Rabbi Seth Grauer
Rosh Yeshiva/Head of School
Hundreds of articles will be written this year focusing on Israel’s accomplishments over these past seven decades. These literary pieces will most likely focus on Israel’s population growth, infrastructure development, economic prosperity, defense capabilities and military might and of course Israel’s status as a leader in high tech innovation and the famed start up culture.
One topic that might be lost, however is that over the last 70 years, Israel has exploded as thecenter for Torah learning certainly within the Dati Leumi community but within the Chareidi world as well. Speaking as a high school principal, I would point specifically to the number of high school graduates spending a year or more learning in Israel, a movement which began in earnest in the 1970s, but has since exploded into the formation of dozens of Yeshivot and seminaries catering to the post-high school diaspora communities. This has had profound and truly immeasurable impact on the siblings, families and communities from which these young men and women leave and ultimately return. The American Jewish community as a whole, and the Torah community in particular has been forever changed by the impact of these programs and opportunities. And in so many ways, this is only a tiny part of the incredible growth of Torah learning that Israel has seen.
Two years ago, I met with Rav Doron Perez, Head of World Mizrachi, and he shared with me that World Mizrachi was no longer solely focused on what the diaspora communities can do for Israel, but was now shifting their focus towards ki mitzion teitzei Torah, that Torah should now go forth from Israel and spread to the diaspora. Bnei Akiva Schools and Mizrachi Canada have therefore both shifted their focus as a result, to look for greater ways that we can benefit from the Torah being created in Israel. There are very likely more Jews learning Torah in Israel today than at any time since creation. There are more Yeshivot, more sefarim, journals, articles, shiurim and their overall quality, relevance and sophistication grow every year. The best Torah curricular materials for Jewish day schools are coming from Israel and Israel has taken the lead in online educational Torah learning opportunities for all ages in various modes of delivery. So many gedolim and poskim both within the chareidi and the dati leumi and Religous Zionist communities are now based in Israel and they travel more and more to diaspora communities to spread their knowledge and their Torah.
t could be argued that the last century has seen the Torah centers move from Europe to America and now has settled in what we hope will be its permanent home: Medinat Yisrael.
The Gemara in Brachot (5a) writes that Hakadosh Baruch Hu gave the Jewish people three wonderful presents, but all of them are only received through yesurim (pain and suffering): Torah, the land of Israel and Olam Haba.
My Roshei Yeshiva, Rav Yehuda Amital z”tl and Rav Aaron Lichteinstein z”tl, like so many others, built a Yeshiva in a hostile environment and perhaps they were able to gain all three presents through the same institution and the same messirat nefesh.
Thinking about and reflecting upon Israel at 70 can be most meaningful from within Israel itself, so I waited until I was able to physically be in Israel to pen this brief reflection. When I reflect upon Israel at 70 and travel throughout the country, there is so much to be proud of. The media will likely focus their attention elsewhere, but what might go unnoticed is what has been built, developed and established in the realm of limud HaTorah. This is indeed an accomplishment that we should all be exceptionally proud of.
May the next decade bring even more limud haTorah to eventually usher in the building of the ultimate center for Torah learning, the Beit Hamikdash Hashelishi.
