Netanyahu Reveals Rabbi's Birthday to Students in Sderot

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Hesder Yeshiva in Sderot on Wednesday evening, where he was greeted with singing and dancing by the students. During his address, Netanyahu shared a personal detail he learned from the Rosh Yeshiva (head of the yeshiva), Rabbi David Fendel. "The Rabbi whispered to me, but I am revealing it, that tomorrow is your birthday," Netanyahu told the students, referring to Rabbi Fendel. Following the Prime Minister's announcement, the students erupted in song, singing "Sha'u Sha'arei Rosh'eichem" (Lift Up Your Heads, O Gates).

The visit also included Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Knesset Member Almog Cohen, a resident of Ofakim and a Likud candidate. The Hesder Yeshiva program combines religious studies with military service, and Sderot, located near the Gaza Strip, has frequently been a target of rocket attacks.