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RAP Bochurim Tested on Basar Bechalav

Established in 1998 by Rabbi Gershon M Avtzon, the Yeshivas Beis Menachem has been a haven for Beis Medrash students looking for a program that could provide them with a warmth and depth of Chasidus within an accommodating learning atmosphere.


Following the directives of the Rebbe, Rabbi Avtzon has combined his vast Torah knowledge, cherished demeanor, years of experience, and resolute sense of purpose, in order to focus his attention on positively affecting the lives of hundreds of Bochurim over the years.

Nestled in the heart of the quaint Nachlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem, the Yeshiva is centrally located to the Shuk, Bus station, and barely a 25 minute walk from the Kotel. In addition, the near by English speaking community makes adjusting to the environment much easier.

Furthermore, the RAP offers a full program of Niglah and Chasidus with an emphasis on our very successful Smicha program.

This year, Baruch Hashem, 35 students have come to attend the RAP yeshiva to learn, Farbreng, and grow. Recently, many students within the yeshiva finished Basar Bechalav, and accordingly were tested by Rabbi Yeruslavsky with great success.

Each and every one of the students passed the test and hence, have commenced learning Melicha for their next exam. After completing his first test HaBochur Hatamim Meir Komar said, “I feel that Rabbi Avtzon brings out the potential in every person to its fullest. It is such an accomplishment to pass Basar Bechalav. It was so inconceivable just three months ago.”

In addition, extra curricular courses cover a wide range of academia and life lessons in fields ranging from music to volunteer work. The Rabbi’s positive approach and loving care and attention given to each of his students has made the program a huge success over the years and one of Chabad’s best kept secrets.

“Our goal is to provide our bochurim with a warm, positive, chasidishe environment in which to grow in Yiddishkeit and Torah development.” said Rabbi Avtzon who works fervently on adapting his schedule and learning pace to the needs of individuals students, and has accordingly maintained this hashkafah to this day. Thus, Rabbi Avtzon’s Program is geared to young men looking to be involved in a flexible structure of Nigleh, Smicha, and Chasidus, accompanied by the warm family feeling that has always been signature style of the RAP.

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38 Comments

  • a huge fan

    It is truly amazing what can be accomplished through constantly focusing on the positive in people. Rabbi Avtzon is one in a million!

  • ANTI COOL DUDES

    Somehow, these guys (except for maybe two or three,) just don’t look like “rabbonnim”!?
    What’s with the long hair, jeans, unbuttoned shirts, trimmed beards, etc. etc.!?
    I know I am looking at “the king’s new clothes” but I just can’t see all this “chassidisher varimkeit” that you speak of.

  • Go rabbi Avtzon

    Go rabbi Avtzon
    the best yeshiva in the world
    keep up the good work juda u the man!

  • Congratulations on your Ordination

    V’yehi rov b’oretz – there will come a time when the rabbonim will be in der erd.

  • A VERY GRATEFUL MOTHER

    RABBI AVTZON HAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH HIS BOCHURIM WHAT VERY FEW EDUCATORS HAVE—HE HAS LEARNED TO PUT THE RESPONSIBILITY ON EACH STUDENT SO THAT EACH BOY “GETS” THAT IT IS NOT THE THREAT OF PUNISHMENT BUT THE JOYS OF PERSONAL GROWTH AND ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT KEEP THEM LEARNING AND GROWING IN THE WAYS OF CHASIDUS.BUT HOW HE DOES THIS IS DUE TO HIS OWN VERY UNIQUE GIFTS AND WISDOM…..
    MAY RABBI AVTZON BE BLESSED WITH CONTINUED NACHAS FROM HIS VERY SPECIAL BOCHURIM AND GEZUNT AND RICHES B’RUCHNIUS AND GASHMIUS!!

  • a parent

    the RAP yishiva/rabbi avtzon, has changed my son in such an amazing way,to learn how to learn, chasidish’kyt, to be a mentch, and most of all he has time for every bochers needs!! and no shcool was able to acomplish that!! keep up the good work rabbi!! we could never thank you enough!!

  • Huber fam

    Hey Yitzy!!!! we are so proud of you! Keep up the good work and learning over there!

    We love you!!!

    – Chana, Sarah, Nechama L. and Mordy

  • nechama

    “ANTI COOL DUDES wrote:

    Somehow, these guys (except for maybe two or three,) just don’t look like “rabbonnim”!?
    What’s with the long hair, jeans, unbuttoned shirts, trimmed beards, etc. etc.!?
    I know I am looking at “the king’s new clothes” but I just can’t see all this “chassidisher varimkeit” that you speak of.”

    IT IS NOT YOUR PLACE TO JUDGE THESE SPECIAL NESHAMAS!

  • Mendel Engel

    I think there are other ways to help this bunch without going as far as an official smicha. Although, unfortunately I can not say with confidence that others that “pass” smicha should be aloud to be an official Rabbi, none the less, at least there is a facade of chassidiskiet and yir’as shamayim. not that a facade is enough by any means, but it is a statement that I am trying to live up to a certain standard (in most cases.)
    In general, smicha should be given only to those that have learned well in yeshiva for a given amount of years.
    So yes, a good thing may have been done, but other good things should have been done instead of this one because the power which is given with smicha to certain individuals is to much of a risk.

  • mendel engel

    In addition one can not judge from pictures and perhaps they are not as bad as they look. It looks like it was a ‘fun pose’. but a fun pose with the Rabbi is not respectful.

  • leah marinovsky

    Dear Ari, Sheyichye Words can not express how proud tate and I are of your accomplishments. It is not enough to have a brilliant mind, one also needs perseverence and strength of character to succeed. You would get up early to learn, many times there was no one to learn with you would sit down and learn with the Rosh Yeshiva! You were lonely and disoriented but you did not give up! You are a true Dugmah Chayah! With the greatest love and admiration YOUR MOTHER (leah marinovsky)

  • I Like What He-s Done With The Place

    Rabbi avzton is a very special person every yeshiva should learn from him

  • Yochi N.

    Anti cool dudes. It’s people like you who made people like us leave Yiddishkeit in the first place. Please post your ridiculous comments elsewhere.

  • SC

    Mendel Engel, you are, in my book, now called a “RUDE DUDE!

    You don’t know the struggles and tribulations of these bochrim. They are amazing and determined neshamas with incredible talent and a program like this is the most amazing way to bring the best out of them. Like the above poster said, go post your comments elsewhere!

  • To: Anti Cool and Congrats...

    Crown Height’s very religious LOOKInG Rabbanim, have brought tons of Sinas Chinam to the community. The current Rabbanim are worse than ‘in the erd’ because they worship avodah zarah – the golden dollar.
    Give these boys a chance. Before you criticize, check out who they are inside. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
    In terms of halacha – choose your Rabbi wisely, like you would any other professional.

  • Yossi A

    To add to what SC wrote if a guy that has been through so much dicided to go to such an amazing yeshiva like the RAP without anybody forcing him i think he thought about it a million times before applying and now that he dicided to do smicha im sure he gave it alot of thought and this smicha means a lot more to him then any other bochur in a regular yeshiva and I would personally ask my questions to these rabbis with these amazing neshomos then any other rabbi that hes “alright” because he has the right “cloths”. Happy ADAR to everyone much success to the bochurim and moshiach now!!

  • Mendel Engel AKA rude dude

    I believe that there are good neshamas etc, and that the program is amazing. However, I think that the whole smicha thing has been undermined in the general system. I understand that the reason for that is that everyone should be get smicha and know a little about kashrus.
    Practically, there should be two types of smicha one certifying that one has learned the appropriate material. The other certifying that one has learned well in yeshiva for a number of years with passing marks and knows the smicha well (and maybe a certification of proper behavior) for those who want to take the simcha to another level-such as leading a community or becoming a shiach.
    There is a well known story about a bochur who the Rebbe sent to Rabbi M Feinstien (I think)to get tested for smicha. The fellow studied away and when the test came Rabbi feinstien asked him only one question. The question was do you have a number of a respected rov to call if you have a question. The buchor was puzzled and asked for an explaination. Rabbi Fienstien answered that if you were sent from the Rebbe I know that you have Yir’as shamayim and if you are not sure you will ask.
    So,from this story we see the measuring point is fear of heaven.We can not judge who has fear of heaven. We have therefore, no choice but to measure the knowledge and current conduct.
    THOSE BACHURIM ARE FORSURE GOOD. THE PROGRAM IS PROBALY GOOD. BUT THE SYSTEM HAS A PROBLEM in my humble opinion

  • Mendel Engel

    to AC and Yossi A.
    You have a point. In addition, we all know how corrupt even good looking Rabbanim could be. However, I will agree to disagree. Image does have importance. I am mainly writing this because I have seen someone who still call himmself a rabbi who has cut off his beard Rachmana Lzlan and has received a quote on quote smicha. These bachurim pictured all have beards B”H (I do not think that they are trimmed)some are wearing hats and jackets, and are great bachurim. I just think smicha is too cheap these days.
    There was a fellow that complained to a chassidic Rebbe that your chassidim frabreng and speak about lofty levels at which they are not holding by. The Rebbe responded with a gemora. The gemora says that if one will walk around with a cane posing as some one who needs financial help, he will eventually become crippled. So said the Rebbe if my chassidim speak about levels that they are not holding by and frabreng they will eventually come to that level.
    I heard a story about Rabbi Berel Junik OBM. He used to teach Schetah (ritual slaughtering) in 770. (one must have fear of heaven to be a shochet just like one needs to have to be a manhig be’yisreol) He saw one of the bachurim walking on the street without his hat (an integral part of a chassids garb) and he did not recieve smicha on scheta<it should be stated that the Rebbe writes in these times the only way to have true fear of heaven is to learn chassidus which is why some will only have the meat that was shechted by a chassid>

  • last but not least (mendel engel)

    any negative part of my comments towards RAP bachurim or staff have formally been retracted. The negative comments can be directed to the general system only. I am proud of those bachurim who have made this great decision of taking on smicha

  • TRUE Ahavas Yisroel

    Mendel engel—I don’t know you, but you are such a mentsch, to return, explain and humbly retract anything that may be understood negatively.

    yourmom and the other REAL “rude dudes”: where is YOUR ahavat yisroel? Or only certain special neshamos are deserving of it? What did he say that was so terrible? He reiterated numerous times that he was talking about the semicha system as a whole. Which, by the way, he is 100% spot on. Not everyone is a qualified rabbi, after all.

  • Orit

    Good job Gedalia we are so proud of you!
    We miss you and love you!
    Abba Mommy Leah and Uriel

  • Name

    i have been silent the whole way threw this ramble, I went to the RAP before the rap i was in a different yeshiva almost every year of my life, and the only thing i picked up was a negative vibe against the entire idea of yidishkeit and its closed minded behavior that unfortunately it still has in its system of upbringing even today. when i got to the rap i was beyond messed up mentally and physically, i was a self hating jew, but i was already in israel and a friend of mine convinced me to go there for 1 week. a few months later when i left i still am disgusted with your “”Religious“” system that i still believe is corrupt. but at least R. Avtzon showed me a way to enjoy learning and living like a true chosid the way the rebbe actually intended, i did not learn smicha or take tests cause that was not for me. but if there is a rabbi on this earth that deserves respect i personally vouch for him

    for all you angry haters, i think you need to look deep down inside and figure out what it is that is bothering you, because it is not what rabbi avtzon is doing to try to change a small part of the world into better people i think its you not even changing your own world

    thank you R. Avtzon for the insight and happiness you have brought me and many others over the years, continue on your amazing path to redemption

  • The one who knows whats flying

    Here I come along a few months later and add my comment and hey! maybe no one will even see it.
    When you fight a war do you train 5 of your best soldiers or do you train a whole army of maybe mediocre soldiers. We r fighting the war against assimilation and we are training all able bodied men.
    Everyone knows who the great rabbonim are and everyone knows who just got smicha. These boys are not fooling themselves and they arent trying to fool anyone else. The only thing you are accomplishing with your hurtful words is just putting more negative energy into the world.
    If you have ever heard these boys talk about Rabbi Avtzon you would never have any doubt in your mind about how much they respect him. Msny teenage boys do not have the best things to say about their Rabbis so a silly picture with a Rabbi is really not a big deal.
    These boys are amazing every time i see them and talk to them i get another chance to be wowed.
    Mommies and Tatties you should be so proud of your boys! They really are part of the army of hashem.
    love you guys! You really are awesome and dont let anyone else tell you otherwise.
    ** i totally love anon comments on CHI they really are the best:)