Womens learning in Jerusalem

Posted: Mon, May 05 2008, 5:30 pm Post subject: Womens learning in Jerusalem

I got a phone call today from a girl I have not spoken to in a long time.
She told me that she would like to spend a year in Jerusalem and can I recommend any schools.
She is about 23 years. Graduated an ivy league college with a degree in education. She went to a very prestigious non-religious school (the type were you learn latin through High School).
Her father is not jewish, her mother is. She is very smart, very intellectual and loves to learn.
She has mostly a conservative background, although she did attend a MO hebrew school while in elementry school and she had spent a few shabbosim with my family so she has seen an orthodox home life.
Do you know of any schools in Israel that I can recommend to her?
She mentioned that she saw a web site online for a school called Nishmat. Did anybody ever hear about it?

Platinum Member Joined: May 06 2007 Posts: 8512

try midreshet rachel. I loved it. I also went to Neve. Both are good, but they're very different. Neve has a certain derech that they push, whereas MR is more inclusive. Both are really good though.
_________________
Just Plain Frum!

Diamond Member Joined: Aug 03 2007 Posts: 4448

Te problem that I have with most learning places is that they kind of ´force´ you onto their hashkafot.. most are very similar...

is she artistic?

Active Poster Joined: Feb 20 2008 Posts: 27

I also went to Midreshet Rachel and loved it. Another option is Shearim in Har Nof. I've heard Rebbetzin Pavlov speak, and she is amazing.

Posted: Mon, May 05 2008, 7:03 pm Post subject: re: Womens learning in Jerusalem

I went to Nishmat and loved it. It sounds good for your friend, the program there is very academically strong (it's not only intellectual though, there's lots of chassidut, middot, and the rest, which is also good). I went to Shearim for a while and a few classes at Neve, but found that neither was academic enough for my taste, even though the teachers were amazing.

IMO Nishmat is also good b/c of her age, most of the women I met in the overseas program there were also early-mid 20s. I also remember meeting several women with one Jewish parent, but that's probably standard in all BT places.

The one thing that might be an issue is Nishmat isn't primarily a program for BTs like Shearim or Neve. The overseas program is a mix of BTs (including not yet fully religious) and women from MO families, but the other programs (Israeli, Ethiopian, American post HS) are FFB. If she's in the overseas program she'll probably fit in OK, but it might be kind of intense at first.

Moderator Joined: Dec 04 2005 Posts: 6169 Location: israel

I know someone who is at Nishmat now and very happy. She's BT and growing tremendously.

I think it is a great place for someone is intellectual and smart.
_________________

Posted: Tue, May 06 2008, 1:41 am Post subject:

I hated Neve b/c it was geared to BT, which I don't consider myself to be, and I just didn't fit in with the hashkafa. It also was too basic for what I needed. My sister did a summer program (3 weeks) at Nishmat and loved it. There's also Matan or Pardes.
_________________
Emmanuel Tzvi: 26 Shevat 5766
Shai Michael: 8 Cheshvan 5768
Yitzchak Meir: 19 Iyar 5770
Dvir Aharon: 10 Tammuz 5772

Posted: Tue, May 06 2008, 1:43 am Post subject: re: Womens learning in Jerusalem

There's Malchus and Mayanot if she is interested in learning Chabad chassidus.

Diamond Member Joined: Oct 29 2006 Posts: 4461

If she would be interested in Malchus she could email me, I teach there.

Malchus is located within a larger institution called Ohr Chaya with shiurim in Hebrew, Russian, French English and Spanish if there is demand. It is run more like a yeshiva for women and the courses are all on a high intellectual level. Not only Chassidus, but textual courses, halacha, music, writing, movement and art, education and family and practical workshops.

The schedule is very different from the other places. The womens' Michlala (the largest for limudei kodesh in Israel) holds classes in the AM. They are open to the general public regardless of level of observance, background or Jewish orientation. Frei women, traditional, DL, and charedim of all stripes learn together. The Machon classes for girls are mostly in the evening. Even girls in dorm are encouraged to work in or study for their profession. These classes are also open to all but are mandatory for dorm students. She could also use the AM for ulpan if she doesn't need the work or experience.The girls are both BTs and those who want to mitchazek. The dorm definitely has rules. Certainly a girl with a dayschool background would be excused from Kasruth 101 but would probably be assigned a chavrusa at the same time where she is weak as opposed to doing nothing. The girls do have time for fun and go on trips. Younger girls stay in the dorm bldg and there are apartments for those who are older, say 30+.

Ohr Chaya is recognised as part of the MASA program as well.
http://www.orchaya.org.il/page.asp?id=101

Mayanot is a more structured program geared to BTs.

Silver Member Joined: May 09 2007 Posts: 905

She should also look into EYAHT, the Aish Hatorah women's seminary, it's very intimate and the teachers are amazing.

Most likely, she should check out the different places that may seem right for her, because each one is a different fit and she won't know until she experiences it.

Neve is amazing because it's large so it can offer everything you need, however it's still large, so not everyone likes that.

Midreshet Rachel offers a little bit from each perspective which is great for someone looking to explore her options but not for someone who wants to be pointed to a certain hashkafa.

Shearim is also small and very into textual study and analysis.

EYAHT is great because it is small (about 20-25) women, almost all are in their early to mid 20's, having recently graduated college. Emphasis is placed on hashkafa, philosophy, middos, and overall just becoming a great Jewish woman.

Gold Member Joined: Apr 26 2007 Posts: 1223

I went to Midreshet Rachel. Given her "intellectual" background (Ivy League) it may be a good choice because it really focuses on learning text and searching the sources rather as oppossed to learning hashgafa.

Shearim is very similar, and in my day was just considered more "touchy feely" whereas MR was a bit more straight intellectual.
_________________
SR
ds-6, 8 Iyar 5764
dd- 5, 6 Kislev 5766
dd- 3, 18 Elul 5767
ds-9 months, 23 Adar 5770

Platinum Member Joined: Sep 20 2004 Posts: 17151

Posted: Tue, May 06 2008, 1:27 pm Post subject: re: Womens learning in Jerusalem

I went to Midreshet Rachel when I was married and pregnant. There is a very eclectic group of women there and for an Ivy leaguer it sounds good. There are some amazing teachers there. Rabbi Shurin (Rav Ya'akov Kamenetsky's grandson) runs the place with Rav Karlinsky. Both are amazing teachers. So are the other teachers.

I give it Thumbs Up

Neve is also an incredible school and probably has the best lineup of teachers. They have all the best speakers teaching there.
_________________
�All that is thought should not be said. All that is said should not be written. All that is written should not be published. All that is published should not be read.�
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk