The rabbis after Shabbat gathering
The rabbis after Shabbat gatheringReligious Education Administration

Dozens of hesder yeshiva and religious military preparatory seminary heads gathered for a joint Shabbat meeting of the hesder yeshivas association at Midreshet HaGolan in Hispin.

The purpose of the Shabbat gathering was to understand changes in the young generation and discuss the many challenges at hand in order to find solutions.

Hesder Yeshivot Council Chairman Rabbi Chaim Druckman said: "We aren't dealing with a private matter or a particular institution. We're dealing with the soul of the nation, with general Israeli responsibility, with the transmission of Torah and education to fear of G-d to all of Israel's children. From among them will sprout holy men and Torah scholars in all spheres of life.

"The world of preparatory studies has given rise to military leadership, values, ​​and public leadership out of a sense of mission. The world of hesder yeshivas has spawned a rabbinic and scholarly leadership alongside thousands of educators, rabbis, and teachers, as well as a generation of scholars who are involved in all aspects of life and contribute to the rebirth of the State of Israel," added Rabbi Druckman.

Former Ramat Gan Rabbi Yaakov Ariel noted that "Just as every new king forges trumpets of his own, so every leadership has to innovate with tools, but these are only tools. The essence of the yeshiva world is learning, studying the Talmud and poskim, ethics and faith, and that essence never moves from the Beit Midrash study hall from the days of Moses to the present."

Mechinot Bnei David College head Rabbi Eli Sadan said that "many common challenges stand before us; cooperation and cohesion will help us create a new generation of children who grow up out of the sweetness of Torah and a natural belief that will permeate our entire Beit Midrash in coming years. We must prepare ways for the spiritual development of the girls of the Ulpanot who will maintain Torah homes out of joy and faith."

Yeshivat HaGolan and Hispin community Rabbi Aharon Eisenthal emphasized that "dozens of rabbinic judges, hundreds of rabbis, and thousands of talmudic sages are wonderful products of hesder yeshivas. We must focus on developing a Torah reserve, alongside positioning Torah home builders."

Ramat Gan yeshiva head Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira noted that "besides sanctifying G-d in practical life - in the army, in education, and in action from the Torah world - we must carefully confer with wisdom and sensitivity to care for the many of our children who do not hold by the way of their fathers, and have left observing Torah and mitzvot," he said.

Yeshivat HaGolan alumnus Judge Asher Kula said, "The data prove that many students attend the yeshivas at the beginning of their careers and don't continue on the path of hesder. You must recalculate and redefine diverse goals and programs for each target audience." In addition, Judge Kula called on the yeshiva heads whose graduates study law to encourage them to enter positions in the public sector and in the courts.

Religious Education Administration head Rabbi Dr. Avraham Lifshitz noted that "We're enjoying great growth in demand for religious education institutions, and to our joy there's a surge in thirst for Torah study and a desire to take part in religious institutions in a broad and joyful way," said Dr. Lifschitz. "I ask you to encourage yeshiva graduates to dedicate their lives to an educational mission wherever they are. We have nothing more important than our youth."