Thousands of current and former bochurim of Yeshivas Be’er HaTalmud from across Israel gathered Thursday evening outside Prison 10 at the Beit Lid military base to protest the imprisonment of yeshiva alumnus and yungerman Rabbi Ariel Cohen.

The yeshiva’s rosh yeshiva, Rav Yehuda Cohen, a member of the Shas Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, traveled to the protest and was accompanied by his son, Rav Chanoch Cohen, who serves as the yeshiva’s rosh yeshiva. The demonstration was organized by the Chayei Olam organization, which has been assisting Rabbi Cohen since his arrest.

Also participating in the rally were Knesset members Michael Malkieli, a graduate of the yeshiva, and Yoni Mashriki.

Participants recited Selichos with intense emotion, and Rav Chanoch Cohen addressed the crowd, lamenting what he described as the persecution of yeshiva bochurim and the imprisonment of bnei Torah in military detention facilities.

On the sidelines of the gathering, Rabbi Aviel Cohen, the imprisoned avreich’s father, received a brocha from Rav Yehuda Cohen.

During the event, organizers from Chayei Olam informed attendees that Rabbi Ariel Cohen was expected to be released before Shabbos. The announcement sparked spontaneous dancing and celebrations among the crowd.

The Shas movement later stated that, through the efforts of Shas chairman Rabbi Aryeh Deri, Rabbi Cohen would be freed before Shabbos. The party added that MK Yoav Ben Tzur had spoken with the family and informed them that, through Deri’s intervention, his sentence had been eased and he would be released from prison before the onset of Shabbos. Family members expressed gratitude to Shas and Rabbi Deri for their persistent efforts on his behalf.

Shas subsequently clarified that the work leading to Rabbi Cohen’s release had in fact been carried out by the Chayei Olam organization, which has been operating with dedication to assist and defend yeshiva bochurim who are arrested, and that the earlier statement attributing the effort solely to Shas had been issued in error.

{Matzav.com}