Bnei Akiva is the world’s
largest religious Zionist youth organization. It is active all over
the world, with over 50,000 members. Bnei Akiva believes that through
religious commitment and work on the land of Israel, Jewish youth
can achieve fulfillment and self- realization in an age of turmoil
and unrest.
Bnei Akiva operates local Shabat groups, summer cams, leadership
seminars, Shabatonim, and activities on six continents. Naturally,
the center focus of Bnei Akiva is located in Israel, where Bnei Akiva
is extremely active and where many members of Bnei Akiva participate
in Bnei Akiva activities before they make Aliya.
How Bnei Akiva Began:
Bnei Akiva is the largest international youth movement represented
in over 30 countries. It began as a tiny organization in Jerusalem
in 1927. Within a few years, Bnei Akiva had set up structures in many
Diaspora countries, embedding those communities with the ideology
of Torah Va'avodah. In communities where very little commitment to
traditional Judaism existed, Bnei Akiva spread the word of Jewish
ethics and the Zionistic ideal.
The years following World War II and the horrifying holocaust of
our people, saw incredible growth in the movement as people rallied
behind the banner of Torah Va'avodah to ensure the creation of Zionist
State.
A few years later Bnei Akiva realized that a world structure needed
to be set up to capitalize on this growth. Thus, much unnecessary
duplication of work was avoided and Bnei Akiva grew to become the
successful movement it is today.
The Semel: The
Semel is made up of a number of different objects each relating to
a different aspects of Bnei Akiva's ideology.
The farming utensils and the wheat sheaves relate
to the agricultural perspective of the ideology. The two tables of
stone in the center relate to the Torah perspective of Bnei Akiva’s
ideology. The two perspectives of Torah and Avoda are united together
by the ribbon which says Bnei Akiva on it— symbolizing that the two
aspects can only and must work hand in hand. The letters on the two
tablets are ‘Taf’ and ‘Ayin’ standing for
Torah Va’avoda.
Bnei Akiva and Rabbi Akiva:
As the name translates - "the children of Akiva", the idea
of Bnei Akiva relates directly to the story of Rabbi Akiva. At the
age of 40 years old, after growing up tending flock, he changed his
ways and decided that he needed to find out the essence of the Jewish
faith. The story is told of how it happened: One day while attending
to his flock, he noticed a rock onto which droplets of water kept
dripping. He thought that if something as soft as water can penetrate
this solid rock and cause it to erode, so could the Torah penetrate
into me - a shepherd whom at this time was solid in his ways. Thus
we strive to be like Rabbi Akiva for his three qualities: (a) his
love of Hashem, his devotion to the Torah and his ultimate death at
Kiddush Hashem (having been killed by the Romans). (b) His love of
Israel and his fight for its independence. (c) His love of labor and
his respect for it, remembering always his early life.
Yad Achim:
A
brotherly hand is stretched out to you,
O’ beloved youth,
Gather yourselves around our flag.
The star of the Torah shall shine for you,
Your path shall be one of labour.
With a sturdy heart, with the help of G-d, we will go up,
Forward, Bnei Akiva, forward to the top!
This homeland, the holy Land of our fathers,
We have inherited from the mighty hand of Jacob.
Our minds are steeped in her Torah,
Our hands are immersed in her soil.
With a sturdy heart, with the help of G-d, we will go up,
Forward, Bnei Akiva, forward to the top!
The
Semel is made up of a number of different objects each relating to
a different aspects of Bnei Akiva's ideology.
