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HE’S A PRODUCT OF PONEVEZH, A PROLIFIC MAGGID , AND THE DIRECTOR OF A LARGE NETWORK OF KOLLELIM. THEN RAV DAVID LEYBEL STARTED HEARING CRIES FOR HELP FROM A QUIET DEMOGRAPHIC IN THE CHAREIDI COMMUNITY: KOLLEL ALUMNI WHO’D GONE TO WORK AND WERE RAPIDLY LOSING THEIR CONNECTION TO TORAH LEARNING. IN RESPONSE, HE DEVELOPED A NETWORK OF SOLUTIONS THAT EMPOWER THESE MEN TO ACHIEVE BOTH FINANCIAL AND SPIRITUAL SUCCESS BY Yonoson Rosenblum PHOTOS Meir Haltovsky

54 MISHPACHA 4 Elul 5778 | August 15, 2018 MISHPACHA 55 Rav Leybel was stunned by the gaping hole he took upon himself to fill: Former avreichim who’d entered the workforce weren’t even sure what the parshah of the week was

Nearly 2,500 bnei Torah from all over came to ’s Binyanei Ha’umah recently for the annual conference of Achvat HaTorah, a network of after- hours batei medrash for working men with a serious learning background. They came to hear Rav Shalom Cohen, Rosh Yeshivat Porat Yosef and head of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah of ; Rav Yitzchak Ezrachi, a rosh yeshivah in Mir; and Rav David Leybel, the founder and moving force behind Achvat HaTorah. Rav Chaim Kanievsky offereddivrei brachah by video hook-up from his home, and concluded, “May my portion be with yours.” But more than that, they came to rejoice in being part of a nationwide learning framework of more than 80 batei medrash, with new ones opening constantly — and to show their hakaras hatov to Rav Leybel for helping them once again taste the sweetness of Torah learning and feel part of the The man who discerned this communal From the time he arrived in Ponevezh mussar vaad. Except for the three days a olam haTorah. downward spiral and acted to change at the age of 16, Rav Leybel attached month he travels abroad on business, he “Within three years of leaving kollel,” one man said, “I didn’t even it has an unlikely resume. Then again, himself to Rav Shach. The two spoke in is in the beis medrash from early morning know the week’s parshah, until my kindergarten-aged daughter handed Rav Dovid Leybel did not start out with learning every day, and the chiddushei until midnight. me her parshah sheet at the Leil Shabbos meal. Achvat HaTorah changed a grand plan to create Achvat HaTorah. Torah the pair exchanged every bein Rabbi Leybel’s activities, while everything.” A Ponevezh alumnus and maggid shiur hazmanim remain among Rav Leybel’s admittedly ambitious, were very As a successful lawyer in the crowd put it: “I owe my life to Achvat and rosh kollel since age 20, Rav Leybel most precious possessions. He credits Rav mainstream. But a series of conversations HaTorah.” has spent his entire adulthood spreading Shach with having given him an approach with former talmidim who had entered Torah. Though his father, Rabbi Moshe to learning — the dogged pursuit of emes the workforce added a different Disenfranchised The predominance of the norm of long-term Torah Yoel Leybel, was a Gerrer chassid who had only, with deference to none. dimension to his initiatives. The talmidim learning among chareidim in Israel means that the kollel experience is not learned in the famed Yeshivas Chachmei At the age of 40, Rav Leybel began described their very real dilemmas and specifically tailored toward preparingavreichim to enter the marketplace, Lublin under Rav Meir Shapiro and opening a series of kollelim under the inadequate spiritual resources. Among along with the challenges that brings. A general sense that “going out to enjoyed a close relationship with the Beis name Kollelei Rabi Akiva Eiger. Close the most common complaints was that work” means distancing oneself from the community can be disorienting Yisrael of Gur, the elder Rav Leybel — to 200 avreichim now learn in the ten they no longer felt like they had a place to and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The sad result: Some of those who head of the kehillah in Strasbourg — sent kollelim in the network. In addition, Rav learn, and as a result, their connection to leave kollel to work or study for a degree may close their Gemaras, only his son from Strasbourg to Lithuanian Leybel serves as rosh yeshivah of Yeshivas Gemara learning had declined greatly. infrequently opening them thereafter. institutions — first the Gateshead Reb Chaim HaLevi in Bnei Brak. There he “To be a good Jew,” Rav Leybel says Yeshivah and subsequently Ponevezh. gives three iyun shiurim a week and one during a conversation in his Bnei Brak

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values kollel must denigrate and look down is the time lag between the beginning of on those who work?” studies and the economic return. Those who leave kollel under economic duress Working Solutions Somehow simply cannot afford the four or five running a network of ten kollelim and years (including a preparatory year) of another network of over 80 batei medrash, study required to acquire an academic besides preparing and delivering his own degree. Second, many voice worries about thrice-weekly iyun shiurim (hundreds obtaining work and the suitability of the can be accessed at www.shiurey-harav. work environment, even after attaining a co.il), did not deter Rav Leybel from degree. undertaking in 2013 to create a nonprofit Amazingly, within less than half a year for training chareidim and a high-tech of delving into the problem, Rav Leybel company to employ them. had formulated a response: Avratech, a When I asked him how he could take on 12-month course to prepare participants so many responsibilities and at such a cost for careers in high-tech, followed by in terms of time and money, he appeared guaranteed employment. To make clear not to comprehend the question. He that the participants would not be turning point-blank refuses to speak about their backs on Torah learning and ensure himself, only about his projects. that they continue to identify as bnei I can only surmise that he inherited Torah, they would learn in a separate beis from his father a”h — founder of Yeshivat medrash under the supervision of a rosh Chachmei Tzarfat in nearby Aix-les- kollel the entire first seder. Bains — a sense of responsibility for any beis medrash, “requires a powerful challenge facing the community to which Their Eyes Light Up Rav Leybel attachment to Torah learning.” And in “I have been of Gemara learning b’iyun, the only he thinks he can offer a partial solution. tapped Aharon Safrai, who had previously 2011, he set out to create a beis medrash requirement for acceptance in one of Through Achvat HaTorah, Rav Leybel been the director of the largest kollel for his former talmidim. As demand for a rosh kollel his Achvat HaTorah batei medrash is a became a natural address for many in Elad, to serve as CEO of Avratech. the after-hours kollelim grew, Rav Leybel background in serious yeshivah learning kollel yungeleit looking for employment He personally interviews each of the was stunned to discover what a gaping for 40 years. and a commitment to learn b’iyun, in the opportunities. In his conversations with hundreds of candidates for the program. hole he had to fill. Before opening the style of the yeshivos. The participants avreichim, he detected two recurring If the interviewee tells him that he has second such beis medrash, he went to But where is do not receive a stipend, but Rav Leybel themes: “They had no real employment enough financial resources to remain speak to Rav Aharon Leib Steinman ztz”l provides a salary for the rosh kollel in each opportunities. Furthermore, they felt in kollel for a few more years without about the project. The latter encouraged it written that branch. that by entering the workforce, they were financial pressure, Rav Leybel is likely him and kept repeating in Yiddish, “It is In addition, a significant share of Achvat betraying their community.” to advise him to do so and to return in a a great thing you are doing; it is a great one who values HaTorah’s large annual budget goes to So Rav Leybel began researching the couple of years. And if he detects someone thing you are doing.” sponsoring events that build a sense of growing number of programs — many in who is uniquely talented in learning, kollel must belonging to a community of lomdei Torah. academic degree-granting programs — he will encourage him to do everything Staying Committed The secular The efforts extend to members’ wives and preparing chareidim for the high-tech possible to realize his potential for press often reports on the jobless males of denigrate and families as well, and the annual celebration industry. And he found a crucial problem: harbatzas Torah. chareidi society. But today in Israel there bringing together all the branches is the drop-out rates were way over 50 percent. The major question hovering over are over 10,000 chareidi men pursuing look down culmination of those efforts. Lack of previous exposure to English has Avratech at its founding was this: Can a academic and vocational training, and To those who claim that by providing an proven to be the most serious obstacle. half-day program possibly train avreichim, many more already working. The big on those who intense learning framework for working Both the academic programs and certainly with deficient backgrounds in math and problem, according to Rav Leybel, is that men he is devaluing kollel, and thereby computer programming require a reading English, as computer programmers — in “no one is raising a finger to ensure that encouraging avreichim to leave kollel, Rav and writing knowledge of English. just 12 months? they remain connected to Torah.” work?” Leybel has a brusque reply. “I have been About the lack of English, there was The answer turned out to be yes. The Achvat HaTorah network is his a rosh kollel for 40 years. I don’t need nothing he could do in the short-term. Teachers in the program report that the answer to that problem. Reflecting anyone to lecture me about the value of But some of the other causes of the high eyes of the avreichim light up in their math Rav Leybel’s insistence on the power kollel. But where is it written that one who drop-out rate do admit of solutions. One classes. And their Gemara training makes

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them well-suited for the logic and precision necessary to be a good programmer. News of the success of the program spread rapidly by word of mouth in the chareidi community. Between 2012 and 2016, applications went up from 100 to 700 for the 30 available places. And the drop-out rate among the 30 applicants accepted every year is between The Woman 25 and 30 percent, less than half of that in comparable programs. To provide such intense training is not cheap. Each student costs Avratech 90,000 at the Top Oxygen for the soul. The dividing line, according to Rav Leybel, depends on priorities shekels a year, including a 2,000-shekel monthly stipend (approximately equal to Ravtech’s first CEO certainly seemed like an interesting pick or even slightly above the average kollel for an all-male chareidi program: a non-chareidi woman named the kollel at the beginning of the day. as the great untapped source of talent, salary). Initially, Rav Leybel carried that Vered Mor. (Today, she is the president of Ravtech, in charge While salaries are modest during and also likely one of the least expensive. entire funding burden alone. But today of business development, while Miki Segal runs the day-to-day the two and a half years that graduates Chareidim don’t share the typical high- much of the funding burden is covered by operations as CEO.) Mor came to Ravtech from the world of of Avratech are committed to remain tech mentality of always looking for a new significant private donors — David Hager, philanthropic foundations and before that the Prime Minister’s with Ravtech, they are competitive job that will pay a few thousand shekels Shlomo Eisenberg, and Jeffrey Swartz; as Office. While she had never previously worked in high-tech, she with salaries for other entry-level jobs more. And both chareidi women and, of well as major foundations including Matanel, brought a wide range of connections to her job. for those without university degrees. late, men, have demonstrated that they Russell Berrie, and the San Francisco Like all those who work with Rav Leybel, from the roshei kollel Getting that first job on their resumes will often trade a higher salary for an Federation; and government bodies such as in Kollelei Rabi Akiva Eiger and Achvat HaTorah to his business is crucial. All those who have elected to environment that is sensitive to their the Jerusalem Development Authority. partners, Mor enjoys broad authority. That likely stems from leave Ravtech at the end of two and a half religious needs and for more flexible Rav Leybel’s confidence in his ability to choose the right people years have quickly found employment in hours. Guaranteed Jobs With Achvat and the willingness to give them decision-making power, while the 13,000-to-18,000-shekels-per-month But it’s not just numbers behind the HaTorah and Avratech under his belt, Rav keeping him apprised of what they are doing. For her part, Mor range with other companies. And for new drive to welcome chareidim to high- Leybel wasn’t done. In order to guarantee marvels at the depth of Rav Leybel’s commitment to his vision those who stay within Ravtech, salaries tech. The high-tech industry has also employment to all Avratech graduates, Rav and his willingness to invest in making it a reality. “I’ve never also rise sharply. seen the rise of a strong ethos of making Leybel next created Ravtech, a high-tech firm experienced anything like this before,” she told me. Though Ravtech employees greatly a social impact. offering services on specific projects to larger I asked Mor why she thinks Rav Leybel tapped a non-chareidi develop their technical skills during their Ravtech’s founding CEO Vered Mor companies. woman (albeit one who dresses in compliance with the rules of first two and half years on the job, the most captures that ethos. “I wanted to be at Ravtech employs graduates of Avratech, tzniyus) to head Ravtech. “I’d guess there was a bit of a gimmick important thing they acquire during that the meeting point for people of different and it guarantees them steady work. That involved,” she says. “By hiring me, he conveyed an implicit period is an understanding of marketplace cultures,” she says, explaining the appeal comes with a catch. The industry practice is message: If a chareidi-founded company is not afraid to hire a expectations. They learn how to work as of Ravtech, “and to participate in breaking to hire workers as new projects are secured, woman, then companies should not be afraid to hire chareidim.” part of a team and how to communicate the stigmas on both sides. It’s important and fire them as projects are completed. It also sent a clear message that the learning side of Ravtech with those outside the chareidi world for all to learn that contact with people Ravtech cannot do that because of its and the business side are completely distinct, and that Rav Leybel without feeling threatened. outside of one’s own group does not guarantee of employment. Miki Segal, the would always have full control of the former. If, for instance, a have to be at the cost of one’s distinctive current CEO, says that the requirement of a question arises of how to handle calls deemed “urgent” by the Untapped Resources Good ideas identity.” fixed workforce is equivalent to a high-tech client during learning seder, the address is Rav Leybel. need good timing, and Rav Leybel has Miki Segal, Ravtech’s current CEO, service provider having “weights tied to your Has being a woman ever impeded her communications with benefited from a nationwide drive to tap came to Ravtech from Amdocs, one legs.” Ravtech employees? Mor smiles at the question. “The wives of chareidi talent in the high-tech field. of Israel’s most successful high-tech The guaranteed employment is not the most of the men working here have been until now the primary Current estimates of the number of companies, where he built in a branch only wrinkle in Ravtech’s business model. breadwinners in the family,” she says, “so the men are used to openings for computer programmers in in Nazareth of 300 employees from Workers are expected to put in only six and discussing financial matters with women, who have a large say in the Israeli high-tech sector vary between four different religious communities — a half hours a day, compared to the basic how the money should be spent.” 10,000 and 15,000. And that shortage Christian, Muslim, Druze, and Jewish. industry workday of at least nine hours. The threatens Israel’s dominant position in Still in his forties, he explains the decision remaining two and a half hours are spent in high-tech. To solve the shortage, high- to move to a small company like Ravtech tech executives have identified chareidim along similar lines to Mor. “At a certain

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point in life,” he says, “making a difference Levin says that customers have with a familiar yeshivah and kollel he had to make regular trips to collect proof of Rav Leybel’s guiding principles. is more important than how much you generally been very pleased with background. tzedakah in Lakewood during the nearly Rav Leybel fully accepts that talmidei earn. I decided that this is where I could Ravtech’s work to date. He should know, A 22-year-old chassidic father of eighteen months when the yeshivah in chachamim are the elite of any make a difference.” as he and the other venture capitalists two, who is still in the midst of his which he served as a shoel u’meishiv could Torah society. What he rejects is the No one exemplifies the social ethos and high-tech executives on Ravtech’s Avratech training program, told me not pay salaries. (That period of time did characterization of anyone not learning better than Benny Levin, the chairman board have used their connections to that he feels that his learning, while have its upside: He learned English well full-time as living a life that is spiritually of Ravtech’s board. At 35, he left the IDF help Ravtech win contracts with some more concentrated in terms of hours, is in America.) bedieved. He builds on the Chofetz as a lieutenant colonel in the famed 8200 of the largest international companies: more intense than ever. With so much A younger brother already working for Chaim’s mashal of Klal Yisrael as an army. intelligence unit to form a company Check Point, Hewlett-Packard, Dell packed into a day, he is spurred to utilize Ravtech described his older brother to The IDF invests more in each individual with seven other IDF colleagues. That EMC, and Citi Bank, as well as a host every minute. A 33-year-old graduate of Rav Leybel as brilliant. And in this case, pilot than in any other soldiers. But as company, Nice Systems, became one of Israel’s most successful high-tech Ponevezh Yeshivah with seven children it turned out to be true. Now, just two Israel found out in the 2006 Lebanon Israel’s first major high-tech successes. At companies. expressed his delight that for the first years later, the older brother learns in War, an army cannot win a war exclusively 50, Levin decided he had made as much And CEO Miki Segal has plans — time his debts are no longer growing, the Avratech beis medrash until noon, based on air power. An infantry and tank money as he would ever need, and turned already being implemented — to turn and he now has a profession that will and in the evenings he edits chiddushei corps are still needed. his energies to full-time philanthropy. Ravtech from an outsourcing service allow him to support his family while Torah for publication. In between, he The dividing line in chareidi society, Together with a number of other provider paid on an hourly or per-project continuing to learn seriously. Yet a third is fully confident that he has mastered Rav Leybel concluded in his speech successful high-tech executives, Levin basis to a developer of its own platforms former avreich described how until enough computer science to return real at Binyanei Ha’umah, is not between formed Israel Venture Network, which and products. Avratech came along, his only meager value to clients. And on his own time, he those who learn and those who work. It’s utilized their pooled management When I asked Rav Leybel to what he source of income came from driving one has even created a program to predict between those who conduct their lives expertise to build a stronger, more attributes the degree of support that both of the Mirrer buses bein hasdarim. currency fluctuations — and found an and homes according to the standards resilient society. He has been deeply Avratech and Ravtech have received from Perhaps the most excited member of investor to fund development. that they imbibed in yeshivah and those involved in the creation of two youth leaders in Israeli high-tech, he answers the group was the oldest. Not so long ago, These men are perhaps the strongest who do not. — villages. And for the last eight years, IVN succinctly: “They understand that has been developing the model of a “social chareidim will only integrate into the business” — i.e., a business that has both Israeli economy when they feel secure an economic and social bottom line. A that their fundamental identity is not restaurant employing disabled persons or threatened. Integration will not come at at-risk teenagers might be one example. the cost of chareidi identification.” Ravtech is another. On the one hand, Ravtech is subject to the discipline of the Dividing Lines At the Achvat market. On the other hand, the profits will HaTorah gathering, Rav Leybel all be plowed back into Avratech — a social summarized his vision: to build Jews and spiritual engine for both the business who, even when they are working, are and greater community. identifiable aslomdei Torah. Certainly, When I asked Levin how he views that is the case at Jerusalem’s Avratech Ravtech’s chances for economic success, training center. Those studying in he answers rapid-fire, as if making a Avratech and those working in Ravtech PowerPoint presentation. Despite its all look like they just walked out of a beis guaranteed employment of all Avratech medrash. graduates, Ravtech has nearly 100 percent Recently, I interviewed several of them utilization of its workforce, he points out. at the Jerusalem Center. They ranged in Ravtech CEO Miki Segal told me that ages from 22 to 49, and covered most of Ravtech’s employees are as good as or the sectors of the chareidi world. Three better than those he supervised at Amdocs. out of the four are already working in And Levin echoes that high assessment of A devoted talmid who Ravtech. corresponded with Rav Schach the Ravtech talent pool, especially their They shared a sort of “pinch me, is this (center), Rav Leybel has now “very rapid” rate of learning. Just four built a spiritual support system a dream” mindset, unable to believe their years in, many of the team managers and for thousands of chareidi good fortune to be able to earn a living project directors are already drawn from men pursuing academic and while still maintaining serious learning among the program’s own graduates. vocational training sedorim and being surrounded by others

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