Yeshivat Har Etzion

HARAV YEHUDA AMITAL

Harav Yehuda Amital was born in 1925 to Yekutiel Ze’ev and DevorahKlein, of blessed memory, in Transylvania. He studied Torah in Cheder and Yeshiva, andhad virtually no formal secular education. In l943, with the invasion of theNazis, he was taken to a labor camp, while his entire family - parents, sister andbrother - were taken to Auschwitz where they were murdered. After his liberation, hearrived in Eretz Yisrael at the end of l944, on Chanuka 5705.

When he arrived in Israel, Rav Amital continued his yeshiva studies in Jerusalemand received Semikhah from HaGaon Harav R. Isser Zalman Meltzer zt”l. While in yeshiva, he joined the Haganah. The following year he married Miriam Meltzer,daughter of the Chief Rabbi of Rehovot and granddaughter of Rav Meltzer.Rav Amital fought in the War of Independence, in the battles of Latrun and westernGalilee. After the war HaRav Amital became a Safra D'Dayna (rabbinicsecretary) in the Rabbinical Court in Rehovot and two years later, he became a Ram (instructor) in Yeshivat HaDarom.

Rav Amital predicted that the phenomenon of Yeshiva students being exemptedfrom army service would increase the friction between the religious and secularcommunity, on the one hand, and would lead to emotional and ideological distancebetween the Yeshiva students and the State of Israel, on the other. Upon formulating the idea of Yeshivot Hesder, he took an active role developingthe first hesder group at Yeshivat HaDarom.

After the Six Day War, he was called upon by Mr. Moshe Moskovic - a survivorof the l948 battle for Gush Etzion - to found a Yeshivat Hesder in Gush Etzion.In l968, the Yeshiva opened in Kfar Etzion, not far from the settlementof Alon Shevut of today, with 30 students.

In l971, Harav Amital turned to Harav Aharon Lichtenstein with the requestthat he join him as Rosh Yeshiva. Their joint leadership resulted in the uniquedevelopment of the Yeshiva and to its profound spiritual influence in Israeland abroad.

Harav Amital has represented Yeshivot Hesder in the Army network and holdsthe rank of Captain in the Armored Corps.

Harav Amital continues to be a prominent public figure in Israel, with abroad impact on matters of religious and national concern.

Harav and Mrs. Amital have five children, all married and, together withtheir spouses, involved in Torah Education in Israel.

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