Bnei Akiva

Bnei Akiva (Hebrew: בני עקיבא), founded in the British Mandate of Palestine in 1929, is the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world today. It is active worldwide, with over 125,000 members in 37 countries. There are 75,000 members in Israel and 54,000 members in the rest of the world. Locally, Bnei Akiva chapters are called 'סניפים'(pronounced snif), "branches" with each age group constituting a 'שבט'(pronounced shevet), "tribe".

Bnei Akiva was formed primarily as the youth wing of the Mizrachi movement about 80 years ago. Mizrachi believed in bridging the gap between the secular Zionists, who aimed to rebuild the land of Israel, and the religious community who were predominantly against this new ideal. Their aim, simply, was to have "one total Judaism…one which retains the Torah as its soul, the nation as its body, with its place in Eretz Yisrael." (Rav Javetz). This principle of "the Jewish people in the land of Israel living according to the Torah of Israel" lies at the core of BA’s beliefs.

The other axiom associated with Bnei Akiva is that of ‘Torah v’Avodah’, a phrase coined by Rav Shmuel Chaim Landau (Shachal). Torah is viewed as not just a set of laws to which each Jew must adhere but also “the spirit of our nation, the source of our culture and the essence of our souls”. This nationalistic element of Torah is the reason for our rebirth of the Jewish people in Israel and allZionism must stem from it. Meanwhile, Avodah is an aim to make the Jewish people productive as a nation by rebuilding the land of Israel. Rather than just being a group of individuals, Avodah calls for the nation to begin to rebuild itself through creativity and physical labour.

Bnei Akiva is a nationalist movement within Israel, strongly identified with The The Religious Kibbutz Movement and the National Religious political party. Outside of Israel, the local branches of Bnei Akiva are under the Bnei Akiva Olami (Worldwide) organization.

Typically, in any given country, Bnei Akiva will operate local Shabbat groups, summer camps, leadership seminars, Shabatonim, and other activities. Bnei Akiva in the Land of Israel is organised separately from the world movement. It is run in Israel by the National Secretariat (Hanhala Artzit).

Ideology

Bnei Akiva's twin ideals of Torah 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.

Ideological shifts

In the early years of pioneering, Avodah was clearly 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-tec, education, academia etc.

History

Background

Bnei Akiva first came into existence in the late 1920s, following World War I. At that time, the League of Nations granted Britain the mandate over Palestine. The Jewish pioneers in Land of Israel were struggling, engaged in a Herculean effort to succeed economically and to build their homeland. However, there was another concern as well: the need to redefine the spiritual-cultural identity of the Jewish nation.

These were the years of the Third Aliyah (third great wave of immigration) to Israel (1919-1923). This Aliyah was clearly characterized by two elements: economic hardship and the evolution of a strong ideological socialist group. The general direction was to create a new Jewish society, to see the development of a “ Jew”. To do so, these immigrants felt they must abandon the "old" and "binding" Jewish tradition, together with its culture and laws.

Religious laborers take action

While the secular laborers were gaining power, the "Hapo’el Hamizrachi" workers movement, part of the Mizrachi movement (established in 1901), was founded. Its goal was to organize and unify the few religious laborers who were, at that time, economically deprived and spiritually rejected, and to transform them into a force to be reckoned with. The movement’s first leaders consolidated a new philosophical perspective, intended as a counterweight to the secular-socialist ideology of other workers’ groups. As self-perceived, Hapo’el Hamizrachi was the active realization of the Religious-Zionist ideals of the Mizrachi movement: “The Land of Israel, for the People of Israel, according to the Torah of Israel”. It dedicated itself to engaging in all aspects of life in Israel, religious and secular, including labor and settlement of the land.

Difficulties

The Hapo’el Hamizrachi movement encountered many difficulties. The Histadrut Klalit (national labor organization) and many Workers’ Committees incited against Hopo’el Hamizrachi members and prevented their employment. The Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet Leyisra’el), which was responsible for allocation of land, gave land to all of the other settlement associations, but not to Hapo’el Hamizrachi. There was also another sort of problem: on the one hand, Hapo’el Hamizrachi met with hostility from non-Zionist religious Jews, and on the other, secular society “rewarded” the movement with patronizing haughtiness and contempt for its devotion to religion. Although the ones who suffered most from this attitude were the workers who belonged to Hapo’el Hamizrachi, it also had a decisive influence on a very important group: youth.

The younger generation abandons its parents’ values

In the wake of the ostracism and economic difficulties encountered by Hapo’el Hamizrachi members, many of their adolescent children chose to join secular social groups. They were drawn to socialist/workers’ youth movements (such as Hano’ar Ha’oved, Machanot Ha’olim) and citizens’/right-wing counterparts (e.g., Hatzofim, Maccabee, Betar). This situation, essentially a social and psychological ebbtide of religious youth, could not be tolerated for any length of time, and presented a severe existential threat to the new religious movement. In the winter of 1929, Yechiel Eliash, then an officer of the Brit Olamit shel Torah Va’avoda (“National Alliance of Torah and Labor”), suggested to Hapo’el Hamizrachi the establishment of a religious youth movement, with the purpose of strengthening young people’s spirit and organizing them within a proud social framework.

This proposal was met with lack of enthusiasm and even opposition. The reasons for its rejection were:

1. By their very nature, youth movements are rebellious, and therefore have no place in religious society.

2. This type of youth movement might interfere with studies.

Yechiel Eliash did not bow to the views of his opponents. Years later, he explained:

“...At that time, there was a need to rebel. The Histadrut ruled mightily. Any Hapo’el Hamizrachi member who sought work in construction was banished in disgrace. Anti-religious sentiment was rife... We believed that a youth movement would have to engender faith in its own strength and in our power to erect a religious Judaism with great accomplishments. Not individual creative Jews, but organized religious Judaism... The opponents, including leaders of Hapo’el Hamizrachi feared rebellion and contended that a religious movement, intrinsically, cannot be oppositional and must be traditional. Some worried that the conduct of study in school would be impaired; others disparaged young people’s ability to stand at the head of a youth movement. Impressive educators, they argued, must hold this position. However, despite all this opposition, I decided to found the youth movement...” Concurrent with the establishment of the movement in Israel, 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.

Symbols of Bnei Akiva

The Emblem

File:High resolution Bnei Akiva Semel.jpg

Bnei Akiva's emblem (semel)

The "Semel", Bnei Akiva's emblem, 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").

The Anthem

The Bnei Akiva's anthem (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 Saba.

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.

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!

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 for ever.
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.
הכשרה	Hachshara	Preparation	Gap year 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 emissarrys 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 around the world

Bnei Akiva Australia

Bnei Akiva is active in Australia, with branches in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.

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.

Bnei Akiva Givat Shmuel

Bnei Akiva Givat Shmuel is the largest snif in all of Israel. With over 800 chanichim per week BA Givat Shmuel is a dugma (example) for all of the other snifim around the world.

Bnei Akiva UK

In the United Kingdom, Bnei Akiva has a long history, dating back to 1939. The organisation's first preparation (hachsharah in Hebrew) activities took place on its farm at Thaxstead, Essex where it ran camps to prepare youngsters for aliyah and for pioneering the land.

Today, Bnei Akiva is the largest Jewish youth movement in the country. Many of its members make aliyah after graduating. Bnei Akiva UK is predominantly known as the most religious constituent of the movement.

There are 29 branches (svivot in Hebrew) throughout the United Kingdom, that run weekly activities on Shabat afternoon these chapters are:

Barnet, Belmont, Birmingham, Brondesbury Park, Bury, Bushey, Cheadle, Chigwell, Edinburgh, Edgware United, Edgware Yeshurun, Elstree and Borehamwood, Golders Green, Hale, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Hendon, Kinloss, Leeds, Liverpool, Mill Hill, Pinner, Radlett, Salford, South Hampstead, South Woodford, Southgate, Stanmore, Whitefield, Woodside Park.

Bnei Akiva UK is run by a dedicated team known as the 'Mazkirut', a Rabbinical Shaliach and 2 northern Shlichim. The Mazkirut comprises the Mazkir, Education Officer, Israel worker, Southern Fieldworker and a Technical Director.

It also recently introduced a programme, Yachad, which caters for children with disabilities. In the summer of 2007, BAUK also hosted it's largest ever summer machaneh (camp) for a single age-group, with over 155 chanachim (campers) and a further 50 madrichim (leaders), for children going into year 11 (10th grade). Approximately 1000 people were involved in Bnei Akiva UK programmes during the summer of 2007.

Bnei Akiva South Africa

Bnei Akiva's presence in South Africa dates back to the 1920s. Today, it is one of the largest active Jewish youth movements in the country. It runs many shabbatonim 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.

Bnei Akiva Toronto

Bnei Akiva of Toronto was started in 1925, and today has a strong presence in Toronto . There are 5 chapters (BAYT, Bnei Torah, KST, Or Chaim and Shaarei Shamayim) 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

Bnei Akiva Montreal

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 Purim celebrations and Shabbatons. It is lead primarily by the students of Hebrew Academy and other schools as well. The current Shlicah in Montreal is Meytal Zviel.

Bnei Akiva Chicago

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 90's, 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 Brazil

In Rio de Janeiro 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 Shabbatons, camp (each year there are two camps in São Paulo and two in Rio de Janeiro), many field trips, and commemorations of the Jewish holidays.

Bnei Akiva Mexico

Bnei Akiva in Mexico was founded in 1948. It is located in Mexico City, 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 schools, Hebrew schools and Yeshivot, and participating in Chessed activities (community service).[1]

Bnei Akiva Switzerland

Bnei Akiva Switzerland was founded some 70 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 Efrat Speaker as shlicha.

Please check the article in the German Wikipedia for more informations. click here!

Bnei Akiva of New York and New Jersey

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, 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). BANY also runs Shabbatons 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. [2]

Bnei Akiva of Pittsburgh

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. Bnei Akiva of Pittsburgh is thus thought of as one of the newest Glilim in the United States. 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 generously volunteer several hours a week and act as counselors each Shabbat at Snif. [3]

Bnei Akiva Detroit

Since the 1950s, Bnei Akiva has been a tardition in Detroit. Most recently,Detroit has welcomed Tzachy Chayun, the new regional director, who lives in Oak Park, Mi. Bnei Akiva has teo snifim every shabbat at the Young Israel of Oak Park and the Young Israel of Southfeild. Bnei Akiva Detroit runs activities for chevrara taf, aleph, zach and bet. This year, Bnei Akiva Detroit has had kimzutz, tishes,a zoo activity, a mall scavenger hunt, story time,,a tekes for the Israeli soldiers, movie night, mishmars....etc. Bnei Akiva Detroit also sends out a weekly newsletter!

Camp Moshava

There are four Bnei Akiva Moshava camps in North America: in Indian Orchard, Pennsylvania, in Ennismore, Ontario, in Wild Rose, Wisconsin, and 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.

External links