Jerusalem – Much of the Netanyahu clan came together recently to celebrate the publication of a book by Binyamin Netanyahu’s father-in-law, Shmuel Ben-Artzi.
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After leaving the yeshiva world and Yiddishkeit as a young man, the 94-year-old author has returned to Torah and mitzvahs.
Ben-Artzi, the father of Sara Netanyahu, was born in Poland in 5675 (1914) and made aliya in 5693 (1933) when Yeshivas Novardok sent him to help start its Eretz Yisroel branch in Bnei Brak. A year later he left the yeshiva and went to work in agriculture, believing the task of building the state of Israel to be a foremost priority. Later he joined the Irgun and the Hagana, eventually working as a teacher in secular schools.
Two years after releasing a book about his recollections as a student at Yeshivas Novardok, Ben-Artzi has now published a second book called Bein Yotzro Leyitzro, currently available only in Hebrew, which traces his early years in Eretz Yisroel and delves into the inner turmoil of the yeshiva bochurs of his generation.
Watch below report from Israel Ch2.
I am sure this is a great z’chus for him! Ashrei lo!
Maybe they & us will all do tshuva. hashiveinu Hashem Eilecha Venoshuva.
I am sure that he can give a lot of insight into the yeshivas in europe in novardok especially .Maybe even insight to many of the chasuva talmidim like the steipler and others revered in the torah world.
What is just as interesting is the fact that Yoni Ben-Artzi had more seychel than so many frummelach and was prepared to go to jail rather than serve in the Zionist army. Ashreihu, ve-ashrei chelko.
I can’t image the nisionos (trials and tribulations) of his milieu. Political Zionism was dastardly adept at arousing the neshamos (Jewish souls) of the young of Europe while the yeshivas had been dismissing just about everything (including Chassidus) other than Talmudism. Jews had been suffering for centuries in the Old Word paradigm and political Zionism promised to change all that.
What do we learn from his life story? Probably the same lesson Mr. Ben-Artzi has come away with: Torah is eternal, good and the correct vessel for the Jews and the Jewish nation. Fashion comes and fashion goes. Hold tight. Fight the inner fight and the outer one too.
In his case it was a world of confusion and pain. It is hard to understand or judge that generation. BUT, still the lesson can be learnt… He has been there done that and at last he returned. Today it is many times just so much easier and more enticing to let go and abandon the rigidness of a religious upbringing. For MOST (a fact), after years of ‘living it up’ comes the realization that it was a big mistake. If only these older and wiser ones would be bold enough to warn off the new rebels or dropouts.
Btw he has now to grandchildren by his sun in law bibi that r frum now !!!
You people make it sound like he was a depressed and lost soul his entire life the moment he left his yeshiva world. The guy is 94 years old and lived a successful life with accomplishments, a career and a family. It is not uncommon for people in their latter years to get involved more with Torah studies. If he was unhappy with his life, he would do this much earlier in his life. Besides, we are just speculating as to whether he regrets dedicating himself for his country and the Zionist cause.
“Political Zionism was dastardly adept at arousing the neshamos (Jewish souls) of the young of Europe while the yeshivas had been dismissing just about everything (including Chassidus) other than Talmudism.”
Revisionist nonsense. The haskola ravaged the Lithuanian yesihva world to a far greater degree that Zionism did. Scores of yeshivas in the Lita closed down completely because there were more maskillim than not. The impact of zionism by comparison was minimal.
Netanyahu’s daughter is frum. According to my wife,she’s a very sweet girl. Doesn’t really talk about her father much. She did the whole Israeli thing e.g. Army, etc. and did not find it satisfying.
Does anyone think anyone would be interested in my book about my years in yeshivah?
A true hero. He is to be admired. May Hashem grant him many more years !!
If I recall, Bibi has a brother in law (wife’s brother) who is Frum too. Bibi’s father’s father was a Rov in the Lita; I think his first name was Nosen, henth the name Natanyahu. Bibi also has cousins from his father’s side in Crown Heights.
who in the world cares if his Daughter/Father in law is frum. he is the subject now, and he hates the torah, and all torah observent jews, unless he can nosh some money out of them . .
His son, Hagi Ben-Artzi, is frum and lives in Beit-El.
מַלְאָכִי ג’:כ”ד וְהֵשִׁיב לֵב-אָבוֹת עַל-בָּנִים, וְלֵב בָּנִים עַל-אֲבוֹתָם