As the registration season for yeshivos draws to a close across the Litvishe Torah world in Eretz Yisroel, attention now shifts to the handful of elite institutions that accept bochurim later in the cycle—among them, Ponovezh, Tifrach, and Torah B’Tifartah. Yeshivas Chevron, although still dominant, is not considered among the “latecomers,” as its admissions process is mostly determined in advance, with few bochurim failing the entrance exam.
Ponovezh is expected to announce its acceptance list at the end of Tammuz during a staff meeting. As in previous years, there is great anticipation—especially because many boys who applied to Ponovezh and other top-tier yeshivos will ultimately be rejected, creating a domino effect of “nefilos,” or spillovers, who will then be snatched up by second-tier institutions. However, many yeshivos have already finalized their rosters and don’t accept nefilos, further complicating placement for those still unaccepted.
One experienced registrar explained: “You have to understand something simple—when Ponovezh, Chevron, or Tifrach increase their acceptance numbers for shiur alef, they essentially eliminate another yeshiva. There’s only a limited pool of about 4,500 bochurim each year, and natural growth tends to flow to the newer yeshivos.”
This year marks a significant shift, as the three new yeshivos in Kiryat Sefer—headed respectively by Rav Partzovitz, Rav Falk, and Rav Polishuk—have, for the first time, sent graduates to major yeshivos. These three are collectively known in the yeshiva world as the “Three P’s” of Kiryat Sefer. True to local custom, the competition was fierce among them over who could send more talmidim to the most frum yeshivos.
Back in Ponovezh, sources suggest the shiur alef class may reach as high as 460 boys. According to insiders, the late Rosh Yeshiva Rav Gershon Edelstein zt”l instructed the staff never to turn away a truly outstanding candidate. Observers are closely watching to see whether Ponovezh can maintain its standards while dramatically increasing enrollment—or whether quantity will come at the cost of quality.
Chevron, meanwhile, is staying in the race for top boys, especially those from Yerushalayim, even as its institutional framework limits how many new students it can absorb. “Chevron is a more structured institution,” one source said, “so it can’t balloon like Ponovezh. But this year, Ponovezh has cut into Chevron’s traditional Yerushalayim base in addition to its dominance in Bnei Brak.”
In the Yerushalayim neighborhood of Bayit Vegan, Yeshivas Wolfson—recently rebranded from Nesivos Chochmah to Nesivos Aviezer—has retained a prestigious position among the city’s yeshivos.
In Bnei Brak, Yeshivas Beis Mattisyahu continues to perform well, maintaining its reputation as a lomdus-focused yeshiva from the days of its late Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Baruch Weissbecker zt”l. The yeshiva only accepts 120 bochurim, in keeping with Rav Weissbecker’s directives, forcing them to turn away many strong applicants. The yeshiva has leased an additional dormitory building to relieve overcrowding.
Down south, Yeshivas Tifrach has surprised many by shifting its image toward a more “open” orientation. Analysts say this is an attempt to stay competitive with the large yeshivos dominating the landscape by stepping outside its traditional niche.
Yeshivas Torah B’Tifartah, which draws mainly from Bnei Brak and Kiryat Sefer, has found a sweet spot among boys seeking a “Bnei Brak style” yeshiva with strong frumkeit. Despite subpar physical conditions—especially evident during wartime tensions with Iran—the yeshiva has successfully attracted its target demographic.
In Rishon L’Tzion, Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo recorded impressive success, receiving strong groups of bochurim from its affiliated younger yeshivos, particularly from Ateres Shlomo Aryeh in Modiin Illit.
Yeshivas Nesiv HaDaas (Kaplan), which enjoys a high-tier reputation, has shifted its admissions strategy this year. They rejected some “quiet boys” before testing, aiming instead to attract more energetic, yeshivishe candidates and broaden their appeal.
At Mir Brachfeld, a major overhaul in admissions was introduced this year with Rav Shlomo Gliss heading registration. The focus shifted toward shmiras einayim and increased frumkeit, positioning the yeshiva as a strong brand in that sector.
Yeshivas Toras Zev (Soloveitchik) in Beit Shemesh continues to attract high-level students, maintaining a stringent admissions process and a reputation for top-tier learning.
In Yerushalayim, Yeshivas Daas Aharon (Kaplan’s newer branch) expanded significantly to 110 bochurim, moving beyond its former status as a “small-scale” yeshiva. Registration began in early Iyar and featured intensive interviews with careful vetting.
Yeshivas Kol Torah in Bayit Vegan will welcome 80 boys this Elul. Earlier this year, dozens of alumni rabbanim gathered during Bein Hazmanim in Nissan under the leadership of Rosh Yeshiva Rav Moshe Yehuda Schlesinger to encourage top boys to apply. The initiative succeeded—demand was high, and Rav Schlesinger, along with Rav Avraham Kar, personally tested every candidate.
In Beit Chilkiyah, Yeshivas Shaarei Shmuos has gained traction, doubling its demand this year. The incoming shiur will number 112 boys, bringing the total enrollment to 650. The yeshiva has leased new dormitories and finalized permits to begin building a new dining hall and additional living quarters.
Yeshivas Or Yisrael in Petach Tikvah stands apart, operating on a different model. Known for its military-like discipline, the yeshiva attracts a very specific type of boy and selects only the top among them.
Among newer institutions, Yeshivas Nesivos Chaim (Meirovitz) in Beit Shemesh marked its third straight year of growth, with 90 new bochurim joining. Yeshivas Migdal Oz (Esrog) in Givat Ze’ev maintains its strength, while Yeshivas Keser Torah (Avramov) in Kiryat Ye’arim—despite leadership changes and heavy investment in marketing—saw limited success.
One registrar noted, “A new yeshiva starts off with a clean slate. There’s no history to prove or disprove, so they’re attractive. But after a few years, we start to see who sustains that reputation and who struggles. It’s too early to rank most of them definitively.”
For instance, one new yeshiva in Yerushalayim that attempted to merge with another saw an initial wave of promising bochurim, but ultimately stumbled despite boasting an impressive roster of roshei yeshiva.
A particularly notable development came from Yeshivas Nachlas Avraham in Afula. With the blessing of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, the yeshiva expanded to two shiurim this year, aided by a newly completed, state-of-the-art campus donated in memory of Reb Avraham Gantz z”l.
Finally, in Beit Shemesh, Yeshivas Be’er HaTorah launched a new initiative this year called “Be’er Shmuel,” through which advanced bochurim learn an additional daily shiur with Rosh Yeshiva Rav Gavriel Yosef Levi. This is in addition to a robust regular shiur of 40 boys.
Yeshivas Chochmas Shlomo, under the leadership of Rav Aharon Weiner and Rav Binyomin Dreyfuss in Bayit Vegan, concluded this year’s admissions with great satisfaction, having accepted over 30 outstanding bochurim following a rigorous selection process.
{Matzav.com Israel}
