Bnei Akiva
Encyclopedia
Bnei Akiva (lit: Akiva's children) is the largest religious Zionist
youth movement in the world, with over 125,000 members in 37 countries. It was established in Mandate Palestine
in 1929.
The organization is the largest Jewish youth movement in Australia and around the world. It's Anthem is "Yad Achim" - "the hand of brothers", which supports the movement's ideology. Bnei Akiva's slogan is "Am Yisrael b'Eretz Yisrael al pi Torat Yisrael" - "The (Jewish) Nation of Israel living in the Land of Israel according to the Torah of Israel".
Bnei Akiva was established as the youth wing of the Mizrachi
movement. The axiom of Bnei Akiva is Torah v’Avodah, a phrase coined by Rav Shmuel Chaim Landau (Shachal). Bnei Akiva first came into existence in the late 1920s, following World War I
. Concurrent with the establishment of the movement in Palestine, organizations of religious youth operated in the Diaspora. Some of them adopted the name Bnei Akiva and others had appellations such as Hashomer Hadati. Twenty-five years later (1958), the Israeli and Diaspora groups merged and the Mazkirut Olamit (World Secretariat) of Bnei Akiva was formed.
and Avodah
loosely translate to religious commitment/study and work on the land of Israel. The movement has an anthem called Yad Ahim. As a pioneering Zionist youth movement, Bnei Akiva believes that it is a central commandment
of Judaism
to emigrate to the land of Israel--"make Aliya
"-- and maintains that the future of the Jewish people is tied to the state of Israel. Bnei Akiva feels that Jewish youth in the Diaspora
should be educated to realize that the State of Israel needs them, and that they, in turn, need it. In the early years of pioneering, Avodah was understood as meaning agricultural work, as reflected in the symbolism on the "Semel" (see below, #The Emblem). In more recent years, there has driven a shift in ideology towards a broader definition of working for the development of the country. (See Avodah
article).
Similarly, the original socialist
aims of Bnei Akiva are also taking more of a back-seat. Up to the 1980s many Bnei Akiva members joined religious Kibbutzim in Garinim (groups). They were either groups based on army service together Nahal
or they were groups that came on Aliya
(emigrated) to Israel together. Since the 1990s, a wider view of how to contribute to Israeli life has become accepted. Bnei Akiva members now typically settle in development towns, settlements etc. They are active in all areas of Israeli life including security, hi-tech, education, academia etc.
Bnei Akiva's objectives are to educate Jewish youth with values of Torah Va'Avodah (Torah and work), to provide stimulating experiential and informal opportunities for encountering Judaism, and to encourage Jewish continuity and leadership, e.g. members are encouraged to spend a year in Israel on organised learning and touring programs to broaden their knowledge of Israel and developing their leadership skills.
and the National Religious Party
. It is run by a National Secretariat (Hanhala Artzit). Outside Israel, local branches of Bnei Akiva are under the Bnei Akiva Olami (Worldwide) organization.
In every country, Bnei Akiva operates a network of Shabbat
groups, summer camps, leadership seminars, Shabatonim, and other activities.
, is made up of different objects each relating to a different aspect of the group's ideology
. The farming utensils and the wheat sheaves relate to the original agricultural perspective of the ideology. The two tablets of stone in the center relate to the Torah
perspective. The two perspectives of Torah and Avoda are united together by the ribbon which says Bnei Akiva on it - symbolizing that the two aspects can only and must work hand in hand. The letters on the two tablets are the Hebrew letters 'Taf' and 'Ayin' standing for Torah veAvoda ("Torah and work").
(himmnon in Hebrew), was composed by Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neriya (originally known as Chaver Minkin). He composed the anthem during the Chol Hamoed
period of the Jewish holiday
of Sukkot
, 1932, at a gathering of youth leaders in Kfar Sava.
Although the words have changed somewhat, (and, in the beginning of the 1950s, the tune was also changed, possibly due to its similarity with the 'Bundistim' from Poland
), there are very few Bnei Akiva occasions in which the anthem is not sung.
The anthem, Yad Achim, is sung in Hebrew.
there are two snifim one in Copacabana (Snif Metzadah) and one in Tijuca (Snif Beit Yafah).
Bnei Akiva's presence in São Paulo
started in the 50s. Now it has two snifim, one in Jardins
and one in Higienopolis
.
Bnei Akiva also have a snif in Belém
.
The activities of Bnei Akiva include Shabbaton
s, camp (each year there are two camps in São Paulo and two in Rio de Janeiro
), many field trips, and commemorations of the Jewish holiday
s.
celebrations and Shabbaton
s. It is lead primarily by the students of Hebrew Academy and other schools as well. The current Shlicah in Montreal is Shira Tauber. Bnei Akiva Montreal runs weekly and monthly activities, educational training and Intercity Shabbatonim.
Bnei Akiva of Toronto was started in 1935, and today has a strong presence in Toronto . There are 4 chapters (BAYT, Or Chaim, Shaarei Shamayim and Tifferet Israel) with over 200 children attending on shabbat
afternoon, as well as programming for grades 3-12 throughout the year. Bnei Akiva Toronto is a member of the Midwest Region. There is also the Bnei Akiva run camp Moshava
Enismore just outside Toronto. Toronto houses the only Bnei Akiva Yeshiva
outside Israel
, Yeshivat Or Chaim with Ulpanat Orot, forms Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto).
, there are three chapters and one main house, which is the center of activities. It counts around more than 100 active members in the movement and a large population of non active members, those who have grown too old for the Youth Groups, or those who have "made Aliyah
" (moved to Israel). Bnei Akiva members are involved in community service such as participating in its institutions, studying in Jewish day school
s, Hebrew school
s and Yeshivot
, and participating in Chessed activities (community service
).
Different from other countries the movement is led by a Board which consists of members in the age of 16–22 years, putting a rather big responsibility on young shoulders, while the Shaliach is the chairman.
Many members went on aliya, while those who stay(ed) play(ed) significant roles in Jewish communal and non-Jewish life.
dates back to the 1920s. Today, it is one of the largest active Jewish youth movements in the country. It runs many shabbaton
im as well as weekly activities at its various centres around the country. Bnei Akiva runs a month-long annual summer camp in the Western Cape
, which is attended by over 1000 chanichim (campers) and madrichim (counselors). There is also a winter camp held in different locations each year, youth from all over South Africa attend this camp. The movement also runs many Israel programs - including MTA, Tafnit, Hadracha Tzeira, Kfar Haroeh and Bema'aleh - throughout the year.
was founded almost 75 years ago. Today, Bnei Akiva Switzerland has more than 120 members in the two chapters (snifim), in Basel
and Zurich
. Geneva
used to have an own chapter, but was closed by the parent organization in Israel
because of a lack of interested members. Bnei Akiva is the biggest Jewish youth organization in Switzerland. Currently they have Dafna Zomer as shlicha.
was the main figure in the early growth of Bnei Akiva, as he brought over children from Nazi Europe on the Kindertransport
and placed them in Bachad Hachshara (preparation) centres. These aimed to prepare the youth to work the Land of Israel on kibbutz by learning agricultural technicques. The first of these was at Gwrych Castle, which held the first ever gathering of Bnei Akiva UK in December 1940. After the local Marquis shut down the centre and expelled the Jewish immigrants, other Hachshara centres were set up in Bromsgrove, Buckinghamshire and the most famous, Thaxted
, Essex
.
Many Kibbutz
im including Lavi and Bet Rimon were founded by members of BAUK. In modern times, Hachshara takes place in Israel and involves two schemes; Torani (the yeshiva and seminary track) and Lehava (giving participants a range of experiences in Israel). Bnei Akiva is the leading provider of gap years to 18 year-olds in the UK.
Today, Bnei Akiva is the largest Jewish youth movement in the country, with over 1000 members paying Mas Chaver (membership) each year. It is run by five full-time sabbatical workers who work in the London Bayit, the offices of Bnei Akiva UK. Bnei Akiva also brings over families of Shlichim (emissaries) from Israel, one serving as the Bnei Akiva Rabbinical couple and one serving the Northern communities. The Mazkirut and Shlichim together with the Nivcharim [elected representatives] who are elected by the movement's members each year form the Hanhalla [Governing body].
Bnei Akiva runs 28 svivot (branches) around the UK. They run activities on Shabbat afternoons as well as running Succah Crawls, Family Friday Nights and Shabbatot Ha'Irgun. This year, there are active Bnei Akiva groups in Barnet
, Belmont
, Birmingham
, Borehamwood & Elstree
, Brondesbury Park
, Bushey
, Cheadle
, Chigwell
, Edgware United
, Edgware Yeshurun
, Finchley
, Golders Green
, Hale
, Hampstead Garden Suburb
, Hendon
, Kenton
, Kingsbury
, Leeds
, Maida Vale
, Mill Hill
, Pinner
, Redbridge
, Salford
, Southgate
, South Hampstead
, South Woodford
, Stamford Hill
, Stanmore
, Whitefield
and Woodside Park
. The svivot mostly operate in local synagogues but Bnei Akiva have two purpose-built buildings to house activities in London and Manchester.
Bnei Akiva runs summer and winter camps (machanot) from school years 6-12. The winter camps include Aleph (Years Six & Seven), Ma'apilim (Year Eight), Haroeh (Year Nine), Gimmel (Year Ten) and Hadracha Course (Year Twelve). H-Course is a long-running leadership training camp which gives participants the skills to become the future leaders of the movement.
Summer camps include Aleph (Year Six), Aleph Chalutzi (Year Seven), Bet Base (Year Eight), Bet Chalutzi (Year Nine) and Gimmel (Year Ten). For Year 11, there is Israel Machane, a month long tour visiting sites in Israel. In 2011, Machane Cadur Regel (Football Camp) was initiated for years 3-5 in partnership with Arsenal Football Club. Bnei Akiva also runs the widely acclaimed Yachad programme, which caters for children with disabilities who want to be involved in camps.
In addition, there is a Beit Midrash Programme (BMP), that runs in conjunction with the other camps every summer. In recent years, Bnei Akiva has teamed up with Kaytana to run camps for Ethiopia
n children in Israel
and also with Camp Simcha UK to run Keshet camp in London
for children with serious illnesses. Over 1,000 people are involved in Bnei Akiva camps each year, making it the biggest provider of Jewish youth group camps in the UK.
Bnei Akiva UK actively supports projects in memory of Yoni Jesner who was heavily involved with the Glasgow branch of Bnei Akiva. He died from a critical head injury following a suicide bus bombing in Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Bnei Akiva Cleveland is one of the strongest branches of the Midwest Region, with over 100 members including chanichim and madrichim. They run a number of annual activities including their Purim Carnival and Neshef production, as well as a number of community programs such as Musicians Towers (prayers led by Bnei Akiva in a nursing home for the major Jewish holidays). Their current shlichim are Elad and Rivki Shoval, as well as the two Bnot Sherut. Members of Bnei Akiva Cleveland typically attend Camp Stone
in the summer.
Since the 1950s, Bnei Akiva has been operating on and off in metropolitan Detroit. It is currently the home of Tzachy Chayun, the Midwest regional director, who lives in Oak Park, MI. Bnei Akiva has two branches that meet every Shabbat, at the Young Israel of Oak Park and at the Young Israel of Southfield. Numerous members of Bnei Akiva of Detroit have moved to Israel, and one former director, Otniel Schneller
, is currently serving in the Knesset
.
Bnei Akiva of Philadelphia is consistently recognized as one of the most vibrant glilim (regions) in North America. It really is the best in North America. The Madrichim here are consistently enthusiastic, bringing a lot of spirit to the table. Maintaining two sniffim in Northeast Philadelphia and Lower Merion—a half hour drive apart—Galil Philadelphia prides itself on its dedicated and spirited core of madrichim that year in and year out allows the galil to sustain itself successfully. Part of the Mid-Atlantic Region, the two sniffim host a range of exciting activities and shabbatonim each year and receive guidance from college-aged bogrim.
While the Northeast branch has been in existence for decades, Snif Lower Merion began weekly Shabbat programming in September 2003 under the leadership of Rosh Snif Chava Forman. From its inception, the snif has been associated with Lower Merion Synagogue and has been lauded for its quick progress and rising popularity despite being one of the only sniffim in North America that is run completely by high-schoolers without the aid of shlichim or paid adults.
Bnei Akiva of New York and New Jersey (BANY) has hundreds of members in 10 chapters across the region. BANY has weekly programs in New Jersey
(in Teaneck
, Fair Lawn
, Englewood
and Tenafly
) and New York
(on the Upper West Side of Manhattan
, the Upper East Side of Manhattan
, Riverdale
in the Bronx
, and West Hempstead
and North Woodmere
in Long Island
) The most recent opening sniff is the wonderful Plainview sniff. Although new, the Plainview sniff has been a great success. BANY also runs Shabbaton
s and special events throughout the year for youth who are connected to Camp Moshava in Indian Orchard, Pennsylvania. Additional programs are run for college students, and largely focus on a commitment to live in the Land of Israel
. http://www.bany.org
Although there was an active Bnei Akiva in Pittsburgh for many years, activities ceased in the 1960s, only to be resumed in the year 2005. Currently, Bnei Akiva of Pittsburgh operates weekly Snif out of the Shaare Torah synagogue. It is a member of the Bnei Akiva Midwest region (Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, and Toronto) The Bnei Akiva youth group of Pittsburgh provides weekly Shabbat groups at Shaare Torah called Snif for the Jewish youth of Pittsburgh in grades 3-9. Snif provides a fun environment while instilling a love of Israel and Jewish values. In addition, Bnei Akiva sponsors monthly social activities. For example, on March 25h, Shevet Shvut (11th grade) had a scavenger hunt and trip to the movies, on March 25, Chevraya Aleph (grades 3-6) had a make your own matza activity, on March 29, Zach (grades 7-8) had a trip to Cyber Conxion. Bnei Akiva runs a special leadership program for Bnei Akiva Chanichim (participants) in 9th grade called Manhigut to help prepare them to be Madrichim (volunteer high school counselors in grades 10-12.) Bnei Akiva also offers leadership training for the Madrichim who volunteer several hours a week and act as counselors each Shabbat at Snif.
Bnei Akiva Boston has two active Sniffim: Brookline Bnei Akiva in Young Israel of Brookline, and Newton Bnei Akiva (NBA)as a joint program between Beth El Aterth Israel and Shaarei Teillah. Bnei Akiva Boston began in September 2007. Today, Brookline Bnei Akiva operates its weekly activities on Shabbat morning for 2-6th grade children while NBA operates on Shabbat afternoons in the Fall/Spring and Motzei Shabbat in the winter. NBA runs many monthly events like Chanuka Carnivals, Purim Crnivals, Scavenger Hunts, Girls Nights, Movie Nights,and all-famous Mini-Shabatonim for approximately 70 chanichim in grades 3-6. Like BA Philadelphia, NBA is run completely by high-schoolers Bracha Robinson and Sarah Robinson without the aid of shlichim or paid adults.
Bnei Akiva Los Angeles has 4 active snifim, all named after famous religious kibbutzim: Snif Lavi (Tarzana), Snif Tirat Tzvi (North Hollywood), Snif Sa'ad (Hancock Park), and Snif Shluchot (Beverlywood). Every snif brings its own flavor to Bnei Akiva Los Angeles. For example, as the strongest snif, Snif Shluchot has about 50 chanichim on a weekly basis and very dedicated Zionist families supporting it, and Snif Lavi boasts being the "Israeli Snif" with more than 3/4 of the Snif coming from hebrew speaking homes.
; in Ennismore, Ontario; Wild Rose, Wisconsin; Camp Stone
in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania. These four camps have moved locations a number of times over their existence, but traditionally there has been a camp on the East Coast, in Canada, in the Midwest (currently there are two), and a now-defunct West Coast camp.
In addition, there are specific programs for certain age groups. The Mach Hach B'Aretz program consists of six weeks in Israel, and brings Israel and Religious Zionism to life for 16-year-olds through seminars, visiting historical sites, kibbutzim, and meeting with Bnei Akiva members in Israel. On TVI (Torah V'Avodah Institute), Bnei Akiva’s National Leadership training seminar, participants are provided with the necessary skills to assume leadership in Bnei Akiva as madrichim in Camp Moshava and throughout the year. Through shiurim, discussions, and actually planning and implementing programs at the Indian Orchard Moshava, the 17-year-old participants from across the country begin their transition from chanichim (campers) to madrichim (counselors), while also forming a national network of teenage leaders committed to Israel and Religious Zionism.
Melbourne is the largest snif of Bnei Akiva in the world. It holds weekly meetings on Saturday afternoons and bi-annual camps for chanichim.
The Madrichim, Chanichim and Bogrim of Bnei Akiva Sydney gathered on Sunday night 7 November 1999 in the Gold Star Room of the Hakoah Club for the 50th anniversary of Bnei Akiva Sydney.
There is a federal summer camp held in December where senior chanich from all snifim in Australia and from Bnei Akiva New Zealand all come together for camp.
Federal Merakez of Bnei Akiva Australia is Dion Esterman.
Religious Zionism
Religious Zionism is an ideology that combines Zionism and Jewish religious faith...
youth movement in the world, with over 125,000 members in 37 countries. It was established in Mandate Palestine
Mandate Palestine
Mandate Palestine existed while the British Mandate for Palestine, which formally began in September 1923 and terminated in May 1948, was in effect...
in 1929.
History
The term "Bnei Akiva" translates to "the children of Akiva", and its ideology relates directly to the story of Rabbi Akiva. At the age of 40 years old, after growing up tending flock, he changed his ways and decided that he needed to find out the essence of the Jewish faith. He reasoned that just as something as soft as water can penetrate a solid rock and cause it to erode, so too can the Torah penetrate into himself. Chanichim (lit. students) strive to emulate Rabbi Akiva and his qualities, namely his love of God, devotion to the Torah, respect for labor, love of Israel, and his fight for its independence.The organization is the largest Jewish youth movement in Australia and around the world. It's Anthem is "Yad Achim" - "the hand of brothers", which supports the movement's ideology. Bnei Akiva's slogan is "Am Yisrael b'Eretz Yisrael al pi Torat Yisrael" - "The (Jewish) Nation of Israel living in the Land of Israel according to the Torah of Israel".
Bnei Akiva was established as the youth wing of the Mizrachi
Mizrachi (Religious Zionism)
The Mizrachi is the name of the religious Zionist organization founded in 1902 in Vilnius at a world conference of religious Zionists called by Rabbi Yitzchak Yaacov Reines. Bnei Akiva, which was founded in 1929, is the youth movement associated with Mizrachi...
movement. The axiom of Bnei Akiva is Torah v’Avodah, a phrase coined by Rav Shmuel Chaim Landau (Shachal). Bnei Akiva first came into existence in the late 1920s, following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Concurrent with the establishment of the movement in Palestine, organizations of religious youth operated in the Diaspora. Some of them adopted the name Bnei Akiva and others had appellations such as Hashomer Hadati. Twenty-five years later (1958), the Israeli and Diaspora groups merged and the Mazkirut Olamit (World Secretariat) of Bnei Akiva was formed.
Ideology
Bnei Akiva's twin ideals of TorahTorah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
and Avodah
Avodah
Avoda, or Avodah , is a Hebrew word, literally meaning "work".In a modern context, usually refers to business-type activities, it can also mean agricultural work and, more traditionally, serving God....
loosely translate to religious commitment/study and work on the land of Israel. The movement has an anthem called Yad Ahim. As a pioneering Zionist youth movement, Bnei Akiva believes that it is a central commandment
Mitzvah
The primary meaning of the Hebrew word refers to precepts and commandments as commanded by God...
of Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
to emigrate to the land of Israel--"make Aliya
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
"-- and maintains that the future of the Jewish people is tied to the state of Israel. Bnei Akiva feels that Jewish youth in the Diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
should be educated to realize that the State of Israel needs them, and that they, in turn, need it. In the early years of pioneering, Avodah was understood as meaning agricultural work, as reflected in the symbolism on the "Semel" (see below, #The Emblem). In more recent years, there has driven a shift in ideology towards a broader definition of working for the development of the country. (See Avodah
Avodah
Avoda, or Avodah , is a Hebrew word, literally meaning "work".In a modern context, usually refers to business-type activities, it can also mean agricultural work and, more traditionally, serving God....
article).
Similarly, the original socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
aims of Bnei Akiva are also taking more of a back-seat. Up to the 1980s many Bnei Akiva members joined religious Kibbutzim in Garinim (groups). They were either groups based on army service together Nahal
Nahal
Nahal is an Israel Defense Forces infantry brigade. Historically, it refers to a program that combines military service and establishment of new agricultural settlements, often in outlying areas...
or they were groups that came on Aliya
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
(emigrated) to Israel together. Since the 1990s, a wider view of how to contribute to Israeli life has become accepted. Bnei Akiva members now typically settle in development towns, settlements etc. They are active in all areas of Israeli life including security, hi-tech, education, academia etc.
Bnei Akiva's objectives are to educate Jewish youth with values of Torah Va'Avodah (Torah and work), to provide stimulating experiential and informal opportunities for encountering Judaism, and to encourage Jewish continuity and leadership, e.g. members are encouraged to spend a year in Israel on organised learning and touring programs to broaden their knowledge of Israel and developing their leadership skills.
Organizational framework
In Israel, Bnei Akiva is affiliated with the Religious Kibbutz MovementReligious Kibbutz Movement
The Religious Kibbutz Movement is an organizational framework for Orthodox kibbutzim in Israel. Its membership includes 19 communities, 16 of them traditional kibbutzim, and two others in the category of moshav shitufi , meaning that they have no communal dining hall or children's house but...
and the National Religious Party
National Religious Party
The National Religious Party ) was a political party in Israel representing the religious Zionist movement. Formed in 1956, at the time of its dissolution in 2008, it was the second oldest surviving party in the country after Agudat Yisrael, and was part of every government coalition until 1992...
. It is run by a National Secretariat (Hanhala Artzit). Outside Israel, local branches of Bnei Akiva are under the Bnei Akiva Olami (Worldwide) organization.
In every country, Bnei Akiva operates a network of Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
groups, summer camps, leadership seminars, Shabatonim, and other activities.
The Emblem
The "Semel", Bnei Akiva's emblemEmblem
An emblem is a pictorial image, abstract or representational, that epitomizes a concept — e.g., a moral truth, or an allegory — or that represents a person, such as a king or saint.-Distinction: emblem and symbol:...
, is made up of different objects each relating to a different aspect of the group's ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
. The farming utensils and the wheat sheaves relate to the original agricultural perspective of the ideology. The two tablets of stone in the center relate to the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
perspective. The two perspectives of Torah and Avoda are united together by the ribbon which says Bnei Akiva on it - symbolizing that the two aspects can only and must work hand in hand. The letters on the two tablets are the Hebrew letters 'Taf' and 'Ayin' standing for Torah veAvoda ("Torah and work").
The Anthem
The Bnei Akiva's anthemAnthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
(himmnon in Hebrew), was composed by Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neriya (originally known as Chaver Minkin). He composed the anthem during the Chol Hamoed
Chol HaMoed
Chol HaMoed, a Hebrew phrase meaning "weekdays [of] the festival" , refers to the intermediate days of Passover and Sukkot. During Chol HaMoed the usual restrictions that apply to the Biblical Jewish holidays are relaxed, but not entirely eliminated...
period of the Jewish holiday
Jewish holiday
Jewish holidays are days observed by Jews as holy or secular commemorations of important events in Jewish history. In Hebrew, Jewish holidays and festivals, depending on their nature, may be called yom tov or chag or ta'anit...
of Sukkot
Sukkot
Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...
, 1932, at a gathering of youth leaders in Kfar Sava.
Although the words have changed somewhat, (and, in the beginning of the 1950s, the tune was also changed, possibly due to its similarity with the 'Bundistim' from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
), there are very few Bnei Akiva occasions in which the anthem is not sung.
The anthem, Yad Achim, is sung in Hebrew.
| Original Text | Translation to English |
|---|---|
| יד אחים לכם שלוחה, הנוער החביב על דגלנו כולכם, חנו מסביב יזהיר לכם כוכב תורה דרככם סוגה בעבודה בלב אמיץ ובעזרת ה´, עלה נעלה! קדימה בני-עקיבא, הידד במעלה! מולדת זו, ארץ אבות, ארצנו הקדושה מידי אביר-יעקב לנו מורשה ראשינו בעמקי תורתה כפינו ברגבי אדמתה בלב אמיץ ובעזרת ה´, עלה נעלה! קדימה בני-עקיבא, הידד במעלה! |
A brotherly hand is stretched out to you, O’ beloved youth, Gather yourselves around our flag. The star of the Torah shall shine for you, Your path shall be one of labour. With a sturdy heart, with the help of G-d, we will go up, Forward, Bnei Akiva, forward to the heights! This homeland, the holy Land of our fathers, our heritage from the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob. Our minds are steeped in her Torah, Our hands are immersed in her soil. With a sturdy heart, with the help of G-d, we will go up, Forward, Bnei Akiva, forward to the heights! |
Mifkad
Bnei Akiva snifim all over the world start or end their meetings with mifkad, a "chet", or rectangle missing one if its smaller sides, shaped assembly where announcements are made, members are counted, and the ideology is reaffirmed. With slight variations, the text of mifkad is the same all over the world, following a basic structure shown at http://www.bneiakiva.org/pub/Basics-Mifkad.pdf.Lexicon Bnei Akiva
| Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal translation | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| שבט | Shevet | Tribe | Age group. A Shevet receives its name at age 14 approximately. The name remains with that shevet forever. |
| סניף | Snif | Branch | Local branch of the movement, usually holding activities on a weekly basis. |
| מדריך | Madrich | Guide | Counsellor, group leader |
| חניך | Chanich | Pupil | Member of the movement, before Gap year Gap year An expression or phrase that is associated with taking time out to travel in between life stages. It is also known as sabbatical, time off and time out that refers to a period of time in which students disengage from curricular education and undertake non curricular activities, such as travel or... . |
| הכשרה | Hachshara | Preparation | Gap year Gap year An expression or phrase that is associated with taking time out to travel in between life stages. It is also known as sabbatical, time off and time out that refers to a period of time in which students disengage from curricular education and undertake non curricular activities, such as travel or... programme for high school graduates in Israel. There are various programmes but all mix elements of Torah study and other activities. |
| שליח | Shaliach | Emissary | The World movement sends emissaries to the local branches. The idea is to teach Hebrew, encourage aliya and Judaism. Shlichim can be bachelors after army service or families. |
Bnei Akiva Brazil
In Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
there are two snifim one in Copacabana (Snif Metzadah) and one in Tijuca (Snif Beit Yafah).
Bnei Akiva's presence in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
started in the 50s. Now it has two snifim, one in Jardins
Jardins
Jardins is the name given to an upper class region of São Paulo city, which includes the neighbourhoods of:* Jardim Paulista* Jardim América* Jardim Europa* Jardim PaulistanoAll are comprised within Pinheiros subprefecture....
and one in Higienopolis
Higienópolis (São Paulo)
Consolação is a district in the central part of the city of São Paulo, Brazil. It belongs to the subprefecture of Sé. The district is largely residential, and contains many large apartment buildings and condominiums. It is also known for its prominent cultural institutions...
.
Bnei Akiva also have a snif in Belém
Belém
Belém is a Brazilian city, the capital and largest city of state of Pará, in the country's north region. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon with a busy port, airport and bus/coach station...
.
The activities of Bnei Akiva include Shabbaton
Shabbaton
The Hebrew term Shabbaton, , may be translated into English to mean sabbatical year. In Israel, when one takes a sabbatical year, one takes the year off in search of other pursuits. It is a rest from work, a hiatus, typically 2 months plus...
s, camp (each year there are two camps in São Paulo and two in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
), many field trips, and commemorations of the Jewish holiday
Jewish holiday
Jewish holidays are days observed by Jews as holy or secular commemorations of important events in Jewish history. In Hebrew, Jewish holidays and festivals, depending on their nature, may be called yom tov or chag or ta'anit...
s.
Bnei Akiva Canada
Bnei Akiva of Montreal is divided into two branches, one called Beth Israel and the other called Baily. This program has run many popular programs, such as PurimPurim
Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from destruction in the wake of a plot by Haman, a story recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther .Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th...
celebrations and Shabbaton
Shabbaton
The Hebrew term Shabbaton, , may be translated into English to mean sabbatical year. In Israel, when one takes a sabbatical year, one takes the year off in search of other pursuits. It is a rest from work, a hiatus, typically 2 months plus...
s. It is lead primarily by the students of Hebrew Academy and other schools as well. The current Shlicah in Montreal is Shira Tauber. Bnei Akiva Montreal runs weekly and monthly activities, educational training and Intercity Shabbatonim.
Bnei Akiva of Toronto was started in 1935, and today has a strong presence in Toronto . There are 4 chapters (BAYT, Or Chaim, Shaarei Shamayim and Tifferet Israel) with over 200 children attending on shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
afternoon, as well as programming for grades 3-12 throughout the year. Bnei Akiva Toronto is a member of the Midwest Region. There is also the Bnei Akiva run camp Moshava
Moshava
A moshava , plural: Moshavot is a form of rural settlement in Israel.In a moshava, as opposed to communal settlements like the kibbutz and the moshav, all the land and property are privately-owned. The first moshavot, described as "colonies" in professional literature, were established by...
Enismore just outside Toronto. Toronto houses the only Bnei Akiva Yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
outside Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Yeshivat Or Chaim with Ulpanat Orot, forms Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto).
Bnei Akiva Mexico
Bnei Akiva in Mexico was founded in 1948. It is located in Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, there are three chapters and one main house, which is the center of activities. It counts around more than 100 active members in the movement and a large population of non active members, those who have grown too old for the Youth Groups, or those who have "made Aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
" (moved to Israel). Bnei Akiva members are involved in community service such as participating in its institutions, studying in Jewish day school
Jewish day school
A Jewish day school is a modern Jewish educational institution that is designed to provide Jewish children with both a Jewish and a secular education in one school on a full time basis, hence its name of "day school" meaning a school that the students attend for an entire day and not on a part time...
s, Hebrew school
Hebrew school
Hebrew school can be either the Jewish equivalent of Sunday school - an educational regimen separate from secular education, focusing on topics of Jewish history and learning the Hebrew language, or a primary, secondary or college level educational institution where some or all of the classes are...
s and Yeshivot
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
, and participating in Chessed activities (community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
).
Bnei Akiva Netherlands
In the Netherlands Bne Akiwa (the way it is transcribed in Dutch) started after the Holocaust-period. During the latter half of the 20th century its main yearly activities were: weekly pe'ulot on Shabbath in Amsterdam and on Sunday in other cities, summer- and wintercamps in the country, different European camps in the summer (Sayarim and Seminar Torani), Avoda summercamp in Israel, and participation in Hachshara year in Israel-programs; Shabbath Ha'irgun weekend; publication of the magazine Zeraim.Different from other countries the movement is led by a Board which consists of members in the age of 16–22 years, putting a rather big responsibility on young shoulders, while the Shaliach is the chairman.
Many members went on aliya, while those who stay(ed) play(ed) significant roles in Jewish communal and non-Jewish life.
Bnei Akiva South Africa
Bnei Akiva's presence in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
dates back to the 1920s. Today, it is one of the largest active Jewish youth movements in the country. It runs many shabbaton
Shabbaton
The Hebrew term Shabbaton, , may be translated into English to mean sabbatical year. In Israel, when one takes a sabbatical year, one takes the year off in search of other pursuits. It is a rest from work, a hiatus, typically 2 months plus...
im as well as weekly activities at its various centres around the country. Bnei Akiva runs a month-long annual summer camp in the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
, which is attended by over 1000 chanichim (campers) and madrichim (counselors). There is also a winter camp held in different locations each year, youth from all over South Africa attend this camp. The movement also runs many Israel programs - including MTA, Tafnit, Hadracha Tzeira, Kfar Haroeh and Bema'aleh - throughout the year.
Bnei Akiva Switzerland
Bnei Akiva SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
was founded almost 75 years ago. Today, Bnei Akiva Switzerland has more than 120 members in the two chapters (snifim), in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
and Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
used to have an own chapter, but was closed by the parent organization in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
because of a lack of interested members. Bnei Akiva is the biggest Jewish youth organization in Switzerland. Currently they have Dafna Zomer as shlicha.
Bnei Akiva UK
Bnei Akiva in the UK was founded in 1936. Its beginnings were closely associated with Bachad and the Torah Va'Avodah movement, who all encouraged Aliyah. Arieh HandlerArieh Handler
Arieh Handler was a Zionist leader. He was most famous for the being one of the main founders of the Religious Zionist movement in the UK as well as being the last person alive to have been present at the declaration of the State of Israel.Arieh Handler was born in Bohemia and grew up in Germany...
was the main figure in the early growth of Bnei Akiva, as he brought over children from Nazi Europe on the Kindertransport
Kindertransport
Kindertransport is the name given to the rescue mission that took place nine months prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. The United Kingdom took in nearly 10,000 predominantly Jewish children from Nazi Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Free City of Danzig...
and placed them in Bachad Hachshara (preparation) centres. These aimed to prepare the youth to work the Land of Israel on kibbutz by learning agricultural technicques. The first of these was at Gwrych Castle, which held the first ever gathering of Bnei Akiva UK in December 1940. After the local Marquis shut down the centre and expelled the Jewish immigrants, other Hachshara centres were set up in Bromsgrove, Buckinghamshire and the most famous, Thaxted
Thaxted
Thaxted is a town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England, with about 2,500 inhabitants.-History:Thaxted appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Tachesteda, Old English for "place where thatch was got." Once a centre of cutlery manufacture, Thaxted went into decline with the rise of Sheffield...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
Many Kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
im including Lavi and Bet Rimon were founded by members of BAUK. In modern times, Hachshara takes place in Israel and involves two schemes; Torani (the yeshiva and seminary track) and Lehava (giving participants a range of experiences in Israel). Bnei Akiva is the leading provider of gap years to 18 year-olds in the UK.
Today, Bnei Akiva is the largest Jewish youth movement in the country, with over 1000 members paying Mas Chaver (membership) each year. It is run by five full-time sabbatical workers who work in the London Bayit, the offices of Bnei Akiva UK. Bnei Akiva also brings over families of Shlichim (emissaries) from Israel, one serving as the Bnei Akiva Rabbinical couple and one serving the Northern communities. The Mazkirut and Shlichim together with the Nivcharim [elected representatives] who are elected by the movement's members each year form the Hanhalla [Governing body].
Bnei Akiva runs 28 svivot (branches) around the UK. They run activities on Shabbat afternoons as well as running Succah Crawls, Family Friday Nights and Shabbatot Ha'Irgun. This year, there are active Bnei Akiva groups in Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
, Belmont
Belmont
-Sport:* Belmont Stakes, a horse race* Belmont Bombers, a junior ice hockey team in Belmont, Ontario* Belmont Shore RFC, a rugby union team in Long Beach, California-Automobiles:* Belmont , an American electric car sold in 1916...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Borehamwood & Elstree
Borehamwood
-Film industry:Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood"...
, Brondesbury Park
Brondesbury Park
Brondesbury Park is an electoral ward of the London Borough of Brent, centred around Brondesbury Park railway station. The area has a number of open spaces, such as Queen's Park and Tiverton Green....
, Bushey
Bushey
Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...
, Cheadle
Cheadle, Greater Manchester
Cheadle is a suburb in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester, England. It borders the districts of Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, Heald Green and Cheadle Heath in Stockport, and the East Didsbury area of Manchester. As of 2001 it had a population of 14,261.-Early history:There has...
, Chigwell
Chigwell
Chigwell is a civil parish and town in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located 11.6 miles north east of Charing Cross. It is served by two London Underground stations and has a London area code.-Etymology:According to P. H...
, Edgware United
Edgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Edgware Yeshurun
Edgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Finchley
Finchley
Finchley is a district in Barnet in north London, England. Finchley is on high ground, about north of Charing Cross. It formed an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, becoming a municipal borough in 1933, and has formed part of Greater London since 1965...
, Golders Green
Golders Green
Golders Green is an area in the London Borough of Barnet in London, England. Although having some earlier history, it is essentially a 19th century suburban development situated about 5.3 miles north west of Charing Cross and centred on the crossroads of Golders Green Road and Finchley Road.In the...
, Hale
Hale, Greater Manchester
Hale is a village and electoral ward within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It is contiguous with the southeast of Altrincham, approximately southwest of the city of Manchester....
, Hampstead Garden Suburb
Hampstead Garden Suburb
-Notable Residents :*Theo Adams*Martin Bell*Sir Victor Blank*Katie Boyle*Constantine, the last King of Greece*Greg Davies*Richard & Judy Finnigan*David Matthews*Michael Ridpath*Claudia Roden*Jonathan Ross*Sir Donald Sinden*Marc Sinden...
, Hendon
Hendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
, Kenton
Kenton
-Notable people:* Actress Michele Austin, best known as PC Yvonne Hemmingway in ITV's The Bill, attended Claremont High School in Kenton* Cricketer Denis Compton lived in Kenton* TV exercise instructor Mr Motivator lived in Kenton...
, Kingsbury
Kingsbury
Kingsbury is an area in the London Borough of Brent, northwest London. The name Kingsbury means "The King's Manor".-History:Kingsbury was historically a small parish in the Hundred of Gore and county of Middlesex. Until the nineteenth century it was largely rural with only scattered settlements....
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Maida Vale
Maida Vale
Maida Vale is a residential district in West London between St John's Wood and Kilburn. It is part of the City of Westminster. The area is mostly residential, and mainly affluent, consisting of many large late Victorian and Edwardian blocks of mansion flats...
, Mill Hill
Mill Hill
Mill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until it was absorbed by London...
, Pinner
Pinner
- Climate :Pinner's geographical position on the far western side of North West London makes it the furthest London suburb from any UK coastline. Hence the lower prevalence of moderating maritime influences make Pinner noticeably warmer in the spring and the summer compared to the rest of the capital...
, Redbridge
Redbridge, London
Redbridge is a district of Ilford in the London Borough of Redbridge in north-east London. It is home to Redbridge Institute of Adult Education and Redbridge Football Club.-Etymology:...
, Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
, Southgate
Southgate, London
Southgate is an area of north London, England, primarily within the London Borough of Enfield, although parts of its western fringes lie within the London Borough of Barnet. It is located around north of Charing Cross. The name is derived from being the south gate to Enfield Chase...
, South Hampstead
South Hampstead
South Hampstead is a district of northwest London, part of the London Borough of Camden. It could be defined as the area between West End Lane, Belsize Road, Finchley Road and Broadhurst Gardens, although the area is largely indistinguishable from the nearby Swiss Cottage.-Nearby places:* Hampstead...
, South Woodford
South Woodford
South Woodford is a suburb of north-east London in the London Borough of Redbridge, situated north-east of Charing Cross. Together with Woodford Green, Woodford Bridge and Woodford Wells it forms the area known as Woodford, the origins of which date back at least to the Saxon period...
, Stamford Hill
Stamford Hill
Stamford Hill is a place in the north of the London Borough of Hackney, England, near the border with Haringey. It is home to Europe's largest Hasidic Jewish and Adeni Jewish community.Stamford Hill is NNE of Charing Cross.-History:...
, Stanmore
Stanmore
Stanmore is a suburban area of the London Borough of Harrow, in northwest London. It is situated northwest of Charing Cross. The area is home to Stanmore Hill, one of the highest points of London, high.-Toponymy:...
, Whitefield
Whitefield, Greater Manchester
Whitefield is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground in the Irwell Valley, along the south bank of the River Irwell, south-southeast of Bury, and to the north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
and Woodside Park
Woodside Park
Woodside Park is a suburban residential development in the London Borough of Barnet, in postal district N12.It is very varied in character. The area to the east of the tube station consists predominantly of large Victorian and Edwardian houses, many of which have been converted into flats...
. The svivot mostly operate in local synagogues but Bnei Akiva have two purpose-built buildings to house activities in London and Manchester.
Bnei Akiva runs summer and winter camps (machanot) from school years 6-12. The winter camps include Aleph (Years Six & Seven), Ma'apilim (Year Eight), Haroeh (Year Nine), Gimmel (Year Ten) and Hadracha Course (Year Twelve). H-Course is a long-running leadership training camp which gives participants the skills to become the future leaders of the movement.
Summer camps include Aleph (Year Six), Aleph Chalutzi (Year Seven), Bet Base (Year Eight), Bet Chalutzi (Year Nine) and Gimmel (Year Ten). For Year 11, there is Israel Machane, a month long tour visiting sites in Israel. In 2011, Machane Cadur Regel (Football Camp) was initiated for years 3-5 in partnership with Arsenal Football Club. Bnei Akiva also runs the widely acclaimed Yachad programme, which caters for children with disabilities who want to be involved in camps.
In addition, there is a Beit Midrash Programme (BMP), that runs in conjunction with the other camps every summer. In recent years, Bnei Akiva has teamed up with Kaytana to run camps for Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n children in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and also with Camp Simcha UK to run Keshet camp in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for children with serious illnesses. Over 1,000 people are involved in Bnei Akiva camps each year, making it the biggest provider of Jewish youth group camps in the UK.
Bnei Akiva UK actively supports projects in memory of Yoni Jesner who was heavily involved with the Glasgow branch of Bnei Akiva. He died from a critical head injury following a suicide bus bombing in Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Bnei Akiva USA
Bnei Akiva of Chicago has been a staple for Bnei Akiva in America since the 40's. Though the galil hit some rough times in the late '90s, it was resurrected in the early 2000s with the help of boger Yaakov Matanky z"l,and shaliach Eitan Avivi. They helped form what is now known as the Midwest Region of Bnei Akiva North America which is one of the largest regions in the country. The Midwest Region includes glilim Detroit, Cleveland and Toronto. Chicago hosts several local and Regional shabbatonim each year. Galil Chicago has three snifim named Saad, Tirat Tzvi and Kfar Tzion. Chaverim from Chicago traditionally attend Camp Moshava, Wild Rose, WI, in the summers.Bnei Akiva Cleveland is one of the strongest branches of the Midwest Region, with over 100 members including chanichim and madrichim. They run a number of annual activities including their Purim Carnival and Neshef production, as well as a number of community programs such as Musicians Towers (prayers led by Bnei Akiva in a nursing home for the major Jewish holidays). Their current shlichim are Elad and Rivki Shoval, as well as the two Bnot Sherut. Members of Bnei Akiva Cleveland typically attend Camp Stone
Camp Stone
Camp Stone is an Orthodox Jewish summer camp located in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania. It is owned by Young Israel of Cleveland and operated by the Bnei Akiva youth movement. Their vision is to cultivate a lifelong commitment to Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, and Torat Yisrael...
in the summer.
Since the 1950s, Bnei Akiva has been operating on and off in metropolitan Detroit. It is currently the home of Tzachy Chayun, the Midwest regional director, who lives in Oak Park, MI. Bnei Akiva has two branches that meet every Shabbat, at the Young Israel of Oak Park and at the Young Israel of Southfield. Numerous members of Bnei Akiva of Detroit have moved to Israel, and one former director, Otniel Schneller
Otniel Schneller
Otniel Schneller is an Israeli politician and a member of the Knesset for Kadima.-Biography:Born in Jerusalem, and raised in Michigan, Schneller took Jewish studies and social science at Bar-Ilan University, finishing his studied in 1978. Between 1983 and 1986 he served as secretary general of the...
, is currently serving in the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
.
Bnei Akiva of Philadelphia is consistently recognized as one of the most vibrant glilim (regions) in North America. It really is the best in North America. The Madrichim here are consistently enthusiastic, bringing a lot of spirit to the table. Maintaining two sniffim in Northeast Philadelphia and Lower Merion—a half hour drive apart—Galil Philadelphia prides itself on its dedicated and spirited core of madrichim that year in and year out allows the galil to sustain itself successfully. Part of the Mid-Atlantic Region, the two sniffim host a range of exciting activities and shabbatonim each year and receive guidance from college-aged bogrim.
While the Northeast branch has been in existence for decades, Snif Lower Merion began weekly Shabbat programming in September 2003 under the leadership of Rosh Snif Chava Forman. From its inception, the snif has been associated with Lower Merion Synagogue and has been lauded for its quick progress and rising popularity despite being one of the only sniffim in North America that is run completely by high-schoolers without the aid of shlichim or paid adults.
Bnei Akiva of New York and New Jersey (BANY) has hundreds of members in 10 chapters across the region. BANY has weekly programs in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
(in Teaneck
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, Fair Lawn
Fair Lawn, New Jersey
Fair Lawn is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and a suburban municipality in the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 32,457. Fair Lawn was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March...
, Englewood
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
and Tenafly
Tenafly, New Jersey
Tenafly is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 14,488. Tenafly is an affluent suburb of New York City....
) and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(on the Upper West Side of Manhattan
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
, the Upper East Side of Manhattan
Upper East Side
The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
, Riverdale
Riverdale, Bronx
Riverdale is an affluent residential neighborhood in the northwest portion of the Bronx in New York City. Riverdale contains the northernmost point in New York City.-History:...
in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, and West Hempstead
West Hempstead, New York
Not to be confused with West Hampstead, London.West Hempstead is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 18,862 at the 2010 census...
and North Woodmere
North Woodmere, New York
North Woodmere is an unincorporated area section of Valley Stream, located in Nassau County, New York on the South Shore of Long Island. North Woodmere is directly north of Woodmere, but separated from it by Mott's Creek. Access to Woodmere is available via Branch Boulevard and a footbridge over...
in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
) The most recent opening sniff is the wonderful Plainview sniff. Although new, the Plainview sniff has been a great success. BANY also runs Shabbaton
Shabbaton
The Hebrew term Shabbaton, , may be translated into English to mean sabbatical year. In Israel, when one takes a sabbatical year, one takes the year off in search of other pursuits. It is a rest from work, a hiatus, typically 2 months plus...
s and special events throughout the year for youth who are connected to Camp Moshava in Indian Orchard, Pennsylvania. Additional programs are run for college students, and largely focus on a commitment to live in the Land of Israel
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...
. http://www.bany.org
Although there was an active Bnei Akiva in Pittsburgh for many years, activities ceased in the 1960s, only to be resumed in the year 2005. Currently, Bnei Akiva of Pittsburgh operates weekly Snif out of the Shaare Torah synagogue. It is a member of the Bnei Akiva Midwest region (Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, and Toronto) The Bnei Akiva youth group of Pittsburgh provides weekly Shabbat groups at Shaare Torah called Snif for the Jewish youth of Pittsburgh in grades 3-9. Snif provides a fun environment while instilling a love of Israel and Jewish values. In addition, Bnei Akiva sponsors monthly social activities. For example, on March 25h, Shevet Shvut (11th grade) had a scavenger hunt and trip to the movies, on March 25, Chevraya Aleph (grades 3-6) had a make your own matza activity, on March 29, Zach (grades 7-8) had a trip to Cyber Conxion. Bnei Akiva runs a special leadership program for Bnei Akiva Chanichim (participants) in 9th grade called Manhigut to help prepare them to be Madrichim (volunteer high school counselors in grades 10-12.) Bnei Akiva also offers leadership training for the Madrichim who volunteer several hours a week and act as counselors each Shabbat at Snif.
Bnei Akiva Boston has two active Sniffim: Brookline Bnei Akiva in Young Israel of Brookline, and Newton Bnei Akiva (NBA)as a joint program between Beth El Aterth Israel and Shaarei Teillah. Bnei Akiva Boston began in September 2007. Today, Brookline Bnei Akiva operates its weekly activities on Shabbat morning for 2-6th grade children while NBA operates on Shabbat afternoons in the Fall/Spring and Motzei Shabbat in the winter. NBA runs many monthly events like Chanuka Carnivals, Purim Crnivals, Scavenger Hunts, Girls Nights, Movie Nights,and all-famous Mini-Shabatonim for approximately 70 chanichim in grades 3-6. Like BA Philadelphia, NBA is run completely by high-schoolers Bracha Robinson and Sarah Robinson without the aid of shlichim or paid adults.
Bnei Akiva Los Angeles has 4 active snifim, all named after famous religious kibbutzim: Snif Lavi (Tarzana), Snif Tirat Tzvi (North Hollywood), Snif Sa'ad (Hancock Park), and Snif Shluchot (Beverlywood). Every snif brings its own flavor to Bnei Akiva Los Angeles. For example, as the strongest snif, Snif Shluchot has about 50 chanichim on a weekly basis and very dedicated Zionist families supporting it, and Snif Lavi boasts being the "Israeli Snif" with more than 3/4 of the Snif coming from hebrew speaking homes.
Bnei Akiva New Zealand
Bnei Akiva is one of the main Jewish youth movements in New Zealand, with weekly meetings and activities in Auckland and Wellington and national bi-annual camps.Camp Moshava
There are four Bnei Akiva Moshava camps in North America: Indian Orchard, PennsylvaniaCamp Moshava (Pennsylvania)
Camp Moshava , is a coeducational, Modern Orthodox Jewish Summer Camp located in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. The camp describes its mission as; "an adventure in Religious Zionism"....
; in Ennismore, Ontario; Wild Rose, Wisconsin; Camp Stone
Camp Stone
Camp Stone is an Orthodox Jewish summer camp located in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania. It is owned by Young Israel of Cleveland and operated by the Bnei Akiva youth movement. Their vision is to cultivate a lifelong commitment to Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, and Torat Yisrael...
in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania. These four camps have moved locations a number of times over their existence, but traditionally there has been a camp on the East Coast, in Canada, in the Midwest (currently there are two), and a now-defunct West Coast camp.
In addition, there are specific programs for certain age groups. The Mach Hach B'Aretz program consists of six weeks in Israel, and brings Israel and Religious Zionism to life for 16-year-olds through seminars, visiting historical sites, kibbutzim, and meeting with Bnei Akiva members in Israel. On TVI (Torah V'Avodah Institute), Bnei Akiva’s National Leadership training seminar, participants are provided with the necessary skills to assume leadership in Bnei Akiva as madrichim in Camp Moshava and throughout the year. Through shiurim, discussions, and actually planning and implementing programs at the Indian Orchard Moshava, the 17-year-old participants from across the country begin their transition from chanichim (campers) to madrichim (counselors), while also forming a national network of teenage leaders committed to Israel and Religious Zionism.
Bnei Akiva Australia
There are three snifim in Australia, in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne.Melbourne is the largest snif of Bnei Akiva in the world. It holds weekly meetings on Saturday afternoons and bi-annual camps for chanichim.
The Madrichim, Chanichim and Bogrim of Bnei Akiva Sydney gathered on Sunday night 7 November 1999 in the Gold Star Room of the Hakoah Club for the 50th anniversary of Bnei Akiva Sydney.
There is a federal summer camp held in December where senior chanich from all snifim in Australia and from Bnei Akiva New Zealand all come together for camp.
Federal Merakez of Bnei Akiva Australia is Dion Esterman.
See also
- Zionist youth movementZionist youth movementA Zionist youth movement is an organization formed for Jewish children and adolescents for educational, social, and ideological development, including a belief in Jewish nationalism as represented in the State of Israel...
- Religious ZionismReligious ZionismReligious Zionism is an ideology that combines Zionism and Jewish religious faith...
- Mizrachi (Religious Zionism)Mizrachi (Religious Zionism)The Mizrachi is the name of the religious Zionist organization founded in 1902 in Vilnius at a world conference of religious Zionists called by Rabbi Yitzchak Yaacov Reines. Bnei Akiva, which was founded in 1929, is the youth movement associated with Mizrachi...
- Modern Orthodox JudaismModern Orthodox JudaismModern Orthodox Judaism is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize Jewish values and the observance of Jewish law, with the secular, modern world....
- Religious Kibbutz MovementReligious Kibbutz MovementThe Religious Kibbutz Movement is an organizational framework for Orthodox kibbutzim in Israel. Its membership includes 19 communities, 16 of them traditional kibbutzim, and two others in the category of moshav shitufi , meaning that they have no communal dining hall or children's house but...