from INN:
A first-of-its-kind haredi-religious yeshiva has officially been accepted into the ranks of the IDF's hesder movement. Named Derekh Chaim (Path of Life), it combines not only Torah studies and military service, as in all hesder yeshivot, but also technological studies, with an emphasis on cyber-warfare.
Derekh Chaim was initiated by none other than the Defense Ministry's Security-Sociological Wing and the IDF's Manpower and Chief Rabbinate Departments, for the purpose of enabling young haredi men the opportunity for "meaningful IDF service."
The Rosh Yeshiva is Rabbi Carmi Gross, of the English-speaking haredi community in Beit Shemesh. The yeshiva is located in Moshav Nachalim, near Petach Tikvah, having moved there just recently after its previous site in Jerusalem proved unable to handle the burgeoning student body.
The four-year post-high school program in Derekh Chaim begins with two years of study, followed by two years of army service. During the first two years, the students learn various disciplines of Torah for 45 hours a week – plus another 20 weekly hours of technology study. During the third and fourth years, the student-soldiers are integrated into the cyber and intelligence divisions of the IDF; the former deals with protecting sensitive computer and internet networks, and the second deals with cyber attacks.
Derekh Chaim actually began nearly a year ago, but operated in relative secrecy in order to prove itself before haredi-religious opposition might nip it in the bud. Until its establishment, the only yeshivot which combined Torah study and military service were the growing number of religious-Zionist hesder institution.
Rabbi Gross formerly taught in the yeshiva high school Maarava, which faced similar challenges when it was founded and is now a successful educational enterprise and accepted fixture in the haredi public. Parents of Maarava students, in fact, provided some of the impetus for the founding of the new hesder yeshiva.
An additional course of study will apparently be opened in Derekh Chaim in the coming months - machine engineering and electrical engineering – at the request of the IDF's Merkavah and armored combat vehicles plant.
Basically, the politicians, if they aren't going to be helpful, should really just get out the way and not hinder progress.
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What do politicians have to do with this story? It's far more likely that a Charedi RY will call for it to be closed or for some zealots to try and torch the campus. Or a student.
ReplyDeletepoliticians have a lot to do with it, and are closely watching its progress for success or failure. Many, many politicians have been out to visit the yeshiva - on both sides of the political spectrum. Politicians clear the ground for such places to exist. there are bureaucracies in place, approvals are needed, curriculum need to be approved, it has to keep approval as hesder status, and probably more things than I can imagine.
ReplyDeleteOK, but why the implication that there are politicians who would wish to shut it down? Seems a bit cynical without cause.
Deleteas we saw in the last Knesset, politicians, often looking for glory, do more harm then good. They legislate and turn things around, because they want to create impressions or hurt other people's initiatives.
Deletethe yeshiva has kept its existence quiet until now, getting itself a solid base. it is finally going public. In the past month I am aware of three articles about it (2 of them in Hebrew), and maybe there were more that I did not see. I do not have a specific politician in mind, but with the yeshiva going public, now it will come under greater scrutiny, both from politicians and from haredi askanim. This is the time where either of them, but I expect even less from askanim, can either help, get out of the way, or hurt.
*shrug*
DeleteYour offhand comment made it seem like there's a particular worry that some politicians have or might stake a position in closing such a Yeshivah. I am a newcomer to Israeli politics, but other than the Charedim, I can't see who would be put out by this on a political basis, especially in the current coalition.
I wonder how the Haredi public will like the fact that the yeshiva is located on a Bnei Akiva moshav. There's a Bnei Akiva high school yeshiva there, or was in my time (late 70s).
ReplyDeletethey are renting space on the same campus. but it is a temporary arrangement. last year they were on the Machon Lev campus, but entering the second year there was not enough space. They are already looking for their next location. I don't like that they are moving so much, but it is what it is
Deletehow about www.nhemed.co.il
ReplyDeletewas started just over 1.1/2 years ago now has 80 boys on campus and for the 2015/2016 academic year expect to have 120 boys.
I have heard about the Ein Hemed program and everything about it sounds great. The one question I never found an answer to is how they deal with the army issue. do their boys continue to get deferments as if they are in a yeshiva? do they have army problems after? is this in conjunction with some sort of army service?
ReplyDeleteI never heard of Ein Hemed, but on their web site they say this about the army:
Deleteאישור אקדמיזציה מצה"ל המאפשר לך ללמוד בראש שקט.
I'm not actually sure if that answers the question, though.