There is no joy like the joy of the Torah: After a long year of study, the boys of the 'Or Yisraeli' movement stood in the middle of the test for their achievements in the study of 'Hilkot Brachot' in the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim.
The 'Or Yisraeli' movement was established about twenty years ago, as a response to thousands of young men from Dan to Eilat, who study and are educated in general institutions and seek spiritual food for their souls. The blessed activity, carried out with dedication by coordinators who are graduates of holy yeshivahs, is working to open and establish more and more branches, with today there are already close to 200 branches of midrashim scattered throughout the country, where thousands of students are educated in the afternoon and evening hours.
The movement is presided over by the father of the Kirov movement, Rabbi Yitzhak David Grossman, Rabbi of Migdal HaEmek and member of the Chief Rabbinate Council, who took upon himself this great initiative to leave no child in the public sphere who does not receive spiritual nourishment.
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Each year, many of the students even continue to holy yeshiva under the guidance of the esteemed Rabbi Shmuel Henig, author of 'Bikurei Shmuel', who guides them in their first steps in the world of Torah and Judaism.
From the beginning of the year, the trainees began to work hard on learning Halacha in practice, under the guidance of the coordinators and with the accelerated activity of the movement's CEO, Rabbi Israel Meir Ravitz, and the national coordinator, Rabbi Chaim Fox, who developed many campaigns for the youth, to encourage and spur them on.
After much effort and intermediate tests, seven of the best youth advanced to the final exam, and these are their names: Sahar David Davush from Kiryat Ono; Harel Francia from Be'er Yaakov; Ofek Meir Sivan from Kiryat Bialik; Elisha Sandetz from Jerusalem; Maor Meir Fahima from Tiberias; Guy Hanun from Kiryat Shmona; Yuval Pollak from Kiryat Tivon.
At a special event held on Sunday this week, at the Culture Hall in the Talpiot neighborhood of Jerusalem, thousands of mentors from all over the country came to participate in the test and graduation ceremony on the laws of blessings.
The movement's president, Rabbi Yitzhak David Grossman, stood by his words about the enormous contribution of these children to the cause of all Israel.
""You have no greater defense than this," exclaimed Rabbi Grossman, "to see young men who come from such different and distant backgrounds, who seek closeness to God, and who desire to know the word of God, this is Halacha." In his words, he mentioned the late Governor Ze'ev Wolfson, who founded the movement with his great vision.
The movement's chairman, Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum, Rosh Yeshiva Nehora, who stands guard over the gathering in his activities for the youth, praised the coordinators and the youth who arrived and qualified for the national test. "We stand here at the level of Mount Sinai, when before our eyes we see the reception of the Torah in a tangible way.".
Examiners Rabbi Ofir Malka and Rabbi Lior Yaakov posed difficult and challenging questions to the seven contestants.
It was an exciting and moving spectacle to see the boys – who, as mentioned, have different backgrounds and are not yeshiva students – respond to the rabbis' questions, as outstanding scholars and rabbinic zealots.
Late at night, after a difficult contest and a close battle, the boy Harel Francia, a student at the Or Yisrael Midrash in Be'er Ya'akov, was crowned the halakhic groom of 5883.
It was a moving sight to see his parents, who are drawn closer to the light of Judaism thanks to him, happy and excited to see their beloved son, who is destined for greatness, pass the test with eloquence and great talent.
""I have one request," Rabbi Grossman addressed the parents who came to the event, "allow them to take the exam next year as well, and I am assured that they will become teachers in Israel.".
Long after midnight, the dancing of thousands of students continued to the sound of the chants of "Blessed are you, O students of Torah.".
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