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In Honor of a Good Man - A Tribute to Donald "Rocky" Rockenbach
November 17, 1931 - April 24, 2007

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MODIIIIIIIIIN

YESHIVE'

This coming Rosh Chodesh Elul, a Yeshivat Hesder will open in Modiin. The yeshiva will be led by Rosh Yeshiva HaRav Eliezer Shenvald, who has been a rosh yeshiva in the Golan Heights for the past 15 years. The institution will be named Yeshivat Meir Harel in memory of two fallen soldiers – Sergeant Meir Shenvald Z"L, Rav Shenvald's brother, and Lieutenant Harel Shrem.

The yeshiva will join a group of yeshivot that have opted for a six-year combined army-yeshiva program rather than the standard five-year program. The six-year program begins with a year and a half of yeshiva, continues with 10 months of army service, followed by an additional 10 months of yeshiva, a year of additional army service and culminates in two years of yeshiva. Rav Shenvald explained that by committing to an extra year of yeshiva, students/soldiers are expressing the importance of army service combined with increased, intensive Torah study. According to Rav Shenvald, many students choose to stay in yeshiva an extra year, and this program allows them to conform their army service to a six-year program.

The yeshiva will commence this coming school year in the Yeshiva High School Beit Midrash (behind the Ulpana) and will move with the Yeshiva High School to its new location in Buchman. Rav Shenvald sees the Yeshiva Hesder contributing to the quality of the Yeshiva High School and taking part in the Modiin community. The 40 students and 15 kollel members presently enrolled in the yeshiva for its first year of studies will be expected to contribute to the community by teaching and participating in community activities. Students will live in rented apartments in the area.



Rav Shenvald, a Reserve Colonel in the IDF tank corps is a former student of Yeshivat Merkaz Harav Kook and has authored books both on Torah and military subjects. The yeshiva will stress in-depth study of the Talmud coupled with periodic review of material so as to retain knowledge. Students will also learn practical halacha, Jewish philosophy and love of Israel .

Rav Shenvald would like to develop a program for overseas students which exists in other Hesder yeshivot. However, Rav Shenvald stressed that the yeshiva would be looking for overseas students who are serious about making aliyah and not simply coming to study for a year.

For more information, please visit their website at http://meirharel.n-s.org.il.