Machon Meir
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Machon Meir (Hebrew :מכון מאיר) is a religious Zionist outreach organization and yeshiva situated in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Kiryat Moshe, close to Givat Shaul. With branches throughout the country, Machon Meir is one of the larger outreach organization in Israel and the only Zionist institution of Torah learning in English for Jews with a limited background in Jewish studies.
In Jerusalem, the Machon Meir yeshiva offers full-time, intensive study programs for young Jewish men of all backgrounds and levels of knowledge in Hebrew, English, French, Spanish and Russian languages. Areas of study include Hebrew Bible, Talmud, the writings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, history, Mussar, philosophy and Hebrew ulpan.
Machon Meir was founded shortly after the Yom Kippur War in 1973, by Rabbi Dov Begon. Rabbi Begon himself was educated at Mercaz HaRav under Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook, and so while Machon Meir is not officially affiliated with Mercaz HaRav, the two have very similar ideologies. The major difference is that Mercaz HaRav is geared towards experienced students, while Machon Meir has greater resources for those with less formal Jewish education and/or little knowledge of the Hebrew language.
Machon Meir has become the most popular address for post-army Israelis looking to deepen their connection to Torah and Jewish heritage. It is also a common destination for non-Jews from all over the world seeking to convert to Judaism. As opposed to other outreach yeshivot, Machon Meir, encourages full participation in Israeli society, the Israel Defense Forces and in building new Jewish communities. The yeshiva teaches students to look favorably at all Jews, regardless of a person's level of religiosity and emphasizes the Torah commandment to love all of God's creatures. Machon Meir has a reputation for being a healthy environment for a Jew to explore his cultural roots and strengthen his connection to God and the Jewish people.
