Yeshivas Ner Yisroel facts for kids
| Motto | Building Greatness One Talmid at a Time |
|---|---|
| Established | 1933 |
| Founder | Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman |
|
Religious affiliation
|
Orthodox Judaism |
| Chairman | Rabbi Aharon Feldman |
| President | Rabbi Boruch Neuberger |
| Principal | Rabbi Beryl Weisbord |
| Location |
,
,
United States
39°23′18″N 76°45′17″W / 39.38833°N 76.75472°W |
| Campus | Rural, 100 acres (40 ha) |
 |
|
Ner Israel Rabbinical College (also called NIRC or Ner Yisroel) is a special Jewish school called a yeshiva. It is located in Pikesville, Maryland. This school was started in 1933 by Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman. He learned from a very famous teacher, Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, who was known as the "Alter of Slabodka."
Ner Israel is a school for boys and men. It focuses on studying the Talmud, which is a central text in Judaism. The school has three main parts:
- The Mechina, for high school students.
- The Yeshiva, for students who have finished high school.
- The Kollel, for married students who want to continue their advanced studies.
Many graduates from Ner Israel become rabbis and leaders in Jewish communities. Others become professionals like doctors, lawyers, or bankers. The school is known for letting students also take regular college classes outside the yeshiva. This helps them get a professional education too.
Contents
History of Ner Israel
Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman started Ner Israel in 1933 with only six students. It began in a local shul (synagogue). The school was named after Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin Salanter. He was a very important leader who started the mussar movement, which focuses on improving one's character. Rabbi Ruderman wanted his yeshiva to be like the famous Slabodka Yeshiva, where his own teacher studied.
Past Leaders Who Shaped the Yeshiva
Many important rabbis helped lead Ner Israel over the years.
- Rabbi Dovid Kronglass was the first mashgiach ruchani (spiritual guide) of the yeshiva. He helped students grow spiritually and also taught classes.
- Rabbi Herman Naftali Neuberger became the president of Ner Israel in 1940. He led the school for many years until 2005. His son, Rabbi Sheftel Neuberger, took over as president after him.
- Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg was a very important teacher and leader at Ner Israel for almost 50 years. He became the Rosh Yeshiva (head of the yeshiva) in 1987 after Rabbi Ruderman passed away.
- Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Kulefsky also served as Rosh Yeshiva for a short time.
The high school part of Ner Israel, called the Mechina, started in 1957. Rabbi Yosef Tendler was the principal of the Mechina for a long time, starting in 1964.
Current Leaders of Ner Israel
Today, Rabbi Aharon Feldman is the Rosh Yeshiva (dean) of Ner Israel. He is a very respected leader in the Jewish community. Rabbi Boruch Neuberger is the menahel (president) of the yeshiva.
Rabbi Beryl Weisbord is the mashgiach ruchani (spiritual guide). He helps students with their spiritual growth and character development. For the high school, Rabbi Simcha Cook is the menahel, and Rabbi Yosef Neuberger is the Mashgiach.
The Ner Israel Campus
The school's campus is called "The Beren Campus." It is very large, almost 100 acres! The yeshiva moved to this campus in 1968.
Ner Israel has two main study halls. One is for the high school students, and a much bigger one is for the older students. These halls are also used for prayers. There is also a dining hall and three dormitories where students live. Some faculty members and married students also live in houses on campus, in an area called "Yeshiva Lane."
The school has about 250 high school students, 300 undergraduate students, and 200 postgraduate students.
Ner Israel's Reach Beyond Baltimore
Ner Israel has had an impact far beyond Maryland.
- In 1959, a branch of Ner Israel was started in Toronto, Canada. While it still exists, it is now an independent school.
- Many graduates of Ner Israel have gone on to start their own Jewish schools or lead communities across the United States and other parts of the world.
Community Projects and Outreach
Students at Ner Israel also participate in special projects:
- PROJECT YAHUD: During spring break, students raise money for a religious school in Yahud, Israel.
- PROJECT SEED: In the summer, students travel to smaller communities around the world. They help teach and inspire Jewish people there.
- Students also do local community service. They lead prayers at a nearby retirement community and visit older people in a hospital.
Degrees and School Recognition
Ner Israel is an accredited college in Maryland. This means the state recognizes its educational programs. It also has special agreements with other universities like Johns Hopkins University and Towson University. These agreements allow Ner Israel students to take night classes at these universities and get college credits for their religious studies. The high school is also accredited and is called "Israel Henry Beren High School."
Students can earn different degrees at Ner Israel:
- A Bachelor of Talmudic Law (after four years).
- A Master of Talmudic Law (after six years).
- A Doctorate in Talmudic Law (after ten years, which includes writing a commentary on Jewish texts).
The yeshiva can also give Semicha (Rabbinic Ordination). This means a student is qualified to be a rabbi. Ner Israel also has a program called Machon that trains teachers for Jewish schools.
What Students Learn at Ner Israel
The main focus of study at Ner Israel is the Talmud and other important Jewish texts. The yeshiva has a nine-year cycle where students study different parts of the Talmud. They also study other parts of the Talmud in the spring semester.
How Talmud is Studied
The way students study the Talmud at Ner Israel is based on the "Brisker method." This is a special way of analyzing and understanding the deep meanings of the Talmud. Students have daily lessons, called Shiurim, on the Talmud.
Every day, students also spend time studying Musar literature. This type of literature helps students improve their character and spiritual qualities.
Kollel Avodas Levi
The Kollel Avodas Levi is a special part of the yeshiva for older, often married, students. They do very advanced studies. This Kollel was named after Rabbi Ruderman, who wrote a book called "Avodas Levi." Many of the students in the Kollel study in small groups called chaburas, which focus on specific topics.
High School Exams
In the high school (Mechina), students study two parts of the Talmud each year. One part is studied very deeply (called Iyyun), and the other part is studied quickly to cover the whole text (called Bekius). At the end of the year, students take a big exam on the entire Bekius text. This is a huge achievement because the texts are very long and complex. Former students often remember these texts for decades!
STAR-K Program
Students in the Kollel can also join the Star-K Rabbinical Training Program. This program teaches them how to supervise Kashrus, which means making sure food is prepared according to Jewish law.
Students from Around the World
Ner Israel has welcomed students from many different countries.
Persian Students
In the 1970s, many young Jewish men from Iran faced difficulties because of political changes and war. Rabbi Herman Neuberger helped over 1,000 of these young men come to the United States. Many of them studied at Ner Israel. Today, there are large communities of Orthodox Persian Jews in places like Baltimore, Los Angeles, and New York because of these efforts. Ner Israel still has a special prayer group on Shabbos for Persian students.
South American Students
Many students from South America also come to Ner Israel. This is partly because of "Camp Or Haner," a summer camp for South Americans held at Ner Israel. Many campers are inspired to stay and study at the yeshiva. These students often return to their home countries and help strengthen Jewish life there.
Notable Alumni
Many students who graduated from Ner Israel have become important leaders, rabbis, and professionals. Some examples include:
- Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky – a very important rabbi and leader.
- Rabbi Aharon Feldman – the current Rosh Yeshiva of Ner Israel.
- Rabbi Yissocher Frand – a popular teacher and lecturer at Ner Israel.
- Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt – the Chief Rabbi of Moscow.
- Rabbi Noach Weinberg – the founder of Aish HaTorah, another well-known yeshiva.
- Hershey Friedman – a successful businessman and philanthropist.
- Aaron Twerski – a well-known law professor.
Images for kids
-
A student studying inside the Bais Medrash
