On Sunday 2 Rosh Chodesh Elul, over 100,000 Bnei Torah returned to yeshivos and kollels around Israel to begin the new zman.

Buses were packed with talmidim and avreichim, especially with the Israel Railways’ strike on the Haifa-Tel Aviv line.

Close to 35,000 talmidim started the Elul zman. The officials number given is 34,944 talmidim in yeshivos gevohos, which includes 5,000 talmidim from abroad, most coming from the United States. Some talmidim from abroad will only arrive after the Yomim Tovim while some others are returning following last year’s limud in Eretz Yisrael.

The official number of avrichei kollel stands at 77,500 studying in over 1,000 batei medrash around Israel.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)