A shocking incident rocked the Zvhill Yeshiva in Yerushalayim’s Beis Yisroel neighborhood this week, as dozens of yeshiva bochurim who had been expelled stormed the building in protest, vandalizing the premises and causing damage estimated at over 100,000 shekel.
The dramatic episode unfolded after the sudden and unexpected closure of the yeshiva, leaving nearly 70 talmidim without any alternative learning framework.
The expulsion came after sweeping changes initiated by a newly appointed member of the yeshiva’s hanhalah, who had sought to transform Zvhill into a top-tier Chassidishe yeshiva. As part of that plan, the staff was replaced and a new direction was taken. Then, the talmidim were told that the yeshiva would shut down by the end of the zeman, and that no assistance would be provided in helping them find new yeshivos. “Everyone should fend for themselves,” they were told.
In a symbolic and provocative act of protest, the expelled bochurim staged what they described as a “funeral” for the yeshiva. Inside the beis medrash, they constructed a bier from benches, placed a “body” draped in a tallis on top, and labeled it with a sign reading, “Zvhill Yeshiva HY”D.” One of the bochurim, dressed in mourning garb, delivered a mock hesped.
Desperate appeals were made by distraught parents and shocked bochurim, who pointed out that yeshiva registration had long closed in most places for the upcoming zeman, and that they had been left with no place to go. The education official who orchestrated the closure reportedly reiterated that he would not assist any bochur in securing a new yeshiva.
In the weeks prior, rumors spread that the yeshiva would reopen under a new name—Yeshivas Beis Mordechai—and become a klal chassidishe yeshiva, no longer carrying the Zvhill name. Reports also surfaced of arrangements being made with other chassidic groups like Nadvorna and Skulen in Yerushalayim, as well as Yeshivas Meor Einayim of Rachmastrivka, to send their talmidim to this new institution. The revamped yeshiva would reportedly accept only select talmidim and be under the exclusive direction of the same educational figure.
This method—closing a yeshiva, reopening it under new terms, and enforcing stricter takanos—is not unusual in the chassidishe yeshiva world.
But events came to a head this past week, when the remaining talmidim were abruptly informed in the middle of the day that the yeshiva was being closed immediately and that they had to pack their belongings and leave. Some left quietly. Others erupted in anger.
What followed was a riot. Enraged students vandalized the building, destroying property and creating chaos. Security guards, some visibly armed, were called in to subdue the crowd. The confrontation quickly escalated into a physical altercation.
Amid the pandemonium, the Rebbe of Zvhill, who had left the building just an hour earlier, returned. Witnesses say he walked into the beis medrash, shouted “Get out of here, you chutzpahdike boys!” and watched with visible anguish as the rioting talmidim fled in disarray.
Despite their anger, the expelled talmidim insist they will not switch allegiances to the rival Zvhill yeshiva run by the Rebbe’s uncle. “We remain loyal to our roots,” one said. “We won’t go to the other Zvhill yeshiva. We are separating between the chassidus and the yeshiva.”
Originally, the hanhalah had planned to offer the expelled bochurim a temporary placement in the Zvhill beis medrash in Beitar Illit until Av. However, following the outburst and destruction caused during the protest, that plan was rescinded.
Some talmidim tried to continue learning on their own in the beis medrash, without the presence of the yeshiva staff. But they were interrupted when the yeshiva’s building manager shut off the lights and air conditioning. Acting on what he described as a direct order from the Rebbe, he barred all of them from entering any Zvhill batei medrash in Israel.
The talmid concluded with pain in his voice: “Dozens of us are now out on the street. Even worse, some boys have started talking about enlisting in the army as a form of revenge against the hanhalah that tossed them aside without taking responsibility.”

{Matzav.com Israel}