Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh
| Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh ( ישיבת כרם ביבנה) | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1954 |
| Type | Private, Jewish, Yeshiva |
| Director | Rabbi Ari Katz |
| Rosh Yeshiva | Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Blachman |
| Students | 450 (300 Israeli, 150 foreign) |
| Location |
 Yavneh, Israel |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Website | (English)www.kby.org; (Hebrew)www.kby.org.il |
Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh (Hebrew: ישיבת כרם ביבנה, lit. Vineyard in Yavne Yeshiva) is a major yeshiva in Israel near the city of Ashdod and adjacent to Kvutzat Yavne, named after the Biblical Yavne nearby.
History & Ideology
Founded in 1953, Kerem BeYavneh was the first Yeshivat Hesder. The first Rosh Yeshiva of Kerem B'Yavneh was the renowned scholar Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Goldvicht. Following his retirement, Goldvicht was succeeded by Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg, himself an alumnus of the yeshiva. During Pesach 5773 the Yeshivah announced that Harav Benzion Elgazi will be appointed Mishneh Li-Rosh Yeshivah (assistant rosh yeshivah). The Yeshivah also announced that Rabbi Michael Rosensweig will be visiting the Yeshivah for Elul Zman, with the intention of possibly becoming the future Rosh Yeshivah. Elul Zman began on 7 August 2013, with Rabbi Rosensweig carrying out some of the functions of Rosh Yeshivah. During Elul Zman 5774, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Blachman was appointed Associate Rosh Yeshiva.
Like most Yeshivot Hesder, Kerem B'Yavneh is a religious Zionist institution, advocating the position that the State of Israel is a concrete step forward in the coming of the final redemption. It also has an open outlook towards western culture, both with faculty holding university degrees and students attending university.[1]
Structure and enrollment
Programs within the yeshiva include a Hesder track, a gap-year for overseas students and a Kollel Ledayanut (a Kollel for training of religious court judges).
The yeshiva has an enrollment of around 450 students, including students from Israel and from overseas, most of whom reside in dormitories on campus. Overseas students come mainly from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, but also other countries.
Notable alumni
- Yona Metzger, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel
- Yitzhak Levy, Knesset member and government minister
- Hanan Porat, Israeli politician
- Uri Bin Nun, director the Israel Electric Corporation
- Steven Weil, Executive Vice President of the OU
- Ephraim Mirvis, current Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth[2]
- Zalman Baruch Melamed Rav and Rosh Yeshiva of Beit El
- Yisrael Ariel Head of Machon Hamikdash
- Tzefanya Drori, Rav and Rosh Yeshiva of Kiryat Shmona
- YY Efrati, noted expert on mitzvos hatluyos baaretz and primary aide of Rav Elyashiv
A number of the staff at RIETS studied at the yeshiva, including:
- Eliakim Koenigsberg
- Mordechai Willig
- Baruch Simon
- Zvi Sobolofsky
- Yonason Sacks
- Daniel Z. Feldman
Kerem B'Yavneh is also the alma mater of Yigal Amir (Yitzhak Rabin's assassin).[3] Following the assassination, one of the yeshiva's lecturers Rabbi David Kav was questioned alongside Rabbi Nahum Rabinovitch of Ma'ale Adumim Yeshiva and Rabbi Shmuel Dvir of Har Etzion Yeshiva on the suspicion that they had sanctioned the killing.[4][5][6][7] Rabbi David Kav was released unconditionally after questioning and ultimately no charges were pressed against any of the rabbis.
References
- ↑ "Staff". Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh.
- ↑ "Biography".
- ↑ 2 Rabbis questioned in death of Rabin, Joel Greenberg, Rocky Mountain News, 27 November 1995
- ↑ Israel's Mainstream Brings Forth a Killer, Laura Blumenfeld, Washington Post, 12 November 1995
- ↑ Rabbis Rousted On West Bank Really Rankled Hillel Halkin, The Forward, 8 December 1995
- ↑ Two rabbis questioned for alleged incitement, Raine Marcus, The Jerusalem Post, 27 November 1995
- ↑ Police question rabbis suspected of condoning Rabin assassination, Naomi Segal, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 26 November 1995