Ki Mitzion Tetzei Torah

Seven Decades of Torah Life in the State of Israel 1968–1977 Jacob Bernstein Fellow, YU Israel Kollel CHASING A TORAH REVOLUTION: KI MITZION TETZEI TORAH ith a sense of youthful While by no means exhaustive, the • Born in Baghdad, Iraq, Rav Ovadia passion, the State of following olim represent some of this Yosef immigrated to Jerusalem at Israel turned twenty decade’s influence on Torah study; their the age of four, and “hechezir atarah yearsW old in 1968, looking to make impact reverberates today. l’yoshnnah — restored the past further strides in its development as a glory” to the Sephardic community, • Born in Riga, Latvia, Dr. Nechama nation among nations. As with many ultimately serving as the Leibowitz immigrated to Israel after Sephardic twenty-year-olds, her drive to make a studying in Germany, and changed Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv from 1968– difference and confidence in a better 1973 and of the face of Tanach Education as Sephardic Chief Rabbi tomorrow led to the planting of seeds, she taught her method of study in Israel from 1973–1983. ones whose fruit we still reap today. countless institutions and through the • Born in Dublin, Ireland, Rabbi publication of her famous Gilyonot. Dr. Yehuda Cooperman made ...כי מציון תצא תורה ודבר ה׳ מירושלים Dr. Leibowitz became a full professor aliyah after studying in Chicago, and )ישעיהו ב:ג( ... For Torah emerges from Zion, and the at Tel Aviv University in 1968, and revolutionized advanced women’s word of God from Jerusalem. received the Israel Prize for Education learning by opening Michlalah in In his vision of the end of days, 12 years earlier. 1964. Michlalah received accreditation to grant degrees to students from the Yeshayahu describes a time when Torah • Born in Paris, France, Rav Dr. Council of Higher Education of the will emerge from Jerusalem, spreading Aharon Lichtenstein made aliyah . forth throughout the world. On the after studying in the United States, State of Israel in 1978 heels of ‘67, and the successful miracles and in 1971 began strengthening the From Sephardim to Ashkenazim, of the Six Day War, the decade between Dati Leumi community and Hesder Tanach to Gemara, Haredi to Dati 1968 and 1978 showcases some of Movement through his position as Leumi, and from the “arba kanfot the most significant and revolutionary Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivat Har Etzion ha’aretz — four corners of the world,” personalities in the Torah world, and founding Rosh Kollel of the YU these four remarkable individuals embodying the spirit of this prophecy. RIETS Israel Kollel. ascended to Israel and helped bring 21 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Yom Haatzmaut 5778 about the Torah revolution that learn better. The Gemara itself invokes “30-under-30” lists exist to feature occurred from 1968–1978. Upon the the verse “ki miTzion teitzei Torah” to those in this age range who chase footsteps of miracles, two of Isaiah’s support the idea that the new national after a better world with passion and prophecies were realized, as the educational platform should begin a healthy sense of optimism that “ingathering of the dispersed” (Isaiah in Zion. Since Jerusalem was too far change is achievable. Perhaps Shmuel 11:12) made their mark on the “Torah away to attract children without their HaKatan’s quote can be developed emanating from Zion” (Isaiah 2:3). parents accompanying them, Chazal a bit deeper, beyond recognizing There is an additional Torah instituted additional “schools,” which common phenomena in the emerging only attracted older students because adult population. phenomenon that originated in 3 this decade, one that has turned they were already far from home. Rabbi Shimon ben Tzemach Duran into something of an educational Ultimately, Yehoshua ben Gamla, (Rashbetz), a 15th-century Spanish movement and mainstay in the Anglo- the Kohen Gadol, is credited with halachic authority, expounds on Shmuel creating the first ever localized Jewish speaking Jewish community: Shana HaKatan’s comments in his Magen Avot, educational system, which saved Torah Ba’Aretz. What many in the Yeshiva a commentary on Pirkei Avot, ad loc.. from being lost from that generation. University community now take for The Rashbetz explains that a child granted — that students spend a “gap In the late 60’s and early 70’s a new who began his learning at the age of year” (or more) learning in Israel — iteration of this story occurred and five will have completed the content was not commonplace before this is still unfolding before our eyes, as of Mikrah, Mishna, and Talmud (each Torah revolution. great individuals have established a over the course of five years) by the age “We created a new world,” said Rabbi successful educational system that of twenty. It is now the responsibility is far away from home, for children Dr. Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff,1 as he of this twenty-year-old to chase after in their later teenage years, and in recalled the creation of BMT, Beit these achievements, to fortify them Midrash L’Torah, in 1969. Together or around Jerusalem. Years ago, internally. After all, what better way with Rabbi Moshe “Whitey” Horowitz, these very criteria made creating a to prepare oneself in advance of “the and with inspiration from Moshe schooling system almost impossible, strength of a thirty-year-old?” and yet today they are commonplace Kobrin, the first Anglo-targetedShana components to many of the successful The Torah revolution that occurred Ba’Aretz program for young men was between 1968 and 1978 was the created, with a mission of “exporting Shana Ba’Aretz programs. These programs originated for young women result of decisions that Jews from four Torah to the Anglo world.” The word of corners of the earth made: to fortify Hashem now had a new route by which with Machon Gold, in 1958, and for young men with BMT, in 1969, and the young, passionate state with an to emerge from Jerusalem, influencing identity of Torah. They chased after Anglo communities around the world in the decade after the Six Day War, the Shana Ba’Aretz Revolution began. the achievements of those who came as students returned home from before them to strengthen Eretz studying there. Thousands of Anglo young men and women have come to Israel, attending Yisrael, and in doing so they changed This contemporary idea to send one of countless Shana Ba’Aretz the world of Torah as well. teenagers to Jerusalem to study Torah programs to learn and grow, and have has a historical basis, albeit not one of benefited from avirah“ d’Eretz Yisrael.” Endnotes success. The Gemara Bava( Batra 21a) In the 21st Mishna of , describes a time when Chazal instituted Pirkei Avot 1 Thank you to Rabbi Dr. Aaron Rakeffet- an educational system in Jerusalem Shmuel HaKatan highlighted Rothkoff for allowing me to interview him to solve a crisis facing a vast number significant milestones throughout a about his personal reflections about this time period. of children who did not have parents lifetime, ones that can be apropos to the 2 Tosafot, Bava Basra 21a, d’’h “Ki Mitzion.” who could teach them Torah. The anniversary of Israel’s existence as well. 2 3 See Chiddushei Ritva, Bava Basra 21a, d’’h ”.v’Adayen Machnisin“ בן עשרים לרדוף בן שלשים לכח. ,location was chosen, explain Tosafot so that the students would witness A twenty-year-old chases and a thirty- the Kohanim and their service in year-old has attained strength. Jerusalem, which would inspire them to It is not surprising to note how many 22 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Yom Haatzmaut 5778.

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