Israeli religious and community figures mark milestones, engagements, and military ceremonies

A series of community and religious events drew attention this week across Israel. Alon Moreh Yeshiva marked 30 years with a celebratory gathering attended by its rabbis, ministers, and public figures, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Israel’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Kalman Ber. In another family milestone, Binyamin Shapira, a Ramat Gan Yeshiva student and son of Yesha Council deputy director Tani Shapira, became engaged to the eldest daughter of attorney Chaim Bleicher of Honenu and the granddaughter of Rabbi Moshe Bleicher, head of the Shavei Hevron Yeshiva.

Minister Orly Strock announced the birth of a new grandson, her daughter Desi’s son with her husband Asher from Har Bracha, writing, “A son, a grandson, has come to us in good fortune! Thank God.” Strock also appears in a separate photo with the newborn. Rabbi Eliezer Melamed of Har Bracha and former deputy minister Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan attended a commander-training completion ceremony for a son and a grandson. Later in the week, Aviad Bar-Lev, a Nahalat Yisrael Yeshiva student in Migdal HaEmek and son of Rabbi Itiel Bar-Lev, head of the Jewish culture department, got engaged to Kama Gruner, daughter of Rabbi Ariel Gruner of the Or HaTzafon community in northern Tel Aviv.

In the security sphere, fighters from the Givati Brigade held a Babylonian Talmud completion ceremony in southern Lebanon while on operational duty, led by a soldier from Yeshivat HaKotel who finished studying the tractate after years of daily learning. Rabbi Shaul Avdiel of Natzach Yehuda spent the Sabbath deep inside Gaza with the battalion’s lead company in Beit Hanoun, conducting prayers, Torah classes, and personal conversations with soldiers. Head of the Military Rabbinate’s staff, Col. Rabbi Shaom Arukbi, also visited the Tel Aviv-Yafo religious council to discuss cooperation with city rabbis and improve religious services for civilians and IDF personnel.

Elsewhere, the new Lod neighborhood Nof Netanel was named for Maj. Netanel Hershkovitz, who fell covering his troops in northern Gaza and left behind his wife, Liron, and three children; the cornerstone ceremony was held with his family, developers, and Mayor Yair Revivo. About 60 instructors from the Bnei Menashe community took part in a Bnei Akiva training seminar at Yeshivat Bnei Akiva Kfar HaRoeh, while the communal matchmaking project “You Have a Home” was launched at Nahal Shilo with hundreds of women and MK Limor Son Har-Melech in attendance. Businessman David Hagar hosted Haredi sergeants and platoon leaders heading toward officer training in Jerusalem, and Eliazar Shvili, spokesman for MK Moshe Abutbul, celebrated his housewarming in Beitar Illit, with Abutbul joining the festivities.