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Eastern European yiddishkeit of the Etz Chaim Yeshivah in 1886 I don’t like to be negative; the greatest compliment I received
to what we have today. about my memoir, From Washington Avenue to Washington Street,
was when one student said to me: “Rebbe, you wrote over five
In Israel, it’s a miracle. There was absolutely nothing here except hundred pages without one negative comment!” There were,
for the old yishuv, which was oriented around a different mentality. of course, people who were not nice to me at different points
We have to give so much credit to Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neria, Rav Tzvi over the years. My scholarship was once stolen. But what’s the
Yehudah Kook and others. Today, we have an entire educational
system that combines Torah, Israel and modernity. The choices difference? I forgive everyone! We have to thank G-d for what we
that are available today are astounding! A young girl or boy can achieve, and be positive!
choose any type of high school they want! They have so many There’s no question that I owe a big debt of thanks to Bnei Akiva.
programs that combine Torah and the army, led by the finest In my time we had a big debate: should it be called Bnei Akiva or
people in the world. And on the collegiate level, a young woman Bnei Rebbe Akiva? I think both names are correct. Not everyone
who loves to dance can get a degree in dance, 100% according has the ability and zest to become a gaon, a chassid or a tzaddik. But
to Torah. The same is true for music, acting and movie making. everyone has the ability to be a good Jew and to live an inspired
When you come to Israel today, it’s hard to fully appreciate the life, each person on their own level. Some will be Bnei Rebbe
growth, how far we’ve come. We’ve achieved miracles here! Akiva, others will be Bnei Akiva – but they are both holy! Together
we’ve achieved so much of the dream, here in Israel and around
Please share a few final thoughts with us.
the world. Just think about what we could have done, how many
I believe that I’m a combination of all the good I saw in my we could have saved, if we had our State just a little bit earlier.
rebbeim: My rebbe Rav Soloveitchik, the Mirrer Yeshiva crowd,
the Shanghai crowd, Rabbi Aharon Kotler and Rabbi Nosson I call on everyone reading this interview: join us here, ת ַמ ְד ַא ל ַע
ׁש ֶדֹ ּ ק ַה, here in Eretz Yisrael. Live the dream, and shape the dream,
Wachtfogel (who used to regale me with stories about how when
Rabbi Shmuel Belkin came to America he taught him English, with Hashem’s help! n
and Rabbi Belkin taught him Gemara).

Meeting regarding the soldiers missing in action – 2002 – (left to right) Rabbi Rakeffet, The 1961 Semichah class at Yeshiva University. First row (left to right): Abba Bronspigel,
his daughter Raye Eisen, Yona Baumel, and Dr. Mike Kaplan Matisyahu Weisenberg, Rabbi Samuel Belkin, Rabbi Joseph B Soloveitchik, Rabbi
Rakeffet, Jeremiah Wohlberg.

Rabbi Rakeffet working together with Rabbi Barnet David Klien as they complete the Rabbi Rakeffet with Aryeh Kroll at the reception for Yuly Kosharovsky – 1989
Encyclopedia Judaica – 1971
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