בוגרים ומורים Archives

17/06/202401/01/2025 dvir_rge

Congratulations to Chaim, an alumnus from Zoharim Youth Village’s fifth class, who married Techiya, lifting our spirits with his good news

Chaim grew up in a Haredi home and was educated in conventional educational frameworks in the Haredi community; however he did not find his place. Chaim was labeled as a ‘trouble-maker’ and he felt like a failure throughout his childhood. He was thrown out of every framework and got into trouble with the law, until he came to Zoharim Youth Village, where he was given a second and perhaps last chance to take a path to a better future.

Chaim arrived at the youth village and took his first life-changing steps. From a ‘rebellious teenager’ as he was perceived by his surroundings, he became a diligent, industrious and successful boy. Chaim said: “At Zoharim I discovered just how good and successful I am. The staff and teachers helped me believe that I could do and was capable of doing everything.”

Chaim successfully completed his studies with a full matriculation and was inducted into the IDF for a combat service. This was a long process and Chaim took it step by step in order to became a teen with self confidence and belief in himself. Last week, he took the step with his girlfriend toward the Chupa, bringing us all to tears. Now Chaim is building a home in Israel, while serving as a combat reservist in Gaza. When he is not doing reserve duty, Chaim works as a counselor at a pre-army academy for teens with a background and life story similar to his own.

Chaim is a success story. Chaim is a source of pride.

We love you and are excited for you!

בוגרים ומורים

02/05/2024 dvir_rge

He was evacuated from his home in the north, was called up for reserve duty and married his bride. Mazal tov to Yosef Ben Tulila, a Zoharim Youth Village alumnus.

Mazal tov to Zoharim Youth Village graduate, 24 year old Yosef from Kiryat Yearim, and his wife Rivka, who got married right before the Passover holiday!

Until October 7^th, Yosef lived in the city of Metula, and was called up for reserve duty at the beginning of the war. Yosef, who served in the Paratroops Corp, was called up immediately and fought courageously in Gaza.

During his army service, Yosef received the Outstanding Soldier Medal from the President of Israel, which is awarded to a select number of soldiers each year. This was a tremendous achievement for him, since the IDF originally did want to recruit him due to his criminal past. At Zoharim, Yosef learned how important it is to contribute to the State of Israel and Israeli society, to enlist in the IDF and serve his country. He fought to get in and he succeeded. Not only that, but he also insisted on enlisting in an elite combat unit to complete a meaningful army service!

Following October 7^th, Yosef and his girlfriend Rivka were evacuated from the north. They left all their possessions behind and have not yet returned! When Yosef was discharged from reserve duty, he understood what the important things really are in life and proposed to his girlfriend Rivka.

Last week, Yosef returned to Zoharim; but this time in order to get married to Rivka. Everything they had gone through in recent months, culminated in this moving moment that signified the strength of the Jewish People – holding on to our country, starting a family and planting strong roots in our homeland.

I’d like to thank all the donors and supporters of Zoharim Youth Village who enabled Yosef to change his life’s trajectory – from a teenager at-risk to an outstanding combat soldier, a young leader and now an exemplary husband.

Mazal tov newlyweds!

בוגרים ומורים

27/12/202301/01/2025 dvir_rge

Shai Knopfer, graduate of Zoharim Youth Village: “We were educated at the youth village to give back to society and to the State of Israel. This is my opportunity to contribute to the war effort”

“It was clear to me that this is the most important and the right thing to do now. To stand alongside the unit’s members and alongside the entire State of Israel. I boarded the first flight to Israel.”

Shai is one of the first pupils of the Zoharim Agricultural Youth Village. He grew up in a Haredi family and did not find his place living under the dictates of this society. Very quickly he was rejected by the conventional Haredi educational frameworks and lost his way.

During these difficult times, and throughout his life, Rabbi Grossman was his moral compass. Shai says: “When I first met Rabbi Grossman, I had lost my way and had very little confidence in myself. I left the yeshiva and was surrounded by crime and drugs. This wasn’t me, but I had no idea of how to make my way back.”

When he arrived at Zoharim, it still was just the Rabbi’s vision. “There is nothing here!” he said. Rabbi Grossman told him: “You and your friends will be the ones to build this place, you will build your new home. And so it was. For months they built, paved, tilled and established a beautiful village in the heart of the Ela Valley. Since that time, at age 16, the Rabbi was like a father to him.

“At the Zoharim Youth Village, we were taught to give back and to contribute to society and the State of Israel,” says Shai. As a teenager who grew up in a Haredi environment, military service was not on his agenda. Moreover, Shai didn’t know any relative or someone in the neighborhood who had been inducted into the army. At Zoharim Youth Village, an emphasis is placed on the importance of military service and giving back to the country, and Shay, along with his friends at Zoharim, enlisted into the IDF for a meaningful service in elite units.

Shai successfully completed his studies at Zoharim, served in the IDF, and built a warm and loving family with four children. “Rabbi Grossman encouraged me to marry my girlfriend and officiated at my wedding. I named my first son Ohr and my fourth son David after the Rabbi,” says Shai. Today, Shai lives with his family in Miami, Florida in the U.S.

On October 7^th, Shai’s unit was called up to serve on the border with Gaza and Shai caught the first flight to Israel. The unit’s mission was to identify the bodies of members of Kibbutz Be’eri and to rule out the possibility that people were taken hostage.

“It was clear to me that this is the most important and the right thing to do now. To stand alongside the unit’s members and alongside the entire State of Israel. I was fortunate to have received so much from Zoharim Youth Village, where I learned that we must also give back. There is nothing better than giving. We were taught to give back to society and the State of Israel and this is my opportunity to do the right thing and do my part during the war”.