Today MK Betzalel Smotrich and the Religious Zionist party hosted the top three winners of the competition for Torah articles written by young religious Zionists. 150 articles were sent to a staff of judges who chose the winners. First and third place winners - Yehuda Lozon and Netanel Ganizi, respectively - are current students at the Bet El Yeshiva! We couldn’t be prouder!
by Emanuel Shiloh, Besheva, translated and adapted by Hillel Fendel
The news cycles spin so fast that many of us appear to have forgotten that Israel's new government is not just the boyish smile of Naftali Bennett, but rather a conglomeration of anti-Zionist and anti-religious interests that is doing genuine damage.
Though we generally strive, in this newsletter, to emphasize the many positive aspects of life in the recently renewed Jewish homeland, this time we sadly have no choice but to highlight some of the negative – in the hope that it will arouse us to prayer and action to ensure that this unfortunate government is toppled as soon as possible.
In the following article, Emanuel Shilo, editor of the weekly Besheva, explains that in addition to the government's faults, the general media is neglecting its watchdog duties while giving the government a free pass.
by Emanuel Shilo, Besheva, translated by Hillel Fendel
What exactly happened in the Knesset this past week that caused such drama and tension? The nationalist right-wing camps of both the coalition and the opposition accused each other of the same thing: selling out the national interest for their own narrow political interests – and many observers are totally confused.
Last Monday, the Bet El Yeshiva celebrated for the first time in its history...a bat mitzvah! About 35 daughters of the Yeshiva's graduates came for a special experiential day prior to reaching the "age of mitzvot."
The following Wednesday, the Yeshiva held a "Bar Mitzvah Day" with the same number of sons of Yeshiva graduates. Barukh HaShem, the participants of the two events had very warm reactions and enjoyed the events very much.
by Hillel Fendel
Israel's new left-right government, currently headed by Naftali Bennett of the Yemina party, faced its first major test today – and apparently passed it. A compromise was reached regarding the new Shomron (Samaria) pioneer community of Evyatar, just east of Tapuah – grudgingly acceptable to both sides.
