Mechinat Avnei Eitan
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Mechinat Avnei Eitan (Hebrew: מכינת אבנ"י אית"ן), also referred to as Leadership Yeshiva Academy in English, is a pre-military mechina which combines classical yeshiva learning with an environment enables the students to obtain the necessary tools they need to contribute in their own ways to both Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael. The mechina, the first of its kind for English speakers, was founded in 2004, on Moshav Avnei Eitan in the beautiful Golan Heights in Israel.
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[edit] Campus
The campus, on the moshav, consists of spacious and air conditioned apartments, air conditioned Beit Medrash and classrooms, a large Hebrew and English seforim library, a student lounge, sports and workout facilities including a lit basketball court, a computer room with Internet access, a kitchen, and more.
[edit] The Students
The students come from both the U.S., Canada, Israel, and other countries as well. Most students who attend the mechina do not wish to sit in the Beit Medrash and learn all day like many other yeshivas, but rather to combine learning with other classes and activities that are equally important in the process of becoming a good Jew. The mechina emphasises the importance of taking leadership roles in the Jewish community, and taking responsibility not only for ones self, but also for his peers. An extremely high percentage of the students who have graduated from the mechina tend to serve in sayerot, or elite units, in the Israeli army.
While attending the mechina, students are each urged to take upon themselves projects that they can work on throughout the year. Recently, students have taken up such projects as raising awareness for the imprisoned Israeli spy, Jonathan Pollard, and many other projects too. Most notably a very successful organization called Et'chem Kol Ha'derech, run by Yaakov Yitchak Sullivan ('05), which coordinates visits to injured soldiers, and during the recent Second Lebanon War, a crew that would rush to katyusha explosions to help clean up the devastation.
[edit] Staff
Rabbi Erez Levi - Rosh Yeshiva - Rabbi Erez received his Smicha from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and holds a B.ed in education from the Oholo College. He studied in Yeshivat Hesder HaGolan and served as a commander in the Givati brigade. Rabbi Erez has extensive educational experience with young adults including as a Rabbi in the Yeshiva high school in Chispin and a RAM at Yeshivat Hesder HaGolan. Rabbi Erez also serves as the Rabbi of the agricultural Moshav Avnei Eitan specializing in Mitzvot Hatluyot Ba’aretz. Rabbi Erez also holds a certification in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).
Rabbi Yair Spitz - Director of Admissions - Rabbi Spitz received his Smicha from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin and holds a B.ed. He studied at Mevaseret Halacha Kollel. He served in the artillery core during his army service. Rabbi Spitz has extensive experience in informal education including Bnei Akiva in Israel and the U.S. and in NCSY. Rabbi Spitz served as interim Rabbi for the Baron Hirsch Congregation in Memphis Tennessee as well as Director of Camp Darom, the largest Orthodox summer camp in southern United States. In addition to teaching full time, Rabbi Spitz is also in charge of recruitment and admissions.
Alon Moreshet - Executive Director - Alon Moreshet is the founder and executive director of LYA. Alon served in Special Forces in the IDF as a soldier and a commander for 7 years. Alon also served as a commander in the IDF officer’s school and was in charge of molding and educating the Israeli army’s future leaders. Despite his busy schedule, Alon finds the time to give students one class a week on leadership. In his classes Alon uses unique dynamics taken from his army days in order to build within students a greater self esteem, self discipline, determination and responsibility towards each other. Alon also holds a certification in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).
Rav Yedidya Shaviv - Shana Bet Rabbi - Rabbi Yedidya received his Smicha from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and holds a B.ed in education from the Herzog institute and a Ma in Judaism from Touro College. He studied in Yeshivat Hesder HaGolan and served in the Golani brigade. Rabbi Yedidya served for many years as the principle of the regional junior high school.
Rabbi Amiad Zeltzer - Rebbe - Rabbi Amiad studied for many years at Yeshivat Ateret Kohanim in the old city of Jerusalem. Rabbi Amiad holds a teachers certificate and a B.ed from the Oholo College. While working in the Israeli Army Preparatory Mechina in Beit Rimon, Rabbi Amiad acquired a unique ability to teach and connect to students. Rabbi Amiad also taught in the Yeshiva high school in Chispin. Rabbi Amiad is a native of Avnei Eitan and is in charge of all coordination’s with the Moshav; among other things, setting up students wih adoptive families.
Nachum Zeltzer - Jewish History Teacher - Nachum holds a BA in history an MA in geography from the Hebrew University. Nachum has over twenty years experience teaching Jewish history, Israeli geography and Israeli civic studies. Nachum also guides tours to around Northern Israel as well as an annual educational trip to Poland. Nachum lives on Avnei Eitan and is always one of the families to adopt one of our students. In the past, Nachum also served as a Shaliach for the Jewish Agency in Montreal.
Naomi Amos - Hebrew Teacher - Naomi studied at David Yalin College, Levinski College and The college of Bait Vagan and holds a BA in education and an MA in Judaic studies. Naomi is also a graduate of the Foirstein Institute where she studied Dynamic Diagnosis. Naomi has many years of teaching Hebrew to all ages and levels. Naomi also has experience in training younger teachers at the beginning of their careers. I addition to teaching at LYA Naomi runs an educational farm for kids from around the country.
Avi Ben-David - Physical Trainer - A former champion runner of Israel, Avi used to train several elite units in the IDF, mainly shayetet. He conducts physical training, or madas, several times a week for the students.
Tomer Pnini - madrich - A former officer in Tzanchanim, Tomer teaches classes in leadership, navigation, and more.
Yehuda Aryeh Pollack - madrich - A student during the first year of the mechina. He served in Nachal Charadei.
