Bnei Akiva: Encyclopedia II - Bnei Akiva - Symbols of Bnei Akiva

Bnei Akiva - Symbols of Bnei Akiva

Bnei Akiva - The Semel

The emblem of Bnei Akiva is made up of different objects each relating to a different aspect of the group's ideology. The farming utensils and the wheat sheaves relate to the agricultural perspective of the ideology. The two tablets of stone in the center relate to its Torah perspective. The two perspectives of Torah and Avoda are united together by the ribbon which says Bnei Akiva on it- symbolizing that the two aspects can only and must work hand in hand. The letters on the two tablets are 'Taf' and 'Ayin' standing for Torah veAvoda - "Torah and service" (of either the land of Israel or the God of Israel.)

Bnei Akiva - The Himnon anthem

The movement's anthem is one of the symbolic devices within Bnei Akiva. It was composed by HaRav Moshe Zvi Neriya (originally known as Chaver Minkin). He was at one stage active in the Hallacha of Bnei Akiva, and composed the movement anthem during Chol Hamoed Succot 5692 (1932) at a gathering of Madrichim in Kfar Saba. The anthem soon spread to become one of the movement's undoubted symbols. Although the words changed somewhat, and in the beginning of the 1950's the tune was also changed (possibly due to its similarity with the 'Bundistim' in Poland), no one can imagine a movement celebration without the singing of the anthem.

The anthem is called 'Yad Achim' and is sung in Ivrit (Hebrew). The English translation has been provided below:

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Symbols of Bnei Akiva", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki