Course Curriculum

Daily Schedule

The curriculum focuses on four major areas: Gemara, Halacha, Tanakh, and Jewish Thought and is unique among programs for young women in that the bulk of study revolves around the Beit Midrash. The curriculum combines classes and independent learning in hevruta (with study partners) in the Beit Midrash. Some of the classes are frontal lectures. Others are guided seminars, in which students do intensive, independent preparation in the Beit Midrash - where the teacher is available, if needed - and class time is devoted to active discussion. The goals of the curriculum for the One-Year Program are to expose each student to serious study in Gemara, Halacha, Jewish Thought and Tanach.

The daily learning in the Beit Midrash is divided into three main components. Three mornings a week are devoted to intense learning of Gemara BeIyun (Talmud study focusing on depth and conceptual analysis) and two mornings to Tanakh. Afternoons are devoted to shiurim on many different areas of learning. Evenings are devoted to hevruta learning in the areas of Bekiyut Gemara (Talmud study focusing on breadth of knowledge) and Jewish Thought. A faculty member assists each student in building a personal schedule that fits her specific needs and desires.

Morning Studies

Three mornings a week are devoted to Gemara BeIyun , from elementary to advanced levels, emphasizing understanding the sugiya from beginning to end, from Torah She’B’chtav, Mishnah and following the chain of Mesora through the Rishonim, Achronim and the scholars of our day. Great emphasis is placed, in the beginners shiurim, on developing independent learning skills, textual literacy in Gemara, and the mastery of the Aramaic language. The advanced shiur focuses on the sugya, in all its complexity. Most of this learning takes place in the Beit Midrash in hevruta learning with the Ram present to answer questions and help whenever necessary. After hevruta preparations, the class gathers for the Ram’s shiur.

Two mornings a week are devoted to study of Tanach. One morning is devoted to learning the entire Tanach (bekiyut) either individually or with a hevruta, at the rate of five chapters a day, under the tutelage of a scholar who gives a weekly shiur which includes an overview and analysis of each book, in terms of structure, content and hashkafa. The second morning is devoted to frontal classes in Tanach

Afternoon Study – There is a great variety of shiurim offered on topics in Halacha, Jewish Thought, and Tanakh. Each shiur focuses on different texts and emphasizes different approaches. In the beginning of the year, students are advised to attend all shiurim and before the winter, each student builds her own personalized schedule of shiurim and hevrutot. There is always learning going on in the Beit Midrash, and there are always teachers and more advanced students present to assist, guide and answer questions.

Night Seder – Two bekiyut programs are offered during night seder. Each student chooses a bekiyut option. The options are Gemara and Machshava. The learning is done in hevruta in the Beit Midrash and there is always a staff member present to help when necessary. There is a weekly shiur that gives the student guidance for those participating in each option.