Kfar HaRoeh Yeshiva

The Bnei Akiva Yeshiva in Kfar HaRoeh was founded in 1939 by Rabbi Moshe-Zvi Neria in the religious workers' moshav Kfar HaRoeh. It is the first yeshiva of the Bnei Akiva yeshivas.

History
Following the second training seminar of the Bnei Akiva youth movement, held in Kfar HaRoeh, where the need to establish Torah frameworks for the religious Zionist youth of Eretz Israel was discussed, "Torah study groups" were established in the Bnei Akiva branches in Jerusalem, Haifa, and Petah Tikva. The learners maintained contact among the different branches' groups and over time came to the understanding that there was a need for a yeshiva in the spirit of Bnei Akiva and that existing frameworks were insufficient. The students of the Torah study groups approached the national leadership of Bnei Akiva, Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neria, and Benjamin Shachor with a request to establish a yeshiva where they would study in Hebrew and in the spirit of the Bnei Akiva movement.

In 1939, members of the Torah study groups went to a "preparatory camp for the yeshiva" that was held in Kfar HaRoeh, where Rabbi Shaul Israeli served as rabbi. The camp was overseen by Zvi Kaplan and Rabbi Avraham Zukerman, who was the Haifa and northern branches' coordinator. At that time, Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neria was a delegate for the Mizrachi at the 21st Zionist Congress in Geneva, so he did not participate in the camp. The camp's purpose was to consolidate the core for the yeshiva, emotionally, academically, and socially, and to assess whether the members were indeed ready for the bold move of establishing the first yeshiva of its kind.

Rabbi Neria approached various institutions for assistance in establishing the yeshiva, but the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 posed significant challenges in raising funds. The president of the World Mizrachi, Rabbi Meir Bar-Ilan, refused to assist due to these difficulties. Moshe Chaim Shapira agreed to assist with funding for a trial period, while Rabbi Yehuda Leib Maimon agreed to assist in establishing the yeshiva from his own pocket.

Establishment
On Monday, 10th of Cheshvan in the winter of 1939, 13 members of the "Torah study groups" arrived at the moshav in Kfar HaRoeh, led by Rabbi Neria. The group settled in a hut in the synagogue of the moshav and began studying Gemara (Tractate Beitzah). The unique study program included Gemara, Mishnah, Tanakh, and the writings of Rabbi Kook. The yeshiva's lifestyle was determined by Rabbi Neria under the title "A Republic of Torah Scholars". A student committee was established that maintained this lifestyle and decided on the admission of new students. Despite economic difficulties, the yeshiva was established, and at the end of the month of Adar, with the end of the winter period, a siyum (completion ceremony) of the tractate was held with guests participating.

After half a year, another group of members came, led by Rabbi Avraham Zukerman, who served as a teacher in the yeshiva. The study program continued similarly in the following years until the tenth year of the yeshiva, when Rabbi Zukerman initiated the introduction of additional studies to the yeshiva that were not only Torah studies (despite Rabbi Neria's opposition to the matter). According to Rabbi Zukerman, the halachic obligation of a father to teach his son a trade also applies to studies that enable obtaining a high school diploma.

Initially, agricultural work was also integrated into the yeshiva. By the end of the 1940s, due to parental demand and the establishment of Midrashiat Noam, high school studies were introduced to the yeshiva (at the expense of manual labor) under the management of Dr. Shmuel Auerbach, despite Rabbi Neria's opposition (who expressed to Israel Sadan: "Hair will grow on the palm of my hand before secular studies are taught in the yeshiva") and with the encouragement of his co-head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Avraham Zukerman, who served as a Bible teacher. Dr. Shimshon Novik was the first chemistry teacher at the yeshiva.

The founders' desire was to create an educational institution that would combine the seriousness of Lithuanian yeshivas, the warmth of the Chasidic movement, and the pioneering spirit. In Rabbi Neria's words, to create a "sabra without thorns". The yeshiva was characterized by openness and trust in its students, guiding them towards Zionist fulfillment, further studies in advanced yeshivas, and service in combat units of the IDF. About 100 graduates of the yeshiva fell in Israel's battles. The founders aimed to realize Rabbi Kook's vision as expressed in his unsuccessful movement, "Degel Yerushalayim".

As part of this educational approach, Rabbi Neria enabled the existence of a weekly Chasidic lesson in the Tanya for the yeshiva students by the Chabad Rabbi Meir Blizinsky and continued to support the lesson even as students participating in the lesson were drawn to Chabad Chasidism and moved to the Tomchei Tmimim yeshiva in Kfar Chabad.

In the early days of the yeshiva, broad powers were granted to the student committee, which consisted of five members. The committee was responsible for establishing the yeshiva's policies, admitting new students, preventing the expulsion of current ones, and more. Each student underwent a trial period, and only after the committee approved their admission did they become a student and later a member and eligible to vote for the committee. The heads of the yeshiva involved the committee members in their decisions and dilemmas.

The yeshiva emphasized and prioritized integration in education, initially accepting many students from each class from development towns and distressed neighborhoods alongside children from established areas. The yeshiva offered classical streams such as physics, computer science, and biology, as well as fields like communication and life sciences. After Rabbi Neria's passing, Rabbi Avraham Zukerman became the sole head of the yeshiva. Upon his retirement, the yeshiva was transferred to the management of the Bnei Akiva Yeshivot Center.

2010s
In 2010, after the management of the yeshiva was transferred to the Bnei Akiva Yeshivot Center and with a significant reduction in the number of students, a religious high school yeshiva named Yeshivat Beit Avraham (after Rabbi Avraham Shapira) was moved to the Kfar HaRoeh campus. Yeshivat Beit Avraham was established in 2008 in Nir Galim and is identified with the Hardal (Haredi-Leumi) community. The head of Yeshivat Beit Avraham was Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Schreiber, who was the rabbi of Kfar Darom. This yeshiva was closed after several years.

In 2012, the last class of the original yeshiva, class 72, completed their studies.

In 2013, the yeshiva reopened its doors with sixty ninth-grade students, under the leadership of Rabbi Moshe Felix. In 2017, Rabbi Yaakov Chaviv replaced him and returned the yeshiva to the original path.

Alumni

 * Haim Drukman – Israeli rabbi and politician.
 * Moti Yogev – Former IDF colonel, Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset, formerly Secretary General of Bnei Akiva.
 * Zephaniah Drori – Israeli Orthodox rabbi and rosh yeshiva.
 * Michael Ben-Ari – Israeli politician.
 * Tsevi E. Tal – Israeli judge

Faculty

 * Arye Bina
 * Yitzhak Dov Gilat