The importance of education

This week Rabbi Kenny Cohen from Machon Meir will be dealing with the subject of Education in Israel.

By RABBI KENNY COHEN
The day of Lag Ba'omer, the 33rd day of the Omer which is the yahrtzeit of the righteous tzaddik Shimon bar Yochai took place last week. This is when the mourning traditions ended and we can celebrate and rejoice. These days between grief and rejoice represents a time of cheshbon nefesh, resolutions of the soul. Rabbi Cohen refers to education as being one of the main if not most important issues in Judaism, which stands as the foundation to keep Torah and Mitzvot.
Rabbi Cohen expresses that good education can solve most of the problems that exist in a Jewish society and in general. Therefore this subject needs to be regarded as one of great importance. During the generations, the people of Israel survived and maintained their existence through the study of Torah.
Today after returning to our homeland 64 years ago we have the privilege of being educated in the land of Israel, as our sages from blessed memory said, "There is no Torah like the Torah of Eretz Israel."
Rabbi Cohen refers that the ideal place to be educated and cultivate Jewish values is here in the land of Israel. The learning in the land becomes a life breathing experience in a reachable way from all the references that are mentioned in the bible, thus connecting Torah and the land in a special and unique way.
Beyond that, as Israeli citizens in a Jewish state, Jewish education is an integral part of our life. This is reflected in an education and learning system in maintaining Jewish values​​, the Jewish calendar and the commandments. There is no doubt that the study of Torah and Jewish values in Israel itself becomes the real foundation, that derives from the very roots of the People of Israel towards a command future in the Land of Israel our homeland.
Machon Meir is a Center for Jewish Studies located in the heart of Jerusalem, in the neighborhood of Kiryat Moshe. It was established by Rabbi Dov Bigon shortly after the Yom Kippur War in 1973. For the last 35 years, the center has been a place for all of Am Yisrael to come and learn more about their Jewish roots. It has expanded into a facility with over 500 students and classes in Hebrew, English, Russian, French and Spanish.