Midrasha

The Haredi aligned seminaries - for example Beth Jacob Jerusalem, and the Gateshead Jewish Academy for Girls - are modeled on the Bais Yaakov movement's teacher-training seminary established by Sarah Schenirer 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" [2] was founded in 1933, and Jerusalem's "Beis Yaakov Institute for Teachers" [3] in 1939; the first Seminary in the USA was established by Vichna Kaplan in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 1941. See Bais Yaakov #History and, for further context, Telshe Yeshiva #Yavneh.

The Religious Zionist and Modern Orthodox midrashot began to be established in the late 1970s, parallel to the Hesder yeshivot;[4] these include the Religious Kibbutz Movement's Midreshet Ein HaNetziv, Midreshet Lindenbaum, and Migdal Oz, sister school of Yeshivat Har Etzion. Precedent, is the Mizrachi Teachers Training College, today's Lifshitz College of Education, which was established in Jerusalem in 1921 (Lindenbaum was the first established independent of a teacher's college [4]). The largest Midrasha is at Bar-Ilan University, with 800 students in its various programs.[5] A midrasha that offers degree studies is sometimes called a machon (מכון‎, institute). The word "midrasha" is based on the term beit midrash, "house of study"; the root דרש means "to seek [knowledge]",[6] and is then generalized to mean "expound". It is cognate with the Arabic "madrasah," which also refers to a place of learning.

Midrashot and seminaries vary in curriculum and hashkafah, or outlook. [7] All cover Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Jewish philosophy, Halacha (Jewish law), and Hasidus / Musar (character development);[1] topics in applied Jewish ethics, such as the "laws of speech", are often studied separately. See Yeshiva #Curriculum for the general content of each topic. 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.[7]

Most Haredi and Hasidic seminaries offer certificates, and sometimes degrees, in Education. The two year certificates are jointly through the Szold Institute, and are recognized by the Israel Ministry of Education as equivalent to the national matriculation.[11] Chabad's Beth Rivkah offers a B.A. and M.A. jointly with the Shaanan Religious College of Education; "Beth Chanah", its affiliated program in Tzfat and Jerusalem, offers a 2 year certificate. JCT's Lustig Campus in Ramat Gan hosts degree programs for Haredi and Hasidic women; see also The Haredi Campus - The Academic College Ono.

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. degree; (masters' level) specializations are often offered in Tanakh or Machshavah. The year in Midrasha is sometimes integrated with the college program. [4] Bar-Ilan University 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 seven courses in Judaism[12]). Machon Tal, [9] associated with JCT, the Jerusalem College of Technology, similarly offers degrees in engineering and management. Female faculty at Midrashot often hold Doctorates; usually from Bar-Ilan.

Most Seminaries and midrashot for English-speaking students are accredited by American colleges; see Yeshiva #College credit. 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 (Yeshiva University) combines Torah and University studies, as at Bar-Ilan; the Haredi Lander College for Women similarly.

In recent years some midrashot offer specialized programs in Halakha, comprising Talmud-intensive source study, with certifying examinations on the relevant sections of codified law in the Shulchan Aruch. Nishmat trains women as Yoatzot Halacha, advisors in the laws of Family purity; [13] Lindenbaum, through a joint program, [14] prepares women as to'anot, advocates in religious courts for matters relating to divorce.[15] Three programs mirror the Rabbinate’s ordination requirement for men: Ein Hanetziv trains students as "Teachers of Halacha", [16] Lindenbaum in "Halachik leadership" [17] and Matan as "Halachik Respondents". [18] Yeshiva University offers women students a masters level program in advanced Talmud and Halacha.[19] For further discussion, see Women rabbis and Torah scholars #Orthodox Judaism.

As above, the term Midrasha is sometimes used for pluralistic, as opposed to orthodox, institutions. These are usually structured around continuing / adult education, and accept both men and women. Examples in Israel are the Ein Prat Midrasha[20] and the Midrasha [21]at the Oranim Academic College; elsewhere, the Melton School's Midrasha in Cape Town. [22] Oranim, in partnership with the Shalom Hartman Institute,[23] offers a pluralistic ordination to both men and women. [24]

Within the Orthodox community, continuing-education programs of this type are also offered, for example by Matan [25] and Emunah; [26] these are limited to women. Midreshet Afikim[27] is a similar program for high-school students. Many synagogues 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 term Midrasha is also used for programs where high school students can continue their Jewish education post bar / bat mitzvah. [28]

Midreshet Ben-Gurion - also known as Midreshet Sde Boker - is an educational center and boarding school in southern Israel. Eshkolot operates "midrashot" aimed at knowledge of the land of Israel. Beit Berl College's school of art is called "HaMidrasha".

• Beis Yaakov
• Beth Rivkah § Post secondary institutions
• Female seminary
• Haredi Judaism § Education
• Hashkafa § Gender roles
• Jewish education § Girls' education
• List of Midrashot & List of yeshivas, midrashas and Hebrew schools in Israel § Midrashas
• Maharat - an Open Orthodox (or "Neo-Conservative") Yeshiva in North America that ordains women
• Orthodox Judaism § Diversity
• Religious Zionism § Educational institutions
• Ulpana
• WebYeshiva - advanced course-based Torah study for men and women, including the 3 year "Halacha Mastery Program"
• Women in Judaism and esp. #Views on the education of women
• Women rabbis and Torah scholars § Orthodox Judaism