Mercaz HaRav

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A building in the Yeshiva

Mercaz HaRav (Hebrew: מרכז הרב‎, lit. The Rav Centre), also known as Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav, is a Hardal yeshiva situated in Jerusalem, Israel. The yeshiva was founded in 1924 by Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, ^[1]and was initially headed by Rabbi Aharon Bronstein, the Ilui of Tebrig. It is commonly regarded as the flagship of national-religious yeshivas.

Mercaz HaRav has become synonymous with the teachings of "Rav Kook." It has played an important role in this field: the educational system of the national-religious camp, from elementary schools to girls’ high schools to hesder yeshivot, is staffed by educators who attended the yeshiva or who look to it for spiritual guidance. It is not a Hesder Yeshiva, students do not do regular military service. Some students do a much- shortened stint in the IDF when they are well into their twenties.

Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's son, Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, took up the position of Rosh Yeshiva several years after the death of his father. In 1982, after Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook died, Rabbi Avraham Shapira took the position and led the institution until his death in 2007. His son, Rabbi Yaakov Shapira, was his successor. Today, the yeshiva has about 500 students, including 200 students in the yeshiva's kollel (post-graduate division).

In 1964 a Yeshiva High-School named Yashlatz (ישל"צ, ישיבת ירושלים לצעירים) was founded in close proximity. It has also become a flagship institution.

1 Notable alumni
2 Massacre
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Notable alumni

The list includes a number of Knesset members and community leaders.^[2]

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner [1]
Rabbi Yaakov Ariel
Rabbi Yoel Bin-Nun
Azriel Carlebach, founder of the Maariv newspaper.
Rabbi Zfania Drori
Rabbi Haim Druckman [2]
Rabbi Moshe Levinger founder of post-1967 Hebron Jewish community, convicted of homicide.
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed [3]
Hanan Porat
David Raziel, an Irgun commander.
Michel Warschawski (aka Mikado) the left-wing activist and author; co-founder of the Alternative Information Center^[3]

[edit] Massacre

Main article: Mercaz HaRav massacre

On the night of March 6, 2008, Alaa Abu Dheim, a Palestinian resident of the village of Jebel Mukaber in East Jerusalem, infiltrated the yeshiva and began firing at students, killing eight and wounding at least 15 others before he was killed by Yitzhak Dadon, a part-time student of the yeshiva, and Capt. David Shapira, an officer of the Israel Defense Force.

The victims were students who ranged in age from 15 to 26 years old. They were identified as: