About us

The Yeshivot and Ulpanot of Bnei Akiva -

Make up the leading religious Zionist educational network in Israel.

What does that mean?

YABA’S history began in 1939, when Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neria, student of Rav Avraham Yitzchok HaCohen Kook and future Israel Prize winner, went to Kfar Haroeh to create a new kind of yeshiva high school. Over the next 80 years, YABA blossomed into a network of 70 institutions – Yeshivot, Ulpanot, Hesder and Pre-Military Academies – that span the entire length and width of Israel.

YABA educates 24,000 religious Zionist students annually.

YABA’s curricula stimulate intellectual curiosity in all fields including Limudei Kodesh, secular studies, arts and science. Our schools are regularly cited at the national level for academic excellence and maintain an open enrollment policy – no child is turned away due to an inability to meet tuition costs.  YABA has also been a pioneer in achieving successful integration of students who have made Aliyah from Russia, Ethiopia, India, North America, Europe, South Africa and Australia.

Why does this matter?

YABA graduates go on to proudly serve Israel. Many attend YABA’s hesder yeshivot, join elite IDF combat units or volunteer for Sherut Leumi, Israel’s National Service Corps. Our graduates continue their educational pursuits with college acceptance levels well above the national average.

YABA’s 100,000 alumni have already made a tremendous impact on Israel and the world while remaining true to their Torah heritage.  Our graduates are leaders in every economic, academic, and professional sector of Israeli society and form the foundation of many great institutions beyond the YABA network.  

These graduates include leading Torah scholars, entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, IDF generals, mayors, Supreme Court justices and Members of the Knesset. Our current students are anchored in these values and are being nurtured to create the next generation of Israel’s Religious Zionist leaders.

YABA GRADUATES KNOW THE TRUE VALUE OF THEIR JEWISH HERITAGE AND OF THE STATE AND PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.

yaba graduates are deeply connected to the values of am yisrael, eretz yisroel and torat yisrael.

Our Story

About us

The Yeshivot and Ulpanot of Bnei Akiva -

Make up the leading religious Zionist educational network in Israel.

What does that mean?

YABA’S history began in 1939, when Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neria, student of Rav Avraham Yitzchok HaCohen Kook and future Israel Prize winner, went to Kfar Haroeh to create a new kind of yeshiva high school. Over the next 80 years, YABA blossomed into a network of 70 institutions – Yeshivot, Ulpanot, Hesder and Pre-Military Academies – that span the entire length and width of Israel.

YABA educates 24,000 religious Zionist students annually.

YABA’s curricula stimulate intellectual curiosity in all fields including Limudei Kodesh, secular studies, arts and science. Our schools are regularly cited at the national level for academic excellence and maintain an open enrollment policy – no child is turned away due to an inability to meet tuition costs.  YABA has also been a pioneer in achieving successful integration of students who have made Aliyah from Russia, Ethiopia, India, North America, Europe, South Africa and Australia.

Why does this matter?

YABA graduates go on to proudly serve Israel. Many attend YABA’s hesder yeshivot, join elite IDF combat units or volunteer for Sherut Leumi, Israel’s National Service Corps. Our graduates continue their educational pursuits with college acceptance levels well above the national average.

YABA’s 100,000 alumni have already made a tremendous impact on Israel and the world while remaining true to their Torah heritage.  Our graduates are leaders in every economic, academic, and professional sector of Israeli society and form the foundation of many great institutions beyond the YABA network.  

These graduates include leading Torah scholars, entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, IDF generals, mayors, Supreme Court justices and Members of the Knesset. Our current students are anchored in these values and are being nurtured to create the next generation of Israel’s Religious Zionist leaders.

YABA GRADUATES KNOW THE TRUE VALUE OF THEIR JEWISH HERITAGE AND OF THE STATE AND PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.

yaba graduates are deeply connected to the values of am yisrael, eretz yisroel and torat yisrael.

Our History

How Did All Begin?

In Israel during the 1930s, teenagers who attended Bnei Akiva youth groups were looking for more. Seeking a deeper connection to Torah and the land of Israel, they were no longer satisfied with the lectures and activities of their youth groups. They wanted a formal education, daily classes permeated with the values of Am Yisroel, Eretz Yisroel, Torat Yisroel.

From this need, the first YABA school was born.

Our Educational Institutions

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Leading
Educational
Institutions

Our 70 schools span the length and width of Israel!

Our yeshivot and ulpanot are located in dozens of cities throughout Israel and serve diverse communities.

Ulpanat YABA Amana

Ulpanat YABA Chen Bamidbar

Ulpanat YABA Even Shmuel

Ulpanat YABA Hadar Ganim

Ulpanat YABA Kfar Pines

Ulpanat YABA Lachish

Ulpanat YABA Merkaz Shapira

Ulpanat YABA Meron

Ulpanat YABA Mevaseret Baruch

Ulpanat YABA Naaleh Program at Ulpanat Amana

Ulpanat YABA Neot Avraham

Ulpanat YABA Neriya

Ulpanat YABA Orot Modiin

Ulpanat YABA Pisgat Zev

Ulpanat YABA Reut

Ulpanat YABA Rosh Tzurim

Ulpanat YABA Segula

Ulpanat YABA Shilo

Ulpanat YABA Shirat Hayam- School of Music and Dance

Ulpanat YABA Tal Ramot

Ulpanat YABA Tehillat Israel

Ulpanat YABA Tel Aviv

Ulpanat YABA Tzfira

Ulpanat YABA YTA Program for English-speakers

Yeshivat YABA Abir Yaakov

Yeshivat YABA Aderet

Yeshivat YABA Bar Yochai

Yeshivat YABA Bet Yehuda

Yeshivat YABA Chadera

Yeshivat YABA Eli

Yeshivat YABA Givat Shmuel

Yeshivat YABA Hadarom

Yeshivat YABA Halichot Olam

Yeshivat YABA Harel

Yeshivat YABA Hashomron

Yeshivat YABA Kfar HaRoeh

Yeshivat YABA Kinor David

Yeshivat YABA Kiryat Herzog

Yeshivat YABA Lapid Torat Nachum

Yeshivat YABA Mateh Binyamin

Yeshivat YABA Nachal Yitzchok

Yeshivat YABA Ner Tamid

Yeshivat YABA Netiv Meir

Yeshivat YABA Neve Herzog

Yeshivat YABA Ohel Shlomo

Yeshivat YABA Or Etzion

Yeshivat YABA Orot Yehuda

Yeshivat YABA Pirchei Aharon

Yeshivat YABA Pisgat Zeev

Yeshivat YABA Ranaana

Yeshivat YABA Rishon LeZion

Yeshivat YABA Sussya

Yeshivat YABA Tikvat Yaakov

Yeshivat YABA Tom

Yeshivat YABA Yad Avraham

Yeshivat YABA Yavneh

 Yeshivat YABA YTA School for English-Speakers

Yeshivat Hesder YABA Acco

Yeshivat Hesder YABA Cholon

Yeshivat Hesder YABA HaGolan

Yeshivat Hesder YABA HaKotel

Yeshivat Hesder YABA Maalot Yaakov

Yeshivat Hesder YABA Neve Dekalim

Yeshivat Hesder YABA Nof HaGalil

Yeshivat Hesder YABA Or Etzion

Yeshivat Hesder YABA Shadmot Neria

Mechinat YABA Or Me’ophir

Mechinat YABA Oz Shlomo

Mechinat YABA Yedidya

YABA Ramot Shapira

Our Diverse Programs

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Diverse
Schools

Our schools prepare students to become leaders in Torah, science, medicine, and the humanities with innovative programs that foster strong values, leadership skills and a spirit of volunteering.

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Religious-Zionism

In 2018, we piloted a multidisciplinary program in 10 of our schools that strengthens our students' religious Zionist moral identity. This program is accredited by Misrad HaChinuch as an approved content area on the bagriut (matriculation exam). Within the framework of this program, we conduct experiential activities, take trips and offer dynamic lectures that connect students to core religious Zionist values. Our goal is to imbue students with a deep love of Israel that inspires them to develop moral leadership, a pioneering spirit and stand out for their contributions to the Jewish nation.

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Robotics

We offer robotics programs that combine fun, learning and opportunity. Students build robots while delving into sophisticated topics including coding, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Our robotics labs provide more than just abstract learning: in addition to gaining concrete engineering skills, students participate in robotics competition. Several of our schools, including Yeshivat Modiin, Yeshivat Ranaana and Yeshivat HaDarom have won prestigious robotics competitions. In 2018, Yeshivat Modiin won second place in the First Lego League International Competition held in Europe. In keeping with AFYBA’s values, our robotics programs emphasize the value of giving. In our labs, students also refurbish old computers and donate them to students from needy families.

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Environmental Education

Two of our schools, Yeshivat Sussya and Ulpanat Arad, are schools for environmental education. Each school boasts a unique program that focuses on environmental awareness, sustainability, and green education.
The school campuses are green campuses, designed to conserve water, electricity, and lighting. As a key component of the curriculum, students interact with and contribute to the environment. At Yeshivat Sussya, students spend every Friday hiking throughout Israel. These hikes are part an experiential learning process that encompasses earth science, ecology, zoology, botany, and archeology. These conservation values are taught through a Torah lens, with an emphasis on taking care of the environment, the land of Israel and natural resources.

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Torah Lishmah

In 2006, AFYBA challenged students to increase Torah study—during their own free time! Each year, hundreds of students from our yeshivot and ulpanot join this optional program and study more than 50 pages of text and commentaries during recess and lunch periods, often learning with their teachers. Participants attend an annual conference and are presented with a set of sefarim in acknowledgment of their achievement. On a deeper level, this conference honors students who have internalized AFYBA’s values andexhibit a dedication to spiritual growth.

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Space Science

Many Mercaz Yeshivot & Ulpanot Bnei Akiva schools offer elective courses in space science. Students study astronomy and participate in projects that involve both research and laboratory work. As part of these programs, Mercaz Yeshivot & Ulpanot Bnei Akiva students have built and launched high-altitude balloons and nanosatellites. To foster collaboration and deepen our students' connection to astronomy, students participate in science conferences and competitions. Mercaz Yeshivot & Ulpanot Bnei Akiva students have visited the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland and have won numerous competitions, including the Ilan Ramon Space Olympiad.

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Music and Dance

Students who want to develop and nurture their talents for music and dance while receiving a high-level Torah education attend Ulpanat Shirat HaYam for girls and Yeshivat Kinor David for boys.
At these schools, the core curriculum includes: music theory, mastery of a musical instrument and dance skills. Trained instructors teach classes and each school is equipped with a sound system and music room. In addition to these schools for music, all schools offer elective music classes, including choir. These programs allow students to internalize a core AFYBA philosophy: that talents are gifts that color the landscape of physically and spiritually healthy students.
Vocational Training
Several of our mechinot (pre-army programs) provide students with vocational training opportunities. Students can devote themselves to Torah learning, complete missing bagrut (matriculation) requirements, prepare for IDF service…and complete vocational training courses!

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Vocational Training

Several of our mechinot (pre-army programs) provide students with vocational training opportunities. Students can devote themselves to Torah learning, complete missing bagrut (matriculation) requirements, prepare for IDF service…and complete vocational training courses! One of our mechinot, Mechinat AFYBA Or Me'ophir, is a four-year post-high school program for students of Ethiopian descent that combines Torah learning, IDF service and vocational training in the field of electrical engineering. Upon completion of the program, students are equipped with the training they need to find employment.

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Tiyulim/Trips

All AFYBA schools invest in tiyulim that connect students to the land of Israel while building a sense of community. Students visit historic sites that deepen their understanding of their heritage, go on overnight camping trips, and even learn wilderness survival skills. Students also travel outside of Israel with their classmates to participate in science competitions. Specialized trips take place towards the end of high school when the majority of AFYBA students visit Europe with their teachers to learn more about the Holocaust. Many AFYBA students also tour Israel to learn about the history and customs of Israeli communities. These tours are part of a course that promotes unity among Israeli students by highlighting the common values shared among diverse communities.