Yom HaAtzmaut 5776

News & Events

Back to New Items

Yom HaAtzmaut 5776

On Yom HaZikaron, yeshiva students participated in memorial ceremonies throughout the country, visiting the graves of the 31 yeshiva alumni who fell in Israel’s battles or as victims of terror. Meeting the families of these alumni strengthens the bond between current students and the yeshiva’s history.

Toward evening, Rosh HaYeshiva Rav Mordechai Greenberg, Rav Menachem Mendel Blachman, Rav Binyamin Be’eri, and Rav Sharon Yust, and others accompanied students to the grave of yeshiva alumnus Avraham Feldman in Kvutzat Yavneh, where they joined his family and friends at a memorial service.

After the close of Yom HaZikaron, Yom HaAtzmaut celebrations began with a special sicha delivered by the Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Mordechai Greenberg shlita. Rav Greenberg emphasized his view of the significance of this day, on which Am Yisrael received the permission and the power to establish and run its own country. He noted that this is our goal as a mamlechet kohanim vegoy kadosh. “Although we have not achieved the complete geula, of course, we have already left the galut.” Rav Greenberg brought a number of proofs that this is ultimately Hashem’s plan. Even if there are many things that remain imperfect and that we disagree with, this is the manner in which Klal Yisrael will be redeemed.

The sicha was followed by the special Tefillat Aravit. At the chagiga that followed, we were joined by a yeshiva alumnus who serves as a F15 navigator in the reserves and who discussed the great miracles that Israel has witnessed in the course of its wars.

 

Besides for participating in the various shiurim and chugim dedicated to the intense study of Torah Zionism, the Yeshiva takes great pride in organizing meaningful programming to help the Chutznikim nurture and develop each of our individual connections with Eretz Yisrael on an extremely deep level.

This past week, after a powerful Yom HaZikaron service, the Yeshiva magnificently transitioned into full-out Yom Tov mode. In a Beis Medresh covered in blue and white, we davened a gorgeous tefilla chagigit in recognition and thanksgiving for the infinite blessings that Hashem constantly showers upon us. We danced, we sang, we ate, and we heard a fascinating shiur given by a senior officer in the Israeli air force… The emotion and sincere joy that evening was tangible, even as people returned to the Beis Medresh late that night for another emotionally charged seder.

Shachrit the next day was followed by another incredibly deep and impactful rendition of tehillim and Hallel. We were impressed by the addition of a special Haftorah read from sefer Yeshaya, yet another method of honoring the day through recognizing what Hashem has done for us, as well as of anticipating the ultimate redemption He will soon bring iy"h.

The best part about the day was probably the "Tanach Tiyul" we went on after morning seder. Together with our informative tour guide and the inspiring Rav Davidson, we hiked through the caves used by Jews during the Bar Kochba revolt during the first century CE. Together, we read through specific portions of Tanach and Talmud and gained a much clearer picture of the history leading up to, during, and following that period of time.

To cap it all off, no Yom Haatzmaut can ever be complete without a "yomtiv barbeque”… We definitely owe an incredible amount of hakaras hatov, specifically to the administration of the overseas program, who organized an impactful and enjoyable program for us all to benefit from.