Bnei Brak

History

In 1924 a handful of Jews left Warsaw, Poland, towards the land of Israel, to a rocky area somewhere between Tel-Aviv and Petah-Tikva. With strength and ambition, they set out to build a new city based on the principles of the holy Tanna Rabbi Akiva Ben Joseph, whose famous yeshiva once resided in Bnei Brak. From its inception, Bnei Brak modeled itself after the most famous dictum of its spiritual leader Rabbi Akiva: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Lev. xix. 18)

Population

Bnei Brak is now home to more than 165,000 residents (may they multiply with god's blessings), and is the tenth largest city in Israel. Over fifty percent of its 165,000 residents are under the age of 18. This adult/child ratio is an unmatched phenomenon in almost any other city in Israel.

Education

Bnei Brak is home to more than 200 primary and secondary educational institutes, well renowned for their high spiritual and educational level. In addition, it has more than 100 yeshivas and kollels (post secondary religious educational institutions), many of which are the most influential in the world.

Charities and Volunteers.

Bnei Brak has a massive network of local volunteers. Its residents have established over 100 lending facilities which are run completely on a volunteer basis by its inhabitants. These facilities include; baby equipment, medical supplies, medication, party needs such as chairs and tables, household appliances, clothes, and , and many more.

City Planning

New residential blocks, high office buildings and commercial centers are currently under construction. The city council is trying to perform a "green makeover" in the city, by upgrading and developing new gardens and parks in various areas. In order to fast forward the development of the city, its neighborhoods, streets, institutions and gardens, the city needs many financial resources, not always at reach, since blessedly, most of the city's citizens are children under the age of 18 who cannot pay municipality taxes.

Values

As Bnei Brak was founded in the spirit of Rabbi Akiva, it is a city that strives to model itself after those who do good deeds. The city's streets are named after prophets, tannaim, amoraim, and others Jewish legends revered for their