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News from the YeshivaYom Ha'atzmaut "Yom Ha'atzmaut was a special day for us with special teffilot and a
celebratory dinner. In the morning, Rabbi Zeff led Yeshiva students and
their families on a tiyul along Derech Avot, following the path that Avraham
and Yitzchak took to the Akeda and learning about their journey. At the end
of the walk, everyone went back to Rabbi and Donna Zeff's home for a
barbecue, music and a cricket match. Purim Learning and Festivities
The next day, following the reading of the Megillah students went to the homes of their rabbis for Purim seudah and the festivities were rounded off on Shushan Purim with English Tea and Torah at the home of Rabbi Gideon Sylvester. For scenes of Purim at the Yeshiva click here.
Academic Distinction for the Yeshiva
Mazal Tov to Emeritus Rosh Yeshiva; Rabbi Dr Chaim Brovender on receiving an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University. The award was made for Rabbi Brovender's distinguished leadership, community service and embodiment of Torah U'maddah philosophy. All of Rabbi Brovender's talmidim will be delighted at this richly deserved recognition for our teacher and mentor. Recruiting for the British Rabbinate
Rabbi Shaw and Rabbi Sylvester unveiled a new initiative in which the United Synagogue will invite in our rabbinical students to lead Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services for young people in Orthodox communities across Britain. Commenting on the plans, Rabbi Sylvester said, "This is an important confirmation of our Rabbinical Seminary's reputation as a center of excellence. The latest project provides an exciting opportunity for our Rabbinical Students to hone their professional skills and to build lasting relationships with the British Jewish community". Prime Minister's representative visits Yeshivat Hamivtar-Torat Yosef
Rosh Chodesh Adar
Tu BiShevat Seder
Yeshiva welcomes Rabbi Professor Shalom Carmy Yeshiva Welcomes Rabbi Joseph Blau
New Posters and Brochure for the Yeshiva
Check out the new brochure and posters and feel free to download the posters and display them prominently in your Shul or Hillel House.
Lonely Man of Faith Film and Panel Discussion
Many thanks to Sarah Tropper for the hundreds of delicious muffins which she baked to dedicate the evening in memory of her father Avraham Yitzhak ben Ya'akov z'l
Israel Henry Beren Campus Dedication
Pictured here are Fred Ehrman Chairman of the North American Board of Ohr Torah Stone, together with Yinon Ahiman Executive Director of Ohr Torah Stone, Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Joel Zeff and Noga Fischer enjoying a L'chayim with Kollel Members Ben and Sharona Hasson in their new home.
Yeshiva Goes on Tiyul
Welcome Rabbi Zeff
Commenting on the appointment, Chancellor of Ohr Torah Stone Rabbi Shlomo Riskin said, “I am delighted to welcome Rabbi Zeff to the Ohr Torah Stone family, as a former student of Rabbi Brovender’s and a scholar in his own right, Rabbi Zeff was a natural choice to lead Yeshivat Hamivtar-Torat Yosef into a new era.” The beginning of one era marks the close of another and so we also note the departure of Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Chaim Brovender. Rabbi Brovender was the founder of our Yeshiva and led it for over thirty years, giving it an outstanding reputation as a center of excellence where bright young men are encouraged to learn Torah in a warm, religious and open environment. Under Rabbi Brovender’s tutelage, the Yeshiva educated and inspired thousands of young men. It also trained dozens of young rabbis who now serve as rabbis and educators in some of the most prestigious pulpits, yeshivot, schools and campuses around the world. Rabbi Brovender is now launching a Web Yeshiva to allow students around the world to learn Torah with him. Rabbi Brovender continues to hold the title of Emeritus and Founding Rosh Yeshiva. We wish him every success with his new enterprise and look forward to welcoming him back to the Yeshiva in the future and paying appropriate tribute to him. Marking the departure of Rabbi Brovender Rabbi Zeff said, “Rabbi Brovender is a pioneer in the field of Yeshiva education; I feel humbled and privileged to follow in his footsteps and continue his legacy.”
New Accommodations on the Israel Henry Beren Campus
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We had a wonderful Purim at the Yeshiva starting with a talk from 
Mazal Tov to Rabbi Yitzchak Blau on the publication of two articles. The
first in the most recent edition of Tradition Magazine examines rabbinic
attitudes to Communism. The second article appeared in the most recent edition of the Torah
U'Maddah Journal and examines the extent to which a desire for Olam Habah is
a noble reason to perform mitzvoth. We congratulate Rabbi Blau on these
publications and look forward to his forthcoming book on Aggada.
Rabbi
Andrew Shaw Director of the "Tribe – the Young United Synagogue of
Britain" was a guest of the Straus Rabbinical Seminary last week.
Speaking at a special lunch in his honor, Rabbi Shaw said, "I need to
recruit outstanding, young rabbis for the British Rabbinate and Yeshivat
Hamivtar and the Straus Rabbinical Seminary are the natural address having
produced some of Anglo Jewry's finest and most dynamic rabbis".
Also
visiting the yeshiva this week was Mrs. Rachael Risby Raz, senior adviser to
the Prime Minister of Israel on Diaspora Affairs. Commenting after her
visit, Mrs Risby Raz said "Yeshivat Hamivtar is well known as a center
of excellence and a place where Jewish men can study in a warm, thoughtful
and intellectual stimulating environment. I am delighted to see that the
Yeshiva is training a new generation of rabbis who will provide intelligent,
dynamic leadership for Jewish communities in Israel and around the
world."
It
has been another exciting month at the Yeshiva. Our students are learning
hard and we have had a stream of siyums on Masechtot, Mishnayot and Nach. We
also had a lovely celebratory breakfast for Rosh Chodesh Adar 1 and a
fabulous tiyul to Tel Aviv. Take a look at our 
The Yeshiva celebrated Tu BiShevat with a special Tu Bishevat seder led by Rosh Kollel Rabbi Yehoshua Reich. The special meal was sponsored by Mr Dick Fiedler in memory of his father. A beautiful hesped (eulogy) was read out by Mrs Sharona Hasson and Rabbi Reich spoke about the place of nature in Jewish philosophy. Check out our photo gallery for
The Yeshiva was privileged to welcome Rabbi Shalom Carmy, Professor of Jewish studies and Jewish philosophy at Yeshiva University. Rabbi Carmy was welcomed to to the Yeshiva by Rabbi Yitzhak Blau and following a special lunch Rabbi Carmy addressed the Yeshiva and
Kollel.
Once again, our Yeshiva opened its doors to the public for a festive breakfast with guest speaker Rabbi Yosef Blau; Mashgiach Ruchani of Yeshiva University. Addressing a packed dining hall, Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Joel Zeff formerly welcomed Rabbi Blau to the Yeshiva. Rabbi Blau then spoke about how to find a balance between religious intensity and religious moderation. The talk was thought provoking and inspiring and was followed by a stream of questions from the students. Check out our photo gallery for
The
Yeshiva was excited to launch its recruitment campaign with a brand new brochure
and posters. These publicity materials outline the exciting new programs
at the Yeshiva and Rabbinical Seminary together with the activities of some
of our alumni. 
An overflowing crowd of close to 300 people packed into our Dining Hall and
spilled over into the Beit Midrash for a fabulous evening learning about and
celebrating the life of Rabbi Joseph B Soloveitchik. The audience watched
the film Lonely Man of Faith Directed by Ethan Isenberg. We were honoured to
host special guests Rabbi Moshe Lichtenstein a grandson of the Rav and
teacher at Yeshivat Har Etzion, and Rabbi Reuven Ziegler, Director of
Research at the Torat Harav Foundation. They joined Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi
Shlomo Riskin and Ramim; Rabbi Menachem Schrader and Rabbi Yitzhak Blau for
a fascinating panel discussion about the life and philosophy of the Rav. The
evening was rounded off with a midnight siyum by student Howie Neuer who had
completed learning Massechet Sukkah. 
Members
of the Yeshiva enjoyed a wonderful afternoon as we dedicated the new Israel
Henry Beren Residence Complex on our campus. This new development provides
spacious homes for our Kollel families who are delighted with their new
houses. We were particularly honored to welcome Mrs Noga Fisher who
represented the Beren Family and spoke movingly about where their family
history and how it led to a life-time commitment to building our Yeshiva and
Rabbinical Seminary.
The Yeshiva
has now had two major tiyulim this year. Rabbi
Daniel Reiser led a twelve mile hike through the Beit Shemesh area including
a crawl through the Bar Kochba caves and a shiur at the site where King
David fought Goliath. The second major tiyul took place on Rosh Chodesh
Kislev and included three days of hiking through the North of Israel. We had the largest number of hikers that the Yeshiva
has had in the last five years and all the students and staff returned home
exhausted but happy to have taken part. Take a look at our picture gallery
(coming soon) for more pictures of the Yeshiva on Tiyul.
Yeshivat Hamivtar-Torat Yosef is delighted to announce the arrival of our
new Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Joel Zeff. Rabbi Zeff joins us from Yeshivat Darche
Noam (Shappels) where he was for ten years a senior member of faculty. Prior
to that Rabbi Zeff was Rabbi of the Westwood Kehilla in Los Angeles. He is
author of a forthcoming book on the philosophy of Rav Kook.
The Yeshiva is thrilled to announce the opening of 11 new homes on our
campus. The buildings were completed over the summer and Kollel families
have already moved in. All of the families have expressed their delight at
the new spacious living quarters. A dedication ceremony is planned for after
Rosh Hashanah - we will keep you posted.