A moving ceremony was held on June 28th to celebrate the graduation of 11 students in the second cohort from the “Hachmey Lev” Yeshiva High School. As the Head of the Yeshiva, Rabbi Bezalel Cohen joyfully quoted scriptures: “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”(Psalm 188:24)
It was quite an emotional scene in the Boyar Residence Hall as honored guests, students’ families, the yeshiva’s past and present rabbis, and guests and friends of the SAE saluted the new graduates. The bond between the first two classes of Hachmey Lev is very strong and many alumni came to support their friends. The warm feeling of community that has been created at Hachmey Lev was evident between the two cohorts also well as between the staff and students.
Hachmey Lev was established by the Society for Advancement of Education (SAE) in 2013 as an innovative school which enables Haredi students to combine high level Torah studies with the study of core subjects leading to matriculation. This vastly increases their options for thefuture.
A significant number of last year’s graduates have gone on to serve in the IDF. This year graduates will be going on to either serve in the IDF as well or are continuing with their academic studies. Virtually all of this year’s graduates will have successfully completed their matriculation examinations.
Among the speakers were Yossi Ashkenazi, Chairman of SAE’s Board of Directors, who wished the graduates the best for the future, and Eitan Moran, SAE’s General Director, who made a moving speech, saying “the courage of the students and staff has created the community of our dreams, a community that combines all worlds, and for whom the future is an open door.”
Others who spoke from heart to heart included: Rabbi Bezalel Cohen, Head of the Yeshiva, and Hachmey Lev teachers – Rabbis Eyal Twito, Amit Omer, and Yaakov Leizerovitz. Dudi Weinberger, who represented the graduating students, mentioned the ever-present humor at the yeshiva, and the students and staff that have led it for the past four years.
Among other guests present were Mr. Eliezer Jesselson, Head of the SAE Steering Committee for Hachmey Lev, Ms. Shana Novick, UJA Federation of New York Committee Member, and Mr. Daniel Goldman, associated with the LESHEM organization.