Yeshivat Lev Hatorah
| Yeshivat Lev HaTorah | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
|
Rechov Nachal Ein Gedi #37 Ramat Bet Shemesh 99000 Israel | |
| Information | |
| Type | Post-high-school Yeshiva |
| Established | 2002 |
| Staff | 23 |
| Number of students | 80 |
| Affiliation | Modern Orthodox Judaism |
| Rosh Yeshiva | Rav Boaz Mori |
| Website | www.levhatorah.org |
Yeshivat Lev HaTorah (Hebrew: ישיבת לב התורה) is a Religious Zionist yeshiva, located in Ramat Shilo, a sub-district of Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel.
HaRav Boaz Mori established the yeshiva in 2002 and is the Rosh Yeshiva. Rav Benjy Kwalwasser is the Yeshiva's Mashgiach Ruchani, and Rav Michael Cytrin is the school's Menahel (administrator). The yeshiva has recently moved to Ramat ShIL"O (Hebrew: שכונת ישיבת לב התורה), a new community on the outskirts of Ramat Bet Shemesh Alef, where a new campus is under construction.
Hashkafa
Goal of Program
- Yeshivat Lev HaTorah aims to nurture the development of well rounded B'nei Torah instilled with a commitment to making an impact on the Jewish people.
Attitude towards Israel and Medinat Yisrael
- Lev HaTorah is a Religious–Zionistic institution that views the establishment of the State of Israel as the greatest event in modern Jewish history. The Torat Chaim Seminar program of tiyulim, shiurim and discussions exposes the students to traditional subjects as well as the complexities of the modern Jewish state.
Attitude towards University Studies
- University study is viewed as an essential component for a Ben Torah in the modern world. Talmidim are strongly encouraged to pursue their academic studies in an environment that they can continue to grow spiritually.
Attitude towards Extracurricular Activities
- Lev HaTorah has an extensive extra-curricular program. A number of hours each week are dedicated to chesed projects within the Ramat Beit Shemesh. Students build sukkot for widows, run food-drives, and serve as big-brothers to disadvantaged youth and companions to senior citizens. Students attend weekly chugim hosted by community members and faculty members. The school offers workshops in Jewish music, meditation and public speaking.
Preparation for Post Israel
- Yeshivat Lev HaTorah provides students with seminars and discussion groups focused on preparation for leaving the yeshiva. As future representatives of Torah on college campuses, our students are prepared with leadership training programs. Once students have left yeshiva, there is an extensive follow up program, including a weekly Machshavot HaLev email to all alumni, frequent personal e-mails and phone calls from Rebbeim to individual alumni, on-line shiurim, shabbatonim, and a winter break learning program for alumni.
Dress
- The light dress code requires that students wear regular pants (no jeans or sweatpants) and collared shirts.
Guidance Personnel
- All of the yeshiva's full-time staff, and the majority of its part-time staff, live within walking distance of the yeshiva. This means that the Rebbeim often daven Shacharit at the yeshiva, as well as join the yeshiva minyan for Shabbat and Yom Tov. The close proximity between the yeshiva and the homes of the Rebbeim helps forge a warm, family atmosphere. Rebbeim spend more time in the yeshiva and talmidim have the opportunity to interact with the Rebbeim at their own homes and with their families.
Curriculum
Makeup
- About 40% of the day is dedicated to Gemara. Learning levels range from basic to intermediate-advanced. Emphasis is placed on building textual and conceptual skills in both Gemara and other essential realms such as Tanakh, Halacha and Jewish Philosophy.
Assessment and Grading
- Achievements are not measured by formal tests or grades rather by personal growth. However, optional tests for self-evaluation are encouraged.
Joint Program
- Lev HaTorah is a member of Yeshiva University's S. Daniel Abraham Israel program.
Faculty
The Yeshiva employs a total of 23 Rabbis from a wide spectrum of places. Some well known rabbis who teach classes include Rabbi Yehoshua Fass (director and founder of Nefesh B'Nefesh), Rabbi Natan Slifkin, the world-renowned "Zoo Rabbi," and the legendary Rabbi Mordechai Machlis, known for his hospitality and generosity.[1]
Sedarim
Morning Seder
The first-year student body is divided into five different shiurim (class-levels), based on level of proficiency. Each shiur has its own "Ram" (rebbi). Morning seder is a mix of time devoted to both studying b'chevruta and shiurim (lectures), running from 10:00am to 12:30pm, after which most students have a small shiur on the topic of tefilla, delivered by one of the rabbis. In the top-level shiur, seder runs up until 1:00pm.
Afternoon Seder
Afternoon seder is a mix of classes in many topics including Halacha, Tanakh, and Machshava, with an hour of free seder time in the middle. On Thursdays, afternoon seder time is used for a Torat Chaim seminar, where students have the opportunity to learn and see about a plethora of different topics and events including the validity of techelet, the life and philosophy of The Rav, and kosher wine making.
Night Seder
Like morning seder, night seder is broken up into the same five shiurim as the morning, with most shiurim focussing on b'iyun learning (although some classes learn b'kiut). On Thursdays night, seder runs late, with popular school-wide sichot given by Rav Benjy Kwalwasser. At 11:30, the sichot are followed by the wildly popular Prime Time Parsha, at which students hear divrei torah and eat cholent made by their classmates.