Gal won’t be furthering his basketball career to Argentina this year.  

Gal is a teenager who was one of Israel’s best basketball players in his age group, was slated to spend the coming year furthering his career in Argentina. Instead, he will be involved in a different type of “throwing” – the “back and forth” of intricate gemaros and sevaros! Gal has joined Acheinu’s Yeshiva, where he is investing every last bit of his considerable energy into finishing Masechtos.  

This is all due to Acheinu and Gal’s Acheinu mentor, Rabbi Eli Rubinstein who first met Gal, who comes from a traditional home, when he was an 8th grader in a Torani school. He befriended Gal and their relationship blossomed until Reb Eli literally became like Gal’s big brother. In addition, Reb Eli forged a close bond with Gal’s parents. By working together with the family unit, Reb Eli was able to convince Gal and his parents that if he would pursue his sports career in Argentina, he would lose his Yiddishkeit.  

Today, Gal sits for hours in the bais medrash, brow furrowed over knotty sugyos. Reb Eli maintains constant contact and Acheinu has a mentor for Gal in the yeshiva where he learns. This type of follow-up, accompaniment and chizuk is what makes Acheinu so special… and so successful.

Acheinu, Dirshu’s kiruv arm, one of the most active kiruv organizations in Eretz Yisrael, has myriad programs and one objective: To bring their fellow Jews closer to Hashem as indicated by their name Acheinu, our brothers.  For thirty years since its founding, Acheinu has been reaching out to all Jews regardless of background or level of observance.

Acheinu operates twelve months a year, every day and at virtually every hour, but the beginning of the new school year is when they take inventory and reap the fruits of the labor of the hundreds of Acheinu kiruv activists as large numbers of new children and bochurim enter Torah schools and yeshivos kedoshos. Each enrollment is the culmination of months of intensive labor of Acheinu avreichim as they connect with each new charge, slowly easing them into the world of Torah.

One of the most difficult, tragic occurrences in today’s frum world is what has been called, “kids at risk.” Young people who drop out of yeshiva. If not addressed quickly and effectively the road to dropping out of mitzvah observance is very short.

Acheinu has established a general division and a Chassidish division to address this. Bachurim who have either been expelled from their yeshivos, or have dropped out, need immediate help and guidance. Acheinu avreichim work with parents to find suitable yeshivos and do whatever possible to keep these young men off the streets.

Over 1,000 bachurim, yes, 1,000 bachurim from regular frum homes have been placed in suitable yeshivos this Elul due to Acheinu’s efforts.

Acheinu has just completed another Elul enrollment with phenomenal success, but they are not resting on their laurels. There is still so much work to ensure that both rechokim and kerovim will benefit from their true birthright with simcha!