Israeli
field schools focused on nature and ecology who hold seminars and organize field trips.[1]
The term is most commonly used for educational institutes for women involved in Torah study, usually located in
Israel, but with examples elsewhere as well.
In the religious context, a midrasha is somewhat equivalent to the term
yeshiva (for men). The midrasha is also somewhat parallel to a "women's
seminary" (Hebrew סמינר "seminar",[1] plural "seminaries" or sometimes "seminaria"), which functions in a similar form, though often associated with more traditionalist communities. While the terms may sometimes become interchangeable, "midrashot" are commonly linked to
Religious Zionism, while the women's "seminaries" are usually associated with
Haredi Judaism. Also, the term midrasha may sometimes be used to refer to
pluralistic institutions.
Etymology; related terms
The word "midrasha" is based on the term beit midrash, "house of study"; the
root דרש means "to seek [knowledge]",[2] and is then generalized to mean "expound". It is
cognate with the
Arabic "madrasah," which also refers to a place of learning.
A midrasha that offers
degree studies is sometimes titled machon (מכון, institute) or michlalah (מכללה, college).
Religious
History
Founding Beit Yaakov Teachers' Seminary,
Kraków, Poland, and plaque detail
Midrashot and seminaries vary in curriculum and hashkafah, or outlook.[5][6] All cover the
Tanakh (Bible),
Jewish philosophy (often called
"Machshavah"), practicalHalacha (Jewish law; "Halacha LeMaaseh"), and
Hasidic philosophy /
Musar (character development);[1]
topics in
applied Jewish ethics, such as the
"laws of speech", are usually taught separately.
The
Jewish holidays are similarly often studied as a separate topic, "Ma'agal Hashana", in terms of both philosophy and Halacha; and Tefillah, "prayer", is covered 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.[6]
Midrashot
In Israel, young women attend Midrasha for one year, either before or following their Sherut Leumi (national civic service); a second year is sometimes offered. Programs often emphasize Machshavah, deepening their students' religious identity at this life-stage;[a] this may include specific study of the writings of
Rav Kook, and/or Torat Eretz Yisrael in general. At Midrashot, the treatment of the Tanakh and Machshavah, is typically text-focused, built around
chavruta-based study
as at yeshivot.[6] This entails paired-study where assigned sources are prepared for a shiur, a lecture delivered as a discursive-review. At some institutions, the
Talmud is directly studied, as at men's yeshivot, if less intensively;[b] others treat Talmud similar to seminaries, as below. Regardless, Halachah 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 and Lindenbaum, the treatment is Talmud-based; see also
Drisha Institute.[7]
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 – may be studied, but only in the context of other classes, especially philosophy and Musar;[c] the only
section of Talmud studied directly is Pirkei Avot, comprising ethical teachings
and maxims. These institutions relatedly assign less weight to textual skills,[6] with content delivered primarily via lecture. As appropriate to the program in question, formal
teacher training and certification is often provided.[8][9] Parallel to their academic content, most Seminaries also focus on
the role of women in Torah[6] (several Midrashot similarly),[10] covering topics such as[8]Tzniut (modesty), Shalom Bayit ("domestic harmony") and Chinuch (education of one's children), and preparing students for the role of
akeres habayis, or "household mainstay".[11][12] These classes often emphasize "values", as opposed to sources.[6][d]Hasidic-aligned institutions are positioned in line with the Seminaries; their curricula differ in that they emphasize
the works of their respective
Rebbe, 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 women attend midrasha or "sem" in Israel, for a year or two ("shana bet"[12]) following high school; several midrashot and seminaries offer specific programs here, for example Shana Ba'aretz at Nishmat, or the "Overseas Program" at
Midreshet HaRova. Additional to Torah study, as above, these programs often include an element of yediat ha'aretz ("knowledge of the Land") comprising
touring of Israel,
Shabbatons in various communities, seminars with journalists and politicians, and typically[6] 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,
Mayanot, and
Machon Roni;
Machon Chana is US based.
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; (
master's level) specializations are often offered in Tanakh or Machshavah.
The year in Midrasha is sometimes integrated with the college program.[3]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 ten courses in Judaism[14][15]).
Machon Tal,[10] 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;[12] (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. Stern graduates often pursue Torah topics at the Masters level, through the
Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies.
In recent years[e] some midrashot offer specialized programs in Halacha, 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 Tahara, or
Family purity;[16] Lindenbaum, through a joint program,[17] prepares women as
to'anot, advocates in
religious courts for
matters relating to divorce.[18]
Three programs mirror
the Rabbinate's
ordination requirement for men: Ein Hanetziv trains students as "Teachers of Halacha",[19] Lindenbaum in "Halachik leadership"[20] and Matan as "Halachik
Respondents".[21] Yeshiva University's "GPATS",[22] offers women graduate-students a
Master's program in advanced Talmud and Halacha, such that they are "credentialed" for communal leadership roles.
Within the Orthodox community, continuing-education programs for women, similar to these, are also commonly offered.[28]
In Israel, popular offerings are those of
Matan[29] and
Emunah,[30] while Midreshet Afikim[31] is a program for high-school students;
Mizrachi's "Lapidot" program, [32] among others, comprises weekly training for teachers in Mishna, Gemara and Halacha, and Machshava.
The
London School of Jewish Studies' Women's Midrasha series[33] similarly provides regular text-based classes; other
UK based programs include "Ma'ayan",[34] emphasizing Tahara, and "Bradfield",[35] preparing community educators and leaders.
In South Africa, "Isha Bekia"[36] is a textual-skill centered program. Many diaspora synagogues host a "campus midrasha" or suchlike, [37] 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 term Midrasha is also used for programs where high school students can continue their Jewish education post
bar /
bat mitzvah.[38]
''Eshkolot'' [
he], an umbrella organization for regional educational tour centers focused on Jewish-Israeli identity awareness, operates "midrashot" aimed at knowledge of the
Land of Israel.
Oranim Academic College of Education: Established in 1951 as Seminar Oranim, it was part of the
Kibbutz Movement and trained educators for every level, with a focus on kibbutz schools, and including for work with
new immigrants; since the mid-1990's it has been accredited as an academic college of education by the
Israeli "Council for Higher Education", expanding and partly refocusing its activities.[39] Oranim operates several programs called Midrasha. The HaMidrasha educational center for the renewal of Jewish life in Israel was established in 1989 for non-orthodox Jewish Israelis and promotes an Israeli-Zionist approach to Jewish identity.[40]Midreshet Natur is a collaborative
beit midrash with religious and secular participants, and Madrassa/Midrasha pursues Arab–Jewish coexistence in the
Galilee through education.[41]
Secular
Midreshet Ben-Gurion – also known as Midreshet Sde Boker – is an educational center and boarding school in the south.