Moshe-Zvi Neria | |
|---|---|
 Neria in 1969 | |
| Faction represented in theKnesset | |
| 1969–1974 | National Religious Party |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 January 1913 |
| Died | 12 December 1995(1995-12-12) (aged 82) |
RabbiMoshe-Zvi Neria (Hebrew:משה צבי נריה; 29 January 1913 – 12 December 1995) was an Israeli educator, writer androsh yeshiva who served as a member of theKnesset for theNational Religious Party between 1969 and 1974. Neria established and headed theBnei Akiva yeshiva inKfar Haroeh, and was one of RabbiAbraham Isaac Kook's most influential disciples.[1] Due to his far-reaching influence onReligious Zionism, he is known as "the father of the knit kippah generation."[2]
Born Moshe-Zvi Menkin inŁódź in theRussian Empire (today inPoland), Neria studied under RabbiMoshe Feinstein and his brother Rabbi Mordechai Feinstein in theiryeshiva inMinsk. Neria followed Mordechai toShkloŭ and continued his Torah studies in the relocated Shklov yeshiva.[3] Heemigrated toMandatory Palestine in 1930 after Soviet diktats made Jewish life unsustainable in Russia. At the direction of the Feinstein brothers, Neria studied at theMercaz HaRav yeshiva with RabbiAbraham Isaac Kook, receiving certification as a rabbi. He also studied in theMizrachi teaching seminary inJerusalem. At one point he lived in theKnesset Yisrael neighbourhood.[4]
He helped establish theBnei Akiva youth movement, and edited its publicationZra'im. In 1940 he founded the first Bnei Akiva yeshiva inKfar Haroeh, serving as its headmaster and teachingTalmud and Jewish thought. He later established several yeshiva high schools andHesder yeshivas forIsrael Defense Forces soldiers. In addition, he founded theHapoel HaMizrachi Rabbinical Association.[5]
In1969 he was elected to the Knesset on the National Religious Party list, serving for one term. He left the party in 1983 to establish the Religious Zionist Camp (also known as Mazad).
Neria died on 12 December 1995 at the age of 82.[6] His last words were "Give mekedushah (holiness), it iskedushah that I seek! The holiness of the Land of Israel, the holiness of the love of Israel, the holiness of the Nation of Israel."[2]
Neria and his wife Rachel had eight children. His eldest is RabbiNachum Neriya,rosh yeshiva of Torah Betziyon in the West Bank settlement ofEfrat. His grandson is RabbiAriel Bareli.[7]
Neria authored several books that interwove biographical details of Rav Kook’s life with selected passages from his writings, addressing themes such as redemption, the restoration of the land of Israel, Torah and prayer.[2] These included:
When asked whether a rabbi should be involved in politics. He replied, "Absolutely not. In politics, it is sometimes necessary to compromise on principles in order to accomplish important goals, and that is not a proper thing for a rabbi to do."[6]
In 1978 he was awarded theIsrael Prize for special contribution to society and the state. TheIsraeli settlementNeria, established in 1991, is named after him, a neighborhood inLod (Nof Neria) and streets inNetanya,Petah Tikva,Rishon LeZion,Rehovot,Bet El andKfar Haroeh. Several schools were named after him, including theHesder yeshiva inShadmot Mehola (Shadmot Neria), Ulpanat Neria inDimona and Moreshet Neria inGiv'at Shmuel.
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