Yeshivat Hesder Ma'ale Efraim was founded five years ago by Meir Arbiv with the support of Ma’ale Efraim Mayor David Kopolovich. Rav Baruch Ganot was chosen to head the Yeshiva. He answered the call out of conviction of the importance of a Torah presence in the Jordan Valley and since then has served as Rosh Yeshiva.Rav Baruch Ganot graduated from Kfar Haroeh Yeshiva High School, served in the IDF for 19 years as a fighter pilot and retired at the rank of Sgan-Aluf (Lt.-Col.). After his retirement, he spent ten years studying dayanut (religious jurisprudence) at the Eretz Hemda Institute before answering the call to become Rosh Yeshiva.The goals of the Yeshiva are first to shape the students to become Torah personalities, conversant in the study of Talmud along with works of Jewish thought calculated to develop understanding of faith and proper character traits. In the second stage the Yeshiva strives to raise up Torah scholars, servants of Hashem who seek to fulfill their personal potential in Torah study, faith and character and apply them in the practical world. The yeshiva has approximately 70 students, the first and second year students in Yeshiva, another group of students in service in the IDF, and the veteran students who have returned from the service.The Yeshiva interacts with the surrounding community by participating in various community events, serving as “big brothers” for disadvantaged or at-risk school children, helping in after-school programs, making parties before holidays with gentle injections of Torah content, assisting the town rabbi in kashering kitchens, helping the needy and more.