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In the wake of the Six-Day War, Yeshivot Bnei Akiva founded Yeshivat Hakotel in the newly liberated Old City of Jerusalem, with Rabbi Bina at the helm as Rosh Yeshiva. He recruited graduates from Netiv Meir to form the core of this new post-high school yeshiva. During his tenure at Yeshivat Hakotel, Rabbi Bina was instrumental in establishing additional yeshivot, including Yeshivat HaGolan, Yeshivat Hesder Ma%u2019alot, and Yeshivat Birkat Moshe in Ma%u2019ale Adumim. Today, the Hesder Yeshiva movement encompasses over 70 institutions, with thousands of students engaged in Torah study and IDF service annually.Interestingly, throughout his career, Rabbi Bina faced some skepticism from certain quarters of the Religious Zionist establishment, who perceived him as leaning towards a more Charedi approach. In retrospect, this perception seems ironic, given that his dual roles as Torah teacher and farmer embodied the Torah V%u2019avoda ethos more literally than perhaps any other Religious Zionist rabbi. With the passage of time, the magnitude of his contributions has become increasingly apparent. From his arrival in Israel, and despite his fouryear Nazi captivity, Rabbi Bina played a pivotal role in developing the institutional framework that the Religious Zionist community now considers indispensable %u2013 religious settlements, yeshiva high schools, and Yeshivot Hesder.Rabbi Bina%u2019s legacy can also be viewed through the lens of generational shifts in Religious Zionist leadership. Many early state-era Religious Zionist leaders, both in rabbinic and political spheres, are often overlooked as their approaches no longer align with contemporary norms. In the rabbinic realm, the first generation of roshei yeshiva and teachers in Hesder Yeshivot primarily hailed from the Lithuanian yeshiva world. As graduates of Hesder Yeshivot assumed teaching roles, the older generation was sometimes perceived as out of touch. In the political arena, towering Religious Zionist figures like Moshe Chaim Shapiro might now be considered dovish compared to many current Religious Zionist politicians. While these stylistic and ideological differences are significant, they should not overshadow the immense contributions of these pioneering leaders.As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of his passing, Rabbi Bina deserves to be remembered as one of the founding fathers of Religious Zionism, whose life%u2019s work continues to impact thousands to this day. His legacy serves as a testament to the power of vision, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to both Torah and the Land of Israel. %u25fcYour favorite articlesare availableto read and share online atmizrachi.org/hamizrachiALSO AVAILABLEONLINE!(PHOTO: ARI BEIN HAOLAMOT) | 53