Yeshivat HaKotel

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The Yeshivat Hakotel building, situated above the arches of the Porat Yosef Yeshiva

Yeshivat Hakotel is a modern-Orthodox religious Zionist hesder yeshiva situated in the Old City of Jerusalem. The yeshiva overlooks the Kotel (Western Wall); hence its name. The Yeshiva is famous among tourists and toru guides for its Sabbath entrance to the prayer plaza at the Koterl. All of the students and teachers assemble in their white Sabbath shirts, and descend the long series of staircases that lead form the Yeshiva to the Kotel singing and dancing, tourists advised by their guide books assemble to watch.

Rabbi Mordechai Elon used to be the Rosh Yeshiva, until he announced his retirement in December 2007. Rabbi Yeshayahu Hadari, co-founder of Yeshivat Hakotel, has been serving as Rosh Yeshiva in the interim.

The yeshiva is housed in a handsome building, with a study hall (beit medrash) overlooking the Temple Mount. The hall features an unusual Aron Kodesh, constructed in two halves separated by a window though which the Temple Mount can be seen.

For many decades, Yeshivat Hakotel has had a very popular program for foreign students. The head of this program was Rabbi Aharon Bina, son of Rabbi Aryeh Bina (1912-1994), one of Yeshivat Hakotel's founders. In recent years, Rabbi Bina has moved to Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh after Yeshivat Hakotel decided to limit the size of its foreign student program.