Bnei Akiva inspires and empowers young Jews with a sense of commitment to the Jewish people (Am Yisrael), the Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael) and the Torah (Torat Yisrael). As the largest Orthodox Jewish youth movement in the UK, Bnei Akiva runs weekly activities, summer and winter camps, tours and gap years in Israel, and so much more!
We’re an inclusive youth movement, so while we have high religious standards, everyone is welcome. And wherever you go in the world, you’ll find Bnei Akiva – we have branches in 37 countries all over the globe!
‘Bnei Akiva’ means ‘the children of Akiva’, and our ideology relates directly to the story of Rabbi Akiva. At the age of 40, after growing up tending flock, he decided that he needed to find out the essence of the Jewish faith. He reasoned that just as something as soft as water can penetrate a solid rock and cause it to erode, so too can the Torah penetrate into himself.
We endeavour to follow Rabbi Akiva’s qualities, namely his love of Hashem, his devotion to the Torah, his love of Israel and the fight for its independence, and respect for work.