The Military Yeshiva Academy of Israel 27 BNEI DAVID ELI ROSH HASHANA 5777 We wish all our alumni, friends, students and the entire House of Israel a sweet New Year of joy, of good tidings and the realization of our hopes and dreams. Academic year opens with 700 students in all programs 700 new and returning students to discuss the impact of events over the Beit Midrash. Thanks to our loyal friends, them in their daily learning. The goal began their studies on Rosh Chodesh past year and deliberate the best way to we will be continuing our program of in- of this program is for the students to Elul (September 4). integrate the lessons and challenges of depth Mishna and Halacha studies, and complete the study of the entire Mishna In preparation for the coming year Bnei current affairs in Israel into our curriculum, our students will be receiving volumes of before their induction to the IDF. We David held several one-day seminars to give our students the best tools and Seder Moed and Pninei Halacha Moadim wish all our students a productive and for the teaching and educational staff, insights for meeting the world beyond the as a companion reference book to aid successful year. ❚ “This stone that I have set up as a pillar will be G-d’s house – now is the time to build the mechina Second class opens at Ma'aleh Ephraim branch After a successful first year, a flower beds that add to the pleasant second group of students has atmosphere. The Bnei David Ma’aleh begun studies at Bnei David’s Ephraim branch has a special family Jordan Valley branch in the feeling, and a unique program community of Ma’aleh Ephraim. throughout the year helps the students The 20 second-year students have been form a special connection with Eretz joined by 32 new first-year students. In Yisrael and its nature trails. ❚ After 28 years the time has come to Room and classrooms. We hope to hold order to accommodate the additional build a permanent Beit Midrash for the the cornerstone ceremony in the coming students two buildings have been mechina. The architectural plans have months. With Hashem’s help we have so added to the campus, surrounded by been completed and we are currently far raised 30% of the cost of this building. finishing the earth works in preparation There are many dedication options in this for construction to begin. At Bnei David’s project and we invite you to partner with us website you can take a virtual tour of the in building the best learning environment building and see the Beit Midrash, Memorial for the pre-army program students. ❚ The Military Yeshiva Academy of Israel | Yeshiva for Discharged Soldiers | Advanced Yeshiva | Jordan Valley בני דוד עֵ לִ י Branch | Midreshet Danielle for Young Women Eli D.N. Ephraim 4482800, Israel • [email protected] • www.bneidavid.org Design & publication: Shilo • Barkats Beit-El • Translation & editing: Miryam Blum Jerusalem BNEI DAVID ELI BULLETIN | 1 Rejoice in Jerusalem all who love her Summing up the Class of 2016 On Jerusalem Day the mechina in 1948 while defending the Yemin students went on a walking Moshe neighborhood facing Har Zion, tour of Jerusalem, to the first opposite the Old City. After the tour, neighborhoods built outside the the students joined the thousands of Old City walls. other young people who had come Renowned Jerusalem tour guide to sing, dance and wave Israeli flags Eliyada Bar Shaul recounted the all the way from Nablus Gate on the courageous deeds of Avraham Michael north side of the Old City down to the Kirshenbaum, who died in battle Western Wall. ❚ The second-year mechina students synagogues in this holy city that is the spent their final Shabbat of the cradle of Jewish mysticism (Kabbala). program in Safed, high in the After Shabbat they enjoyed a musical hills of the Galilee, with Rav Yigal Melave Malka with Rav Yoel Rechel, who Loewenstein and his family. will continue to keep in touch with the On Friday they went for a nature hike soldiers throughout their IDF service. We along Nahal Kziv and on Friday evening wish all our soldiers safe and significant and Shabbat morning attended services service and look forward to hosting them at a few different yeshivas and ancient on visits to Bnei David. ❚ Bnei David desk calendar to produce and publish a unique desk calendar with photos of events and activities at Bnei David, that will be sent to all those interested in receiving a copy. Please send your mailing address to [email protected] and we will be Smartphone innovations Thanks to technological advances and happy to send you the calendar. We would During the Intermediate Days of pursuant to requests from you and also be happy to hear your comments on Passover Rabbi Sadan was invited problems with the mail, we have decided this matter. ❚ to give a short address to a group of high-tech entrepreneurs and investors from around the Danielle program girls world, who were visiting Israel to participate in a conference embark on National Service organized by OurCrowd, which The first graduating class of Midreshet Danielle began their National is owned by Jonathan Medved, a Egypt and the resumption of the Service on September 1 and the new class of girls has joined the Bnei David friend of Bnei David Institutions. sanctification of the material world. He family. The closing event for the Midreshet Danielle program was held Jonathan’s two sons attended Bnei noted that Israel is a startup power in in July with the parents of the graduating class, the Sonnenfeld family, David and he has been following the both the material and spiritual spheres. the program’s staff and the girls, who were very excited and thankful for progress of Bnei David and Rabbi After his address he tried out some of the wonderful year of studies and special experiences. The speakers at Sadan’s vision for many years. the latest virtual reality inventions and this event included Rav Sadan and Rav Kashtiel. Mr. Motti Sonnenfeld Rabbi Sadan spoke with the investors enjoyed seeing the new worlds they spoke about Danielle’s exemplary character and her generous and caring about the redemption of Israel from opened up for him. ❚ nature, and Rachel Sonnenfeld gave each of the girls a gift and wished them all the best in the coming year. ❚ 2 | BNEI DAVID ELI BULLETIN Bar and Bat Mitzvah Evening seminar on the Israeli family celebrations This year’s annual summer for children evening seminar for Bnei David alumni was held at Hibba of Bnei David alumni Center for Israeli Heritage, in One of Bnei David’s alumni programs promotes Jerusalem. the connection of the next generation to Bnei Over 200 alumni came to hear David. shiurim on the importance of At Chanukah there is an event for the Bat Mitzvah girls strengthening the traditional and on Isru Chag Shavuot there is a full-day event for Jewish family, with Rav Akiva the Bar Mitzvah boys. This year 30 boys and their Kashtiel, Rav Ohad Tirosh and Rav Eli parents participated in this event. The day opened Sadan. Following the success of this with a reunion of the alumni over refreshments, event, similar evening seminars are ❚ followed by father-and-son learning, a bicycle ride being planned for the future. along a singles trail through the forest on the hillside below Eli, and a dip in the pool by the spring at the edge of the forest. Rav Yigal Loewenstein joined the Sukkot events for visitors to Eli boys throughout the day, accompanying Gilad Klein, the son of Major Roi Klein HY”D. We wish all the boys and girls mazal tov and all the parents pride and joy in their children. ❚ An institutional New dormitory dishwasher wing completed for Bnei David Thanks to our generous donors and hard- With the expansion of Bnei David’s programs and the working construction contractor, the new increasing number of students at the dining hall, Bnei dormitory wing that was begun last winter David’s board decided to purchase a dishwashing has been completed, adding rooms for 72 more During the Intermediate Days of Sukkot students to the existing complex. ❚ machine to assist with this chore. A large machine we invite all our friends and supporters to has now been installed and will be operated by the students. ❚ A JOYOUS CEREMONY TO WELCOME A SEFER TORAH in memory of Lt. Hadar Goldin, HY”D donated by the Falic family AND FOR LAYING THE CORNERSTONE OF THE NEW MECHINA BUILDING If you are planning to be in Israel for Sukkot, we would be happy to see you here and help you to arrange tours of the area on the day of the event. Please be in touch with Lior Shtul at [email protected] BNEI DAVID ELI BULLETIN | 3 Meeting the transportation infrastructure challenge in Israel The 40 students in the Chai Roi Groner is currently director general of and met with another Bnei David alumnus facing infrastructure planners and how combined academic and Beit this office. His presentation reinforced at the Transportation Ministry and with each decision affects the whole system. Midrash studies program recently the principle of being the best we can officials who deal with issues affecting the They also touched on the types of civil participated in a field trip hosted be at whatever task we are doing at any Jerusalem Light Rail. service positions the students could fill by Moriah Jerusalem Development given time, wherever we are, and to be The highlight of the afternoon was a after they graduate.