World Jewish News

Jewish youth movement Bnei Akiva reopens in Germany 79 years after it was forced to shut down

Almost 79 years after the activity of Torah & Avodah fund, otherwise known as Bnei Akiva, the Jewish youth movement, was forced to stop, an official approval was given to the Zionist youth movement to reopen its activity in Germany as a non-profit organization once again.

This official authorization will allow the Jewish youth movement to increase its presence in Germany and produce many activities and initiatives that were not possible up to now for the benefit of the Jewish communities.

Eliyos Paz, the German desk director, said: "It is so exciting to see Bnei Akiva activities taking place in Germany after so many years of absence, to see the significant role Bnei Akiva is playing in strengthening traditional Judaism and connecting the young generation to the state of Israel. Another Jewish organization resurrected in Germany is another little victory on the Nazis and the new anti-Semitists” The activity of Traditional- Zionist organizations had begun sporadically already in 1910. The activity of all organizations was later was united under an official fund called The Torah and Avodah Fund in 1927. This fund functioned mainly as the financial setting for all Zionist-traditional youth movements and activity. Under this umbrella the youth taking part could join Hachsharot, summer camps, ideological conferences and seminaries and many more.

It was a few years later that the fund branched out to an official organization named Bnei Akiva, the same organization still active today in Israel and worldwide.

However, in Germany, during the Nazi Reich, the Jewish organization activity became illegal and therefore the Bnei Akiva activity had to shut down in Germany in 1938.

Bnei Akiva today is active around the world in more than 110 local branches under the subsidiary organization of World Bnei Akiva (WBA).

"World Bnei Akiva is the largest traditional youth movement in the world. It has a long and rich tradition of ongoing activity of youth and their families and connection them all to values of Eretz Israel (the country of Israel)," explained Roi Abecassis Director of World Bnei Akiva.

EJP