Diaspora Yeshiva Toras Yisrael | Mount Zion, Jerusalem
About Diaspora Yeshiva
The Campus on Mount Zion, Jerusalem
The Diaspora Yeshiva Campus
The Diaspora Yeshiva is a powerful Torah center where young Jewish men of all backgrounds can attain to the most exalted levels available to man—a vibrant, dynamic environment dedicated to cultivating excellence.
Our campus on Mount Zion, Jerusalem, at the center of which is the Tomb of King David, includes a number of study halls, dining and event halls, a sports and event pavilion overlooking the Temple Mount, and dormitories for Israeli and international students. The main study hall for international students sits atop the original holocaust memorial-museum to this day, in an 800 year old building that was formerly occupied by the Beis Din of Jerusalem.
Main International Study Hall
Since the early days of the Diaspora Yeshiva, following the Six Day War, this picturesque, centuries-old building on Mount Zion has served as the Yeshiva’s main study hall for its students from the Diaspora, just minutes from the Kotel. With the War of Independence, due to the threat of Jordanian sniper fire from within the walls of the Old City, the Beis Din was forced to relocate, but Mount Zion nevertheless remained in Jewish hands.
In those days, Mount Zion was the closest the Jewish people could get to the Temple Mount, and therefore served as a place where many ascended to pray. It was also at that time, in 1949, that the Martef HaShoah (Chamber of the Holocaust) was established by Rabbi Dr. Shmuel Z. Kahane on the lower level of the building, where the ashes of many who were murdered in the Holocaust were laid to rest, beside the Tomb of King David.
After the Six Day War, in 1967 — when the Old City was in Israeli hands, and there was no longer a threat of Jordanian sniper fire — the main study hall of the Diaspora Yeshiva was established above the Martef, so that the souls of those who were murdered in the Holocaust might be elevated by the learning and prayers of the Yeshiva’s Rabbis and students.
Kever David HaMelech (The Tomb of King David)
At the heart of Mount Zion, Jerusalem, right beside the main international study hall of the Diaspora Yeshiva, stands an ancient structure built atop the Tomb of King David, which attracts millions of visitors from around the world each year.
Students of Diaspora Yeshiva assemble here to learn, pray, and recite Tehillim (Psalms) every week. Additionally, there is a special Malave Malkah hosted right outside the Kever Motzei Shabbos open to Yeshiva bachurim and the public alike, with food and music. On special dates on the Jewish calendar, such as Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur, the Kever is reserved for Yeshiva prayer services and learning.
Martef HaShoah (Chamber of the Holocaust)
From its inception in 1949, the Chamber of the Holocaust has been the primary place for Holocaust survivors to assemble with their families on the anniversary of the destruction of their communities, to remember and reflect, to light candles, and to say kaddish and elevate the souls of those who were murdered by the Nazis and denied proper burial.
Other Facilities & Features
B”H, the Yeshiva’s facilities include numerous newly renovated dorm rooms, space for up to 600 students, a private mikveh for the students, a brand new Sports Pavilion overlooking the Temple Mount, a dedicated police station, and security systems and cameras throughout Mount Zion, just a short, five-minute walk to the Kotel (Western Wall).
