Mazal Tov to Sagi Amar upon his marriage. Sagi has been working on developing a Hebrew version of the KBY website, which will be opened shortly, IY"H.
Mazal Tov to Shalom Itzkowitz, one of last year's overseas madrichim, upon his marriage.
Week of 5-11 Av / August 6-12
Parshat Vaetchanan
Many Kollel avreichim took tests at the Israeli Rabbinate, the bulk of them on Hilchot Eiruvin. Quiet then descended on Kerem B'Yavneh as bein hazmanim arrived. Although the Yeshiva closed early in the week, a handful of talmidim remained in through Tisha B'Av and Shabbat, eating with the various staff and kollel families. The Yeshiva will reopen on Thurs., Rosh Chodesh Elul.
Mazal Tov to David Shana of the Kollel upon the birth of a daughter, Ruth.
Week of 27 Tammuz - 4 Av/ July 30 - August 5
Parshat Devarim
In the concluding week of zman kayitz, instead of regular shiur, the Ramim delivered special shiurim on topics relating to Tisha B'Av and the Beit Hamikdash. The Mashgiach, Rav Rivlin shlita, gave a shiur on Megillat Eicha, and the Rosh Hayeshiva shlita gave the concluding shiur based on an article written by Rav Kook zt"l about the boundaries of freedom of opinion. Although the zman officially finished on Wed., the Yeshiva remained open until the following week for those who wanted to stay.
On Erev Rosh Chodesh Av, a busload of talmidim and families went to the Kotel to participate in a public Yom Kippur Katan davening. Once again, the Kotel area was packed almost to capacity, as people united in prayer on behalf of Eretz Yisrael.
B'lechtecha Baderech: The Yeshiva published its semi-annual journal, "B'lechtecha Baderech." This 350 page volume contains not only articles of Divrei Torah but also a special section of poetry. Yishar Koach to the editors, R. Netanel Berkowitz and Rav Yishai Sofer.
Mazal Tov to Rav Shaul and Libi Feldman upon the birth of a daughter, Noam.
Week of 20-26 Tammuz / July 23-29
Parshat Matot-Masei
Rav Blachman in South Africa: Rav M.M. Blachman spent the week in South Africa, giving shiurim and interviewing prospective students for the coming year (Jan., when the school year ends in the southern hemisphere). On Shabbat he was scholar-in-residence in the Pretoria Shul, where he spoke at all services. (The previous Shabbat he spoke in various shuls in Glenhazel.) His visit was highlighted by an article in the South African Jewish Report, "Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh -- the South African Legacy Continues," which describes the Yeshiva and its link to South African Jewry through the years, and the decision of six South Africans students to study at the Yeshiva this past year, the first significant group in over twenty years.
Torah Camp for Israeli H.S. Students: About 50 Israeli High School students spent a week in the Yeshiva as a "Machane Torani," under the direction of the Mashgiach, Rav Avraham Rivlin shlita, and Rav Aryeh Stern. In addition to learning and shiurim, they played sports, swam in the nearby Givat Washington pool, and had other activities and trips. During the course of the week, they heard various guest speakers, amongst them MK Chanan Porat. On Shabbat, the Yeshiva hosted Rav Yosef Eliyahu, author of the book, "Hatorah Hamesamachat," the biography of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt"l. Rav Eliyahu related stories and portrayed the exceptional personality of Rav Shlomo Zalman, while his wife spoke to the women of the Yeshiva about the character of Rabbanit Auerbach, a"h. On Motzei Shabbat he showed a half-hour video of Rav Shlomo Zalman, providing a real-life taste of this unique gadol.
Mazal Tov to Dayan and Mrs. Binyamin Beeri upon the birth of a granddaughter. Mazal Tov to Gil Dvir of the Kollel upon the birth of a daughter.
Week of 13-19 Tammuz / July 16-22
Parshat Pinchas
Talmidim and families of the Yeshiva traveled to Tel-Aviv to participate in the massive demonstration against the concessions at the Camp David summit. The Rosh Hayeshiva shlita reminded the talmidim before leaving that the point of participating was not to have a picnic or to listen to political speeches, but to show support in numbers -- so that everybody should take a sefer with them and learn!
The Rosh Hayeshiva shlita went to participate in the swearing in ceremony of the Givati soldiers.
In commemoration of 17 Tammuz, the Rosh Hayeshiva shlita gave a shiur on shaving during the three weeks and sefira period (listen to the shiur in Real Audio), and Hamashgiach Rav Rivlin shlita delivered a sicha connecting Tammuz, the sin of golden calf and the worship of Peor.
Shabbat brought together the entire Yeshiva, including next year's incoming talmidim and the outgoing Kollel avreichim who will be leaving the Yeshiva to assume new roles. The extensive Shabbat program contained shiurim for both the talmidim and avreichim, highlighted by a symposium on the topic of conversion featuring Rav Yisrael Rosen, the Director of Minhal Hagiyur, and Dayan Shachor (an alumnus of the Yeshiva who recently assumed a position in the Rechovot Beit Din). The families of the Yeshiva ate with the talmidim in the Dining Hall, and heard Divrei Torah from the Rosh Hayeshiva shlita and Rav Tubi shlita, the Rosh Kollel. After Shabbat, the Kollel held a brief farewell ceremony in which they gave gifts to the outgoing avreichim and afforded them the opportunity to say good-bye to all.
Week of 6-12 Tammuz / July 9-15
Parshat Balak
After months of work, the Kollel area landscaping project is nearing completion. The watering system and sprinklers were installed, and grass was spread over the designated area, providing a coat of beautiful green. Flowers and small shrubs are still being planted.
A unit of Hesder Givati soldiers from KBY, Kiryat Shemonah and Maaleh Adumim spent an afternoon in the Yeshiva before embarking on their overnight "masa kumtah" (60 km hike to earn the Givati beret). They had lunch, heard shiurim, and swam in the pool in the nearby Givat Washington.
Talmidim and families of the Yeshiva went to the Kotel to participate in a special prayer on behalf of Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael at the beginning of the Camp David summit. The entire Kotel area was packed all the way to the back with men, women and children all united in prayer.
Visit of Hasmonean Students: A group of 38 British students from the Hasmonean High School came to spend a week learning and experiencing KBY as part of an Israel tour. In addition to their regular madrich, young alumni and current talmidim helped out during their stay here. The Yeshiva arranged for them special shiurim, sichot, evenings with Kollel families, and a special trip to Ashdod. Rav M.M. Blachman held a tish on leil Shabbat lasting till 1:30 AM.
Mazal Tov to R. Yitzchak and Esti Levi of the Kollel Dayanut upon the birth of a daughter, Nehora.
Week of 29 Sivan - 5 Tammuz / July 2-8
Parshat Korach
Rosh Hayeshiva Rav Mordechai Greenberg shlita returned to the Yeshiva following the conclusion of the shiva period for his mother, Mrs. Malka Greenberg, a"h. He now davens routinely as the chazan in the Yeshiva minyan. He delivered a shiur klali on, "Tosefet Shabbat, Yom Tov and Pesach." Listen to the shiur on Real Audio.
Mazal Tov to Hamashgiach Rav Avraham and Rabbanit Rivlin on the birth of a grandson. They hosted a shalom zachar in their house for the entire Yeshiva.
Week of Sivan 22-28 / June 25 - July 1
Parshat Shelach
Passing of Mrs. Malka Greenberg a"h: Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh shares in the sorrow of Rosh Hayeshiva Rav Mordechai Greenberg shlita upon the loss of his mother, Mrs. Malka Greenberg a"h, Sun. afternoon. The levaya took place Sun. night, and went from Mrs. Greenberg's house in Bnei Brak to the Segula Cemetery in Petach Tikvah. The Rosh Hayeshiva spoke about the simple lifestyle and great desire of his mother to always help others in any way possible, and of her involvement to help further Jewish education. The family first sat shiva in Bnei Brak and then in Mevaseret, in the house of the Rosh Hayeshiva shlita. On Wednesday and Thursday mornings a bus of talmidim and avreichim went to daven there and be menachem avel. Mrs. Greenberg a"h is survived by a brother, two sons, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The judges of the "Eretz Yisrael Yafah" contest inspected the Yeshiva, although results will not be available for some time. It is expected that the Yeshiva will do well, as it has in previous years. Meanwhile, the landscaping project in the Kollel area is approaching completion. Hoses and sprinklers are being laid for the grass and flowers which will be planted soon.
Mazal Tov to Shimshon and Rachel Klein of the Kollel upon the birth of a daughter and to Netanel Tzippel upon his marriage to Rachel Laufer.
Week of Sivan 15-21 / June 18-24
Parshat Behaalotecha
30th Annual Dinner: Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh held its annual dinner at the New York Hilton. The guests of honor were Beryl and Rabbi Solomon Trau, Isaac and Wendy Shulman, Rabbi Daniel Wolff, and Lavi Greenspan. In addition to the speeches and Divrei Torah, the large crowd was also treated to the sweet sounds of Cantor Joseph Malovany of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue of Manhattan.
Rav Chaim Benish, author of "Zmanim Bahalacha" and a world-renown scholar on the topic of halachic times, lectured at the Machon Lekiddush Hachodesh on the opinions of the Geonim and Rabbeinu Tam regarding bein hashmashot (twilight).
Talmidim from the Yeshiva participated at a gathering of prayer, which nearly filled the Kotel area, for the security of the settlers, the liberated territories, and the State of Israel. They said tehillim and selichot, accompanied by shofars and trumpets, and davened mincha including Avinu Malkeinu. On Shabbat, in his sicha, the Rosh Hayeshiva shlita encouraged people to voice their protest against those willing to forsake the land.
Week of 8-14 Sivan / June 11-16
Parshat Naso
The Rosh Hayeshiva shlita left for New York to join Mr. Eli Klein, Director, and Mr. Urie Lieberman, Director of Public Relations, for the 30th Annual Dinner on June 19. He spent Shabbat as scholar-in-residence in Riverdale, NY, and is also scheduled to deliver a shiur at YU.
Mazal Tov to Rav and Rabbanit M.M. Blachman on the engagement of their daughter Batsheva.
Mazal Tov to Etan Zanbar of the Kollel Dayanut on the birth of twins, a boy and a girl.
Week of 1-7 Sivan / June 4-10
Shavuot
Shavuot: The Yeshiva was filled almost to capacity for Shavuot, as the sound of Torah resounded through the Beit Midrash throughout the night. The Rosh Hayeshiva shlita delivered a shiur in the Beit Midrash on, "The Bracha before and after Learning Torah," dealing as well with brachot on minhagim, and also gave a shiur to the women of the Yeshiva community. Additional shiurim were given during the course of the night in Beit Orfus by the Mashgiach shlita, on Sefer Ruth ("The Tzaddik R. Elimelech"), and by Rav Tzion Luz, on Kabbalat Hatorah. In the middle, there was a break for cake and soda in the Dining Room.
On Shabbat, which was isru chag in Israel, Parshat Naso was read in the Beit Midrash, while the overseas students had a separate second-day Shavuot minyan in Beit Orfus. They made up the missing parsha by reading all of Parshat Naso at Mincha as part of the first aliya, and continued into the beginning of Behaalotecha. [Israel will continue to be a parsha ahead of the Diaspora until the end of July, when Matot and Mas'ei will be combined outside of Israel.] On Motzei Shabbat the talmidim traveled to Rechovot to have a melave malka at the home of R. Simcha Hakohen Kook shlita, the Chief Rabbi of Rechovot.
Week of 23-29 Iyar / May 28 - June 3
Parshat Bamidbar
Yom Yerushalayim: The Yeshiva celebrated Yom Yerushalayim with a Tefillah chagigit, followed by a seuda for the entire community. At the seuda, the Rosh Hayeshiva provided a historical perspective of the Kotel during the period of the British Mandate, and quoted the words of Rav Kook and his contemporaries who refused to sign a declaration acknowledging Arab title to the area. Mr. Ezra "Elnakam" Yachin, a former member of the LeCH"I organization (which fought against the Arabs and British in the years preceding the establishment of the State) told of his experiences in the LeCH"I and of the near capture of the Old City in '48, which was prevented by the cease-fire.
The overseas students went for a tour of the Old City in the morning, and then continued to Meiron for a Shabbaton. Meanwhile, the Israeli students joined with Yeshivat Hesder Tzefat for a Shabbaton in Yeshivat Hakotel, where they heard shiurim from Hagaon Rav Shlomo Fisher shlita. The Kollel families, as well, organized a retreat to Nof Dekalim in Gush Katif, making this Shabbat one of the quietest ones in the Yeshiva in recent years, with barely a minyan and a half!
Week of 16-22 Iyar / May 21-27
Parshat Bechukotai
BH"B Fast: Following the vote of the Knesset to transfer Abu Dis to the Palestinians, riots and shooting in the territories, and shelling of the Northern settlements, a group of avreichim and talmidim organized to fast on the Mon. of BH"B, as the Rambam writes, "It is a mitzvah to cry out and blow [the shofar] for any trouble that comes upon the community ... This is a means of Teshuva ..." Hamashgiach Rav Rivlin shlita delivered a sicha the day before explaining the significance of such a fast and underscoring the need to express concern and solidarity for our brethren. At the same time, he pointed out that if the fast will impede someone's learning, he should consider other expressions of Teshuva, such as fasting only a partial fast or accepting a ta'anit dibbur. In addition to the regular Slichot of BH"B said in the morning, the entire Yeshiva said chapters of Tehillim before Mincha and then read the Torah reading and Haftorah for a fast day.
The talmidim and families of the Yeshiva celebrated Lag Ba'omer with the traditional bonfires, singing, divrei Torah and barbecues. The Rosh Hayeshiva shlita delivered a shiur on "Kana'ut (Zealotry) and Tolerance," tying it into the death of R. Akiva's talmidim for not showing due respect for one another.
Condolences to Mrs. Sarah Goldenberg, wife of Yossi, the cook, upon the loss of her father.
Week of 9-15 Iyar / May 14-20
Parshat Behar
Two busloads of talmidim and Yeshiva families went to Kikar Zion to participate in the demonstration against the withdrawal from Yesha and the transfer of Abu Dis to the Palestinians. The rally had a large turnout and was viewed as a success by its organizers.
Shemita: The Yeshiva hosted a convention on the laws of Shemita for 100 rabanei beit sefer from all over Israel, "kicking off" a national effort to promote awareness and programming of Shemita topics in the schools for the upcoming year. Shiurim were given on both the philosophy and halachot of Shemita by the Rosh Hayeshiva, Mashgiach, and Rav Tubi shlita. Rav Yehuda Amichai, the head of Machon Hatorah Veha'aretz in Gush Katif, advocated the use of Israeli produce through the halcahic means of "Otzar Beit Din" and planting on detached plastic mats, rather than relying on Arab produce. The event was linked to the yahrzeit of Rav Uzi Kalcheim zt"l, who headed the Machon (Teachers' Institute) at KBY for many years. In addition, series of shiurim on Shemita are underway as part of the Kollel Yom Shishi and Tues. adult educational programs. Rav Rubinstein shlita also began a series of shiurim on the laws of Shemita for the talmidim.
Week of Iyar 1-6 / May 7-13
Parshat Emor
The Machon Lekiddush Hachodesh, under the direction of R. Shai Walter, opened its second round of shiurim. The interest generated in the community by this program is evident, as close to fifty people from all over the county came to attend.
Yom Hazikaron: Ramim and talmidim from the Yeshiva traveled throughout the country to participate as representatives in memorial services at the gravesites and homes of the fallen soldiers. At the Yeshiva, Rav Rivlin gave a sicha on, "The Essence of Yom Ha'atzmaut," after which the talmidim went to say Tehillim and "E-l Malei" at the grave of Yehuda Mermelstein, a talmid who is buried in the adjacent cemetery of Kevutzat Yavneh.
Yom Ha'atzmaut:Following a tefilla chagigit to usher in the day, the entire Yeshiva community gathered in the Dining Hall for a seuda. The Rosh Hayeshiva delivered a dvar Torah, explaining that sometimes it seems harder to feel spiritual elevation in Israel than in the Diaspora because the soul in Eretz Yisrael is greater and demands more to feel fulfilled. Rav Dovid Kav reminisced about his childhood experiences when the State was formed. The guest speaker was Rav Aryeh Shalom, the personal driver of Rav Shlomo Goren during the Six-Day War, who was amongst the first to reach the Temple Mount with him. He related the fascinating story of Rav Goren's spiritual leadership in the war and the liberation of Yerushalayim. In the morning, the overseas student went on a tiyul to the Tel Nof air force base, where they were able to see the aircraft up close and observed a sky show. Throughout the day shiurim were given by avreichim on various aspect of Eretz Yisrael and Yom Ha'atzmaut.
Condolences to Devorah Geller of the day care center at the Yeshiva upon the shocking death of her son, Shai, in a tragic traffic accident, along with his ten month old baby, Yuval. Refuah Sheleimah to his wife, Dorit, and daughter, Shachar, who were injured.
Week of 24 Nisan - 1 Iyar / May 1-6
Parshat Kedoshim
MK Shaul Yahalom came to the Yeshiva as part of a visit to the Chevel Yavneh Regional Council, and met with the Rosh Hayeshiva shlita, as well as with the Director, Mr. Eli Klein. He held a Q&A session with the Kollel, in which he discussed the efforts and accomplishments of the Mafdal (National Religious Party) of behalf of the Hesder Yeshivot, such as procuring funding in the national budget, Egged bus privileges for Hesder students, and maintenance of the Machon (Teachers' Institute) at each of the Yeshivot. He also expressed his views regarding the sensitive issue of the Ne'eman committee, which seeks to find a workable solution to the problem of Conservative and Reform conversions.
Tiyul to Golan: The overseas students spent three days touring, hiking and kayaking in the Golan, accompanied by Rav Stav and the madrichim. They visited Gamla and Katzin, where they saw a community and Beit Knesset from the times of the Mishna and spent the nights at the Gesher Field School, and other sites. Amongst the highlights of the trip were swimming under the waterfalls of Nachal Zavitan and the visit to the Golan Winery. They returned to the Yeshiva tired, but invigorated and excited for the start of the new zman.
Kayitz Zman: The Yeshiva began the kayitz zman on Thurs., 30 Nisan, and will be learning Masechet Pesachim (1st perek in Iyun). The Rosh Hayeshiva shlita gave the opening shiur Fri. morning, and discussed the fundamental concepts of bitul and bi'ur chametz, touching on a number of the main sugyot and opinions in the Gemara and Rishonim.
