Ner YaakovIt is customary for Jewish boys and girls in some communities to spend a year learning in Israel prior to attending college or university. I personally had the privilege to experience a year in Israel, as did many of my friends.

I recently learned that the place I spent most of that year learning, Ner Yaakov, is not opening this year. Ner Yaakov is a Yeshiva (Jewish school) for American Jewish boys between high-school and college. The news of them not opening this year was released on July 15th and came as a shock to many. The reason they did not open this year was mostly due to economic hardships. The Rosh HaYeshiva (head of the school), Rabbi Yehoshua Liff wrote a letter explaining his decision.

I believe the school has been around for at least twenty-years. Plus, my brother, Adam, attended the school several years before me, and really never left. Yes, he went home to complete his secular education, but he went back and worked with students in the school since. This will be his first year in probably, well over a decade, not teaching at Ner Yaakov.

The popular Jewish blog, Yeshiva World News covered the news as well.

In any event, it is a shame to see the Yeshiva not open this year. The web site, which RustyBrick hosts and built, will remain up for as long as requested.