Yeshiva University Stern College for Women 253 Lexington Avenue

A ' (

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

: , pl. ') is an institute of

Torah study Torah study is the study of the Torah, Hebrew Bible, Talmud, responsa, rabbinic literature, and similar works, all of which are Judaism's Sifrei kodesh, religious texts. According to Rabbinic Judaism, the study is done for the purpose of the ''mi ...

for women, usually in

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, and roughly the equivalent of a

yeshiva A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are s ...

for men. A "

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

" (Hebrew ''seminar'', sometimes ''seminaria'')''Midrashot''
science.co.il is a similar institution, more traditional in orientation. Midrashot are

Religious Zionist Religious Zionism ( he, צִיּוֹנוּת דָּתִית, translit. ''Tziyonut Datit'') is an ideology that combines Zionism and Orthodox Judaism. Its adherents are also referred to as ''Dati Leumi'' ( "National Religious"), and in Israel, the ...

, while Seminaries are usually

Haredi Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...

; although in English, "Seminary", or "Sem", is often used for either. The term ''Midrasha'' is sometimes used more widely, referring to pluralistic, as opposed to

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

, educational institutions. In Israel, it may also refer to

field school A field school is a short term academic program consisting of mentored field research

History

The

aligned seminaries - for example

Beth Jacob Jerusalem Beth Jacob Jerusalem ( he, סמינר בית יעקב למורות, ''Seminar Bais Yaakov LeMorot''), also known as Machon Sarah Schneirer, commonly referred to as BJJ, is a Haredi religious girls seminary located in the Unsdorf neighborhood of J ...

, and the

Gateshead Jewish Academy for Girls Gateshead Jewish Academy for Girls (Hebrew בית חיה רחל), is a two-year post-secondary school college, or "seminary". It was founded in Gateshead, England in 1998; its principal is Rabbi Avrohom Katz, an author and columnist. It is an ...

- are modeled on the

Bais Yaakov Bais Yaakov ( he, בית יעקב also Beis Yaakov, Beit Yaakov, Beth Jacob or Beys Yankev; lit., House fJacob) is a genericized name for full-time Haredi Jewish elementary and secondary schools for Jewish girls throughout the world. Bais Yaak ...

movement's teacher-training seminary established by

Sarah Schenirer Sarah Schenirer ( pl, Sara Szenirer; yi, שרה שנירר; July 15, 1883The State Archi ...

in 1923. (Today, ''Beis Yaakov'' almost invariably refers to high school, while "Seminary" is used for a post-high school institution.) Outside of Europe, the "Beis Yaakov Seminary,

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

" was founded in 1933, and Jerusalem's "Beis Yaakov Institute for Teachers" in 1939; the first Seminary in the USA was established by Vichna Kaplan in

Williamsburg, Brooklyn Williamsburg is a Neighborhoods in Brooklyn, neighborhood in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn, bordered by Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Greenpoint to the north; Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Bedford–Stuyvesant to the s ...

in 1941; Gateshead Seminary in the UK, was founded in 1944. The Rika Breuer Teachers Seminary - of the Breuers /

Khal Adath Jeshurun Khal Adath Jeshurun (KAJ) is an Orthodox German Jewish Ashkenazi congregation in the Washington Heights neighborhood, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It has an affiliated synagogue in the heavily Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Monse ...

community - was established in the 1960s and operated for over 40 years. See . (And for further context, , a women's seminary established in 1930, as well as discussing the ''Bais Medrash L'Morim'' established in 1864.) The

and

Modern Orthodox Modern may refer to: History *Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Philosoph ...

' began to be established in the late 1970s, parallel to the ''

Hesder Hesder ( he, הסדר "arrangement"; also Yeshivat Hesder ) is an Israeli yeshiva program which combines advanced Talmudic studies with military service in the Israel Defense Forces, usually within a Religious Zionist framework. The program allo ...

'' yeshivot;See the corresponding Hebrew article: :He: מדרשה תורנית לנשים these include the

Religious Kibbutz Movement The Religious Kibbutz Movement ( he, הקיבוץ הדתי, ''HaKibbutz HaDati'') is an organizational framework for Orthodox kibbutzim in Israel. Its membership includes 22 communities, 16 of them traditional kibbutzim, and 6 others in the cate ...

Midreshet Ein HaNetziv Ein HaNetziv ( he, עֵין הַנְּצִי"ב, ''lit.'' Spring of the Netziv) is a kibbutz in the Beit She'an Valley in northern Israel. Belonging to the Religious Kibbutz Movement, it is located about three kilometers south of the ancient city o ...

Midreshet Lindenbaum Midreshet Lindenbaum (), originally named Michlelet Bruria, is a midrasha in Talpiot, Jerusalem. It counts among its alumnae many of the teachers at Matan, Nishmat, Pardes and other women's and co-ed yeshivas in Israel and abroad. History Michl ...

, and

Migdal Oz Migdal ( he, מִגְדָּל) is a Hebrew word for tower. It may refer to: People * Alexander Migdal (born 1945), Soviet, Russian and American physicist, son of Arkady Migdal * Arkady Migdal (1911–1991), Soviet physicist * Ted Migdal (1918–19 ...

, sister school of

Yeshivat Har Etzion Yeshivat Har Etzion (YHE; ), commonly known in English as "Gush" and in Hebrew as "Yeshivat HaGush", is a hesder yeshiva located in Alon Shvut, an Israeli settlement in Gush Etzion. It is considered one of the leading institutions of advanced Tora ...

. Precedent, are the Mizrachi Teachers Training College, today's

Lifshitz College of Education Lifshitz College of Education ("Michlelet Lifshitz" - מכללת ליפשיץ - המכללה האקדמית הדתית לחינוך) is a religious teacher training college in Jerusalem, Israel. The school credo is "integrating modernity and Jewi ...

, which was established in Jerusalem in 1921; the Talpiot Bet Medrash for Teachers in 1937; and

Machon Gold Machon Gold was an Orthodox Jewish girl's seminary (originally co-ed) founded in 1958 by the Torah Education Department of the World Zionist Organization and named after Rabbi Wolf Gold, one of the signatories of the Israeli declaration of independ ...

in 1958. Lindenbaum, in 1976, was the first established independent of a teacher's college. The largest Midrasha is at

Bar-Ilan University Bar-Ilan University (BIU, he, אוניברסיטת בר-אילן, ''Universitat Bar-Ilan'') is a public research university in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is Israel's second-largest academic i ...

, with 800 students in its various programs. A ''midrasha'' that offers degree studies is sometimes called a ''machon'' (, institute) or a ''michlalah'' (, college). The word "'" is based on the term ''

beit midrash A ''beth midrash'' ( he, בית מדרש, or ''beis medrash'', ''beit midrash'', pl. ''batei midrash'' "House of Learning") is a hall dedicated for Torah study, often translated as a "study hall." It is distinct from a synagogue (''beth knes ...

'', "house of study"; the

root In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the sur ...

דרש means "to seek nowledge, and is then generalized to mean "expound". It is

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymology, etymological ancestor in a proto-language, common parent language. Because language c ...

with the

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

"'," which also refers to a place of learning.

Curriculum

and seminaries vary in curriculum and ''

hashkafah ''Hashkafa'' ( he, השקפה, lit., "outlook"; plural ''hashkafot'', ''hashkafos'', ''hashkafas'') is the Hebrew term for worldview and guiding philosophy, used almost exclusively within Orthodox Judaism. A ''hashkafa'' is a perspective that Or ...

'', or outlook. A Modest Year in Israel: When Young Women go to “Seminary”
''Lilith'', 2014 All cover the

Tanakh The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
''

Jewish philosophy Jewish philosophy () includes all philosophy carried out by Jews, or in relation to the religion of Judaism. Until modern ''Haskalah'' (Jewish Enlightenment) and Jewish emancipation, Jewish philosophy was preoccupied with attempts to reconcile ...

, ''practical''

Halacha ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...

(Jewish law; "''Halacha LeMaaseh''"), and ''Hasidus'' / Musar (character development); topics in applied Jewish ethics, such as the "laws of speech", are usually taught separately. The

Jewish holidays Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' ( he, ימים טובים, , Good Days, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed in Judaism and by JewsThis article focuses on practices of mainstre ...

are similarly often studied as a separate topic, "''Ma'agal Hashana''", in terms of both philosophy and ''Halacha''; ''

Tefillah Jewish prayer ( he, תְּפִלָּה, ; plural ; yi, תּפֿלה, tfile , plural ; Yinglish: davening from Yiddish 'pray') is the prayer recitation that forms part of the observance of Rabbinic Judaism. These prayers, often with i ...

'', "prayer", likewise. Depending on the institution's stance, the weight and role assigned to Talmud particularly, and in fact to textual-skills generally, will differ re men's yeshivot, and between schools.

Midrashot

At ''Midrashot'', the treatment of the Tanakh and Jewish philosophy - there referred to as ''Machshavah'' - is typically text-focused, built around

chavruta ''Chavrusa'', also spelled ''chavruta'' or ''ḥavruta'' (Aramaic: חַבְרוּתָא, lit. "fellowship" or "group of fellows"; pl. חַבְרָוָותָא), is a traditional rabbinic approach to Talmudic study in which a small group of stud ...

-based study as at yeshivot. This entails paired-study where assigned sources are prepared for a ''

shiur Shiur (, , lit. ''amount'', pl. shiurim ) is a lecture on any Torah topic, such as Gemara, Mishnah, Halakha (Jewish law), Tanakh (Bible), etc. History The Hebrew term שיעור ("designated amount") came to refer to a portion of Jud ...

'', a lecture delivered as a discursive-review. At some institutions, the

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cente ...

is directly studied, as at men's ''yeshivot'', if less intensively; others treat Talmud similar to seminaries, as below. Regardless, ''

Halachah ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...

'' will generally be studied with ''practice'' in view, as opposed to the yeshiva approach, where the derivation is from Talmudic sources through codification. At Matan,

Nishmat Nishmat ( he, נִשְׁמַת or 'the soul of every living thing') is a Jewish prayer that is recited during Pesukei D'Zimrah between the Song of the Sea and Yishtabach on Shabbat and Yom Tov. It is also recited during the Passover seder. Sho ...

and Lindenbaum, the treatment is Talmud-based; see also

Drisha Institute The Drisha Institute for Jewish Education is a center for advanced Jewish learning located on the Upper West Side of New York City. Though initially founded to promote advanced scholarship for women, it has since expanded to offer an array of text-b ...

. Women usually attend ''Midrasha'' for one year, either before or following their ''

Sherut Leumi Sherut Leumi ( he, שירות לאומי, lit. ''National Service'') is an alternative voluntary national service in Israel for those who are ineligible for service in the Israel Defense Forces or object to serving in the army, mostly for relig ...

'' (national civic service); a second year is sometimes offered. Programs often emphasize ''Machshavah'', deepening their students' religious identity at this life-stage; this may include specific study of the writings of

Rav Kook Abraham Isaac Kook (; 7 September 1865 – 1 September 1935), known as Rav Kook, and also known by the acronym HaRaAYaH (), was an Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox rabbi, and the first Ashkenazi Jews, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbinate of Israel, Chief Rabbi of ...

, and/or ''

Torat Eretz Yisrael The Hebrew expression Torat Eretz Yisrael (literally "Teachings concerning the Land of Israel") refers to the idea that Torah thoughts emanating from the land of Israel are of great religious status. In the Midrash Genesis Rabbah it is stated: � ...

'' in general.

Seminaries

Seminary programs usually span two years post high-school. Seminaries are typically more conservative in their approach than ''Midrashot'': selections from the Talmud - usually the non-legalistic ''

aggadah Aggadah ( he, ''ʾAggāḏā'' or ''Haggāḏā''; Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: אַגָּדְתָא ''ʾAggāḏəṯāʾ''; "tales, fairytale, lore") is the non-legalistic exegesis which appears in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, ...

'' - may be studied, but only in the context of other classes, especially philosophy and Musar; the only section of Talmud studied directly is ''

Pirkei Avot Pirkei Avot ( he, פִּרְקֵי אָבוֹת; also transliterated as ''Pirqei Avoth'' or ''Pirkei Avos'' or ''Pirke Aboth''), which translates to English as Chapters of the Fathers, is a compilation of the ethics, ethical teachings and Maxim ...

'', comprising ethical teachings and maxims. These institutions relatedly assign less weight to textual skills, with content delivered primarily via lecture. As appropriate to the program in question, formal

teacher training Teacher education or teacher training refers to programs, policies, procedures, and provision designed to equip (prospective) teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, approaches, methodologies and skills they require to perform their t ...

and certification is often provided For example
Seminary Bnos ChaimStudent Catalog
additional to these courses. Parallel to their academic content, most Seminaries also focus on the role of women in Torah (several ''Midrashot'' similarly), covering topics such as ''

Tzniut ''Tzniut'' ( he, צניעות , , ; "modesty" or "privacy"; ) describes both the character trait of modesty and discretion, as well as a group of Jewish laws pertaining to conduct. The concept is most important within Orthodox Judaism. Des ...

'' (modesty), ''

Shalom Bayit Shalom bayit () (also sholom bayit or shlom bayit, or (Yiddish) sholom bayis or shlom bayis) is the Jewish religious concept of domestic harmony and good relations between husband and wife. In a Jewish court of law, ''shalom bayit'' is the Hebrew te ...

'' ("domestic harmony") and ''

Chinuch Jewish education ( he, חינוך, ''Chinuch'') is the transmission of the tenets, principles, and religious laws of Judaism. Known as the "people of the book", Jews value education, and the value of education is strongly embedded in Jewish cul ...

'' (education of one's children), and preparing students for the role of ''akeres habayis'', or "household mainstay". These classes often emphasize "values", as opposed to sources. Hasidic-aligned institutions are positioned in line with the Seminaries; their curricula differ in that they emphasize the works of their respective

Rebbe A Rebbe ( yi, רבי, translit=rebe) or Admor ( he, אדמו״ר) is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spiritua ...

, and their exposure to text is often further limited. Note that some Chabad-affiliated institutions, on the other hand, offer classes in Talmud and text-based Halacha.

Israel programs

Many diaspora-based girls attend or "sem" in Israel, for a year or two ("''shana bet''") following high school; several ''midrashot'' and seminaries offer special programs here, for example ''Shana Ba'aretz'' at Nishmat, or the "Overseas Program" at

Midreshet HaRova Midreshet HaRova ( he, מדרשת הרובע) is a Religious Zionist Jewish seminary located in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City. The all-female seminary is known for its strong push for Aliyah. Amongst the plethora of post-High School ...

. Additional to Torah study, as above, these programs often include an element of ''yediat ha’aretz'' (“knowledge of the Land”) comprising touring of Israel,

Shabbaton The Hebrew term ''shabbaton'' ( he, שבתון) may be translated into English to mean sabbatical. The concept of a sabbatical year (shmita) has a source in several places in the Bible (e.g. Leviticus 25), where there is a commandment to desist fro ...

s in various communities, seminars with journalists and politicians, and typically volunteer work in local schools and hospitals; often a trip to Poland is scheduled to memorealize the Holocaust. Some institutions accommodate the newly observant with similar year-programs, designed to build foundational knowledge and skills; well known are

Neve Yerushalayim Neve Yerushalayim ( he, נוה ירושלים) is the oldest and largest college for Jewish women in the world. Founded in 1970 to educate '' baalot teshuva'' (female returnees to Orthodox Judaism) in the why and how of living an Orthodox Jewish l ...

Mayanot Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies (Hebrew: מעיינות, lit. Wellsprings), is a school in Jerusalem for Jewish students aged 16–29. Classes include instruction in Jewish Mysticism, Philosophy, Talmud, Torah, Chassidut, and the Hebrew La ...

, and Machon Roni;

Machon Chana Machon Chana is a private religious college for Jewish women affiliated with the Chabad Hasidic movement and geared toward Baalot Teshuva – women from secular backgrounds who become more observant. The school is located in the Crown Heights n ...

is US based.

Certifications

Most Haredi and Hasidic seminaries offer certificates, and sometimes degrees, in Education.For example
Bnos Zion of Bobov SeminaryCatalog
In Israel, the two year certificates are jointly through the Szold Institute, and are recognized by the

Israel Ministry of Education The Ministry of Education ( he, מִשְׂרָד הַחִנּוּךְ, translit. ''Misrad HaHinukh''; ar, وزارة التربية والتعليم) is the branch of the Israeli government charged with overseeing public education institutions ...

as equivalent to the national matriculation.

Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic group ...

's Beth Rivkah offers a

B.A. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

and

M.A. A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

jointly with the Shaanan Religious College of Education; "Beth Chanah", its affiliated program in

Tzfat Safed (known in Hebrew as Tzfat; Sephardic Hebrew & Modern Hebrew: צְפַת ''Tsfat'', Ashkenazi Hebrew: ''Tzfas'', Biblical Hebrew: ''Ṣǝp̄aṯ''; ar, صفد, ''Ṣafad''), is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevat ...

and Jerusalem, offers a 2 year certificate. JCT's Lustig Campus in

Ramat Gan Ramat Gan ( he, רָמַת גַּן or , ) is a city in the Tel Aviv District of Israel, located east of the municipality of Tel Aviv and part of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. It is home to one of the world's major diamond exchanges, and many ...

hosts degree programs for Haredi and Hasidic women; see also

The Haredi Campus - The Academic College Ono The Haredi Campus - Ono Academic College () is a satellite campus of Ono Academic College, specifically intended for haredi Jews. It is the largest haredi college in Israel, with an undergraduate population of nearly 3,000. It is also the only ha ...

. In the Religious Zionist community, women often continue their studies at one of the midrasha-affiliated teacher training colleges, which offer an intensive Torah-program in conjunction with the

B.Ed. A Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) is an undergraduate professional degree which prepares students for work as a teacher in schools. In some countries such as Tanzania and Kenya, additional tasks like field work and research are required in order for ...

degree; ( master's level) specializations are often offered in ''Tanakh'' or ''Machshavah''. The year in ''Midrasha'' is sometimes integrated with the college program.

operates a ''midrasha'', and students in all disciplines may then continue Torah study in parallel with their academic studies (with a requirement of at least ten courses in Judaism ).

Machon Tal The Tal Institute/ Machon Tal ( he, מכון טל, ''Makhon Tal''), founded in 1999, is the main women's division of the Jerusalem College of Technology. It is located in the Givat Shaul neighborhood of Jerusalem. Over 1,000 students from Israel and ...

,מדרשת-טל
jct.ac.il associated with JCT, the

Jerusalem College of Technology The Jerusalem College of Technology - Lev Academic Center (JCT; he, המרכז האקדמי לב) is a private college in Israel, recognized by the Council for Higher Education, which specializes in providing high-level science and technology ed ...

, similarly offers degrees in engineering and management. Female faculty at Midrashot often hold

Doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

s, usually from Bar-Ilan. Most Seminaries and ' for English-speaking students are accredited by American colleges; see . Some offer second-year programs with religious-studies classes in the morning and general-studies classes in the afternoons, allowing students to pursue a religious education with a college degree simultaneously. In the US, the Modern Orthodox

Stern College for Women The Stern College for Women (SCW) is the undergraduate women's college of arts and sciences of Yeshiva University. It is located at the university's Israel Henry Beren Campus in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan. The college provides program ...

(

Yeshiva University Yeshiva University is a private Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City."About YU
on the Yeshiva Universit ...

) combines Torah and University studies, as at Bar-Ilan; the Haredi

Lander College for Women Lander may refer to: Media and entertainment * Lander (computer game), ''Lander'' (computer game), computer game published by Psygnosis in 1999 * Lander (game demo), ''Lander'' (game demo), the 3D game demo provided with the Acorn Archimedes co ...

similarly. Stern graduates often pursue Torah topics at the Masters level, through the

Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies The Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies was Yeshiva University’s first graduate school. Founded in 1937, it was named for Yeshiva University's first president, Bernard Revel. Its curriculum prepares highly trained teachers, researchers ...

. In recent years some ''midrashot'' offer specialized programs in Halacha, comprising Talmud-intensive source study, with certifying examinations on the relevant sections of

codified law In law, codification is the process of collecting and restating the law of a jurisdiction in certain areas, usually by subject, forming a legal code, i.e. a codex (book) of law. Codification is one of the defining features of civil law jurisdi ...

in the ''

Shulchan Aruch The ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּך , literally: "Set Table"), sometimes dubbed in English as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Judaism. It was authored in Safed (today in Is ...

''. Nishmat trains women as ''Yoatzot Halacha'', advisors in the laws of

Family purity Niddah (or nidah; he, נִדָּה), in traditional Judaism, describes a woman who has experienced a uterine discharge of blood (most commonly during menstruation), or a woman who has menstruated and not yet completed the associated require ...

; Lindenbaum, through a joint program, prepares women as ''to'anot'', advocates in

religious courts An ecclesiastical court, also called court Christian or court spiritual, is any of certain courts having jurisdiction mainly in spiritual or religious matters. In the Middle Ages, these courts had much wider powers in many areas of Europe than be ...

for matters relating to divorce. Three programs mirror the Rabbinate’s

ordination Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorization, authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominational ...

requirement for men: Ein Hanetziv trains students as "Teachers of Halacha", Lindenbaum in "Halachik leadership" and Matan as "Halachik

Respondents {{unreferenced, date=February 2012 A respondent is a person who is called upon to issue a response to a communication made by another. The term is used in legal contexts, in survey methodology, and in psychological conditioning. Legal usage In ...

". Yeshiva University offers women graduate-students a Master's program in advanced Talmud and Halacha.

Other institutions

As above, the term ''Midrasha'' is sometimes used for pluralistic, as opposed to

orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

, institutions for

. These are usually structured around continuing /

adult education Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained self-educating activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralp ...

, and accept both men and women. Examples in Israel are the ''Ein Prat Midrasha'' and the Midrasha at the

Oranim Academic College Oranim ( he, אֳרָנִים or , ''lit.'' Pines) is a college of education in northern Israel. The college was founded in 1951 by the United Kibbutz Movement. It was named after the small forest of pine trees in the area. It offers BA degrees in ...

; elsewhere, the Melton School's ''Midrasha'' in

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

. Other non-orthodox programs for women (usually egalitarian) include those at "Pardes", which offers various learning formats worldwide, and Mechon Hadar a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

-aligned

Bet Midrash A ''beth midrash'' ( he, בית מדרש, or ''beis medrash'', ''beit midrash'', pl. ''batei midrash'' "House of Learning") is a hall dedicated for Torah study, often translated as a "study hall." It is distinct from a synagogue (''beth kness ...

in New York. (Oranim, in partnership with the

Shalom Hartman Institute Shalom Hartman Institute is a Jewish research and education institute based in Jerusalem, that offers pluralistic Jewish thought and education to scholars, rabbis, educators, and Jewish community leaders in Israel and North America. The institute' ...

, in fact offers a pluralistic ordination to both men and women.) Within the Orthodox community, continuing-education programs for women, similar to these, are also offered, for example by Matan and ''Emunah'', while ''Midreshet Afikim'' is a program for high-school students; the LSJS Women's Midrasha programme similarly provides regular text-based classes. Many diaspora synagogues host a "campus midrasha" or suchlike, offering scheduled daily classes on various topics; many also host a "Community Kollel", which has a corresponding function, and offers adult education to both men and women (usually separately). In the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, the term ''Midrasha'' is also used for programs where high school students can continue their Jewish education post

bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar (u ...

/ bat mitzvah. Examples
Berkeley-Oakland MidrashaMidrasha Hebrew High SchoolContra Costa Midrasha
/ref> In Israel, the term is used also in wider contexts. ''

Midreshet Ben-Gurion Midreshet Ben-Gurion ( he, מִדְרֶשֶׁת בֶּן גּוּרְיוֹן), also known as Midreshet Sde Boker, is an educational center and boarding school in southern Israel. Located in the Negev next to kibbutz Sde Boker, it falls under the ...

'' - also known as ''Midreshet Sde Boker'' - is an educational center and boarding school in the south. ''Eshkolot'' operates "''midrashot''" aimed at knowledge of the

land of Israel The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine (see also Isra ...

Beit Berl College Beit Berl College is a multi-disciplinary academic college for higher education located in Beit Berl in the Sharon region of Israel. It is one of the oldest colleges in Israel. The college grants undergraduate degrees (B.Ed and B.Ed.F.A.) and g ...

's school of art is called ''"HaMidrasha"''.

Notes

References

{{Jewish education Jewish educational institutions Modern Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Jewish schools for women Hebrew words and phrases