About Bnei Akiva of Los Angeles
Bnei Akiva of Los Angeles is a 100% nonprofit, community-supported 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring and empowering Jewish youth to become lifelong Orthodox Zionist leaders. Through a youth-driven model and year-round informal education, our chanichim and chanichot (participants) build enduring friendships, deepen Torah values, strengthen their connection to Am Yisrael, Torat Yisrael, and Eretz Yisrael, and develop the confidence and skills to lead.
Bnei Akiva chaverim (members), from early childhood through college, participate in and lead Shabbat programming, retreats, after-school activities, leadership training, and Camp Moshava Alevy. Our programs are designed to be joyful and meaningful rooted in Torah, infused with love of Israel, and focused on cultivating responsibility, initiative, and service to the Jewish community.
As an organization that is entirely nonprofit, every dollar raised is reinvested into our mission: expanding accessible programming, training teen leaders, strengthening Jewish identity and commitment, and ensuring that cost is not a barrier for families who want to participate.
Our Mission
Our mission is to develop and train the next generation of Orthodox Zionist leaders in the Los Angeles Jewish community. We fulfill this mission through fun, values-driven, year- round programming that combines informal Jewish education with hands-on leadership development and a deep love for Am Yisrael, Medinat Yisrael, and Torat Yisrael.
Youth-Driven Values
Bnei Akiva is built on a powerful principle: youth lead youth. Most of our activities are led by high school madrichim and madrichot (counselors), who serve as relatable role models
for younger participants while gaining real responsibility, mentoring experience, and a strong leadership voice of their own. Our teen leaders also serve on local and regional boards—planning, organizing, and running programs that advance our mission and strengthen the broader community.
History of the Bnei Akiva Movement
Bnei Akiva is an international Religious Zionist Youth Movement that inspires and empowers Jewish youth with a deep commitment to Am Yisrael (our people), Eretz Yisrael (our land), and Torat Yisrael (our Torah).
More than 45,000 youths in 34 countries participate in Bnei Akiva’s youth-led activities, including informal educational programs, summer camps and summer and gap-year Israel programs. The significance of Bnei Akiva reaches beyond the student and positively impacts the entire family and the wider Jewish community. Students often continue their affiliation with Bnei Akiva well past high school into college and adulthood.
Bnei Akiva was created after World War I as a youth movement connected with the Mizrachi movement of religious laborers, committed to building up the land of Israel as pioneers. In 1958 Mizrachi-affiliated youth groups in Israel and the rest of the world came together to form Bnei Akiva.
Bnei Akiva was named for the Mishnaic Rabbi Akiva, a shepherd who began learning Torah at the age of 40. Rabbi Akiva’s perseverance and his love of God, Torah and Israel are ideals integral to Bnei Akiva’s mission.
Bnei Akiva members strive to live the Bnei Akiva motto of Torah V’Avodah, combining Torah learning and observance of mitzvot with active contributions to the Jewish people and the land of Israel. Bnei Akiva cultivates young leaders who take initiative, who assume responsibility for the worldwide Jewish community.
Bnei Akiva has snifim (chapters) all around the world. Local snifim bring members together for regular Shabbat meetings filled with Torah and Israel, friends and fun. High school madrichim (counselors) take leadership roles, planning and running activities for younger participants, giving generously and growing tremendously in the process.
Our Impact in Los Angeles
Bnei Akiva has been a meaningful presence in the Los Angeles Jewish community for over six decades, planting and nurturing the ideals of Religious Zionism and love of Israel among youth and families. In recent years, a renewed group of dedicated lay leaders—many of them Bnei Akiva alumni—has helped expand participation, build a more robust calendar of programming, and support the revival and growth of Camp Moshava on the West Coast. As a fully nonprofit movement, this growth is driven by community partnership, volunteer leadership, and donor support—ensuring our programs remain mission-first and
accessible.
Nonprofit Statement
Bnei Akiva of Los Angeles is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. We are entirely mission- driven, and contributions directly support youth programming, leadership training, retreats, Shabbat experiences, and scholarship assistance so that every child who wants to participate can do so.