Drisha Institute

The Drisha Institute for Jewish Education is a center for advanced Jewish studies which caters specifically to women. The institute is located on the Upper West Side of New York City.

More recently, Drisha has begun to reach out to college-aged men and women, in an effort to create a community of young adults devoted to learning Torah and Talmud and serving the community.^[1]

Educational Programs

Drisha offers full-time programs, summer institutes, classes for engaged couples, summer programs for high school girls, a Bat Mitzvah program, four seasonal continuing education programs, High Holiday prayer services, and community lectures. The Scholars Circle is a three year program which closely follows the traditional Orthodox semicha program for men.^[2] During the summer of 2010, Drisha offered its first co-educational learning program during the month of June. Accepting only 60 students, this highly competitive fellowship was made up of college students from nearly 25 universities. Such a groundbreaking endeavor allowed for these students to study Jewish texts in an inclusive environment, fostering an open intellectual approach to traditional modes of learning.^[3]

History

Drisha was founded in 1979 by Rabbi David Silber as the world's first center dedicated specifically to women's study of classical Jewish texts.^[4][5]

On August 18, 1996, Drisha graduated its first female Talmud scholars (Devorah Zlochower, Leora Bednarsh, and Laura Steiner).^[6]

Leadership

External links

• Drisha Institute

References

1. ^ http://www.thejewishweek.com/blogs/gary_rosenblatt/will_women_only_torah_study_soon_become_old_school
2. ^ http://www.drisha.org/scholarscircle.html
3. ^ http://www.thejewishweek.com/blogs/gary_rosenblatt/will_women_only_torah_study_soon_become_old_school
4. ^ http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1087780.html
5. ^ http://jwa.org/thisweek/aug/18/1996/dije
6. ^ http://jwa.org/thisweek/aug/18/1996/dije