Yeshiva Ner Yaakov, a popular post-high school yeshiva in Israel for boys from modern Orthodox homes, will not reopen in September, The Jewish Star reports.
Rabbi Yehoshua Liff, the Rosh Yeshiva who founded Ner Yaakov in 1988 called the decision “painful.”
“After holding major discussions about the reorganization of the yeshiva in order to remain open, and under severe economic pressure, we made a decision to not open up for this coming semester,” Rabbi Liff said Monday evening.
Ner Yaakov’s kollel program would continue to function during the 2009-2010 term, and “we are keeping options open” to possibly – hopefully – resume the post-high school program in 2010-2011.
The yeshiva is located in Jerusalem’s Geulah neighborhood.
“The decision is a painful one for all those who appreciate all that Ner Yaakov has done in the past two decades in the field of Jewish education,” Rabbi Liff said.
Ner Yaakov is “the kind of yeshiva the community can’t afford to lose,” said Rabbi Brian Thau of West Hempstead. His son, Yori, 19, was planning to go back for a second year.
“The yeshiva transformed my son, and Yori is not unique,” he said. “He went from Rambam to HANC. HANC was able to convince him to go to Eretz Yisrael for the year and the rest, as they say, is history. They [Ner Yaakov] just inspired him.”
He was “very fortunate” that his son had rebbeim (teachers) who “took the time to reach out to him.” Ner Yaakov is “one of the only yeshivas that take kids other yeshivas won’t handle and turns them into find Bnei Torah,” Rabbi Thau said, adding that he was “distraught” to learn that the yeshiva would not reopen in September.
“I’ve been in chinuch for many years and I’ve never seen a school like this,” Rabbi Thau said.
Ner Yaakov will help students were supposed to attend the yeshiva in September to make other arrangements, Rabbi Liff said. All tuitions that have been paid will be refunded. It would be up to individual faculty members to choose whether to remain affiliated with the yeshiva during what he hopes will be a temporary hiatus, Rabbi Liff said. Some faculy members, he expects, will leave.
For each of the last ten years Ner Yaakov has begun the new term with 70-80 students, on average. There were 60 young men at the beginning of last year but for the upcoming semester just 18 students were registered, said Rabbi Liff.
(Mayer Fertig – The Jewish Star)
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14 Responses
Terrible news. This is a real loss for klal yisrael. I shudder to think of all the lost nishomos which won’t get an oppurtunity to be “found” by the great rebbeim like Rabbis Liff and Ackerman and Sondhelm and all the others.
This is terrible. The avodas hakodesh that R’ Liff has done transforming neshmaos is unbelievable. So many people came from far places to become erilech Jews. This is a loss for the entire klal Yisrael.
this is a great loss as many bochrim from all walks of life who felt a close friendship with Rabbi Liff. He inspires and elevates all he meets.
Ner Yakov is a wonderful place and many people have gone on to be ehrlich benei torah and balla batim who exemplify Rabbi Liff’s midos.
This is a TRAGEDY
Why the sudden drastic drop in enrollment? Are there other reasons besides economics?
I went there and they changed my life. They have changed the lives of hundreds of boys over the past twenty years and it hurts to hear such horrible news. The rebeim there are the best and they gave their lives year after year to their students.
A monumental loss for Klal Yisroel. As an alumnus, I am personally pained and devastated over hearing this news, and, as a 12th grade rebbe, feel the loss of a wonderful institution where boys who need a unique, individualistic atmosphere are catered to. Boys who need Ner Yaakov will never be able to experience the unbelievable approach to yiddishkeit through which the Rosh HaYeshiva and the rebbeim have reignited and inspired so many Jewish children. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Are there other reasons besides economics? NO NO
This is very, very sad, especially since Ner Yaakov took in young men that the other yeshivas wouldn’t.
Where are those souls supposed to find their real Jewish selves now? On the street?!
Help us, Ribbonu Shel Olam!
When I shared this sad news with another Rosh Yeshiva (of a “competing” Yeshiva) he told me that this is sad news indeed as “Reb Yehoshu Liff is one of the better people in the field of chinuch”. We pray that he and his staff continue to find ways to contribute to Am Yisroel, that Ha-Shem support them and their families, and that all Jewish boys (and girls) find Yeshiva and schools that fit their needs best.
What other schools are in trouble? I suspect this is a major crisis beginning!
nu!! where is the big guys reading this news?? take out money, and reopen it!! take this mitzvah!
Oh’ how sad I am to hear, that Ner Yaakov will not be open this year. This pains my heart so very much, as to my soul O’ did they touch. For the way of life I used to lead, it was Ner Yaakov that I did need. Leading the “high” life nothing else would I see, but Rabbi Liff and Co. were waiting for me. Over the year they opened my mind, with their special way so caring and kind. From a kid on the street to a true Ben Torah, Thank you Ner Yaakov 100 times ovah.
May we be “zoche” that you your doors reopen, and continue your work Bimheira Viyamaynu AMEN
We can not afford to lose Ner Yaakov. The amount of people I know who have turned their lives around entirely through this influence of this amazing institution is staggering. Unfortunately, I feel that a large portion of the enrollment drop can be tied directly to that disgusting video of earlier this year…that terrible, anti-semetic, jewish director killed one of klal yisroel’s great assets.
YWN deserves recognition for this alert, but I think would be only fair to make an additional alert for Mesilos Bnos Bais Yaakov, formerly based in Har Nof, Yerushalyim, that will also not be opening this coming Elul. It had been under the direction of Rabbi Zakatinsky from Flatbush, Brooklyn.