Melbourne Launches Post-Sem

A new program of dedicated post-Seminary learning for girls has revolutionized the Jewish learning and connection in Melbourne, Australia.

Bais Rivkah Secondary school and Ohel Chana Seminary have joined forces to fill the void felt in the community.

Mrs. Tenenbaum of Beth Rivkah and Rabbi Tenenbaum of Ohel Chana realized the need to provide their graduates with opportunities for continued limud hatorah in a structured way.

“Each year more and more of our graduates returned to Melbourne to work/study/do shlichus locally, after they had finished seminary,” Rabbi Tenenbaum said.

While there are very good shiurim within the Melbourne Yeshivah Chabad community, the offerings of shiurim for post seminary girls have been scattered and there was a real need for such a serious learning program.

“Even more importantly is the need for a program to help alumnae find a place to belong in a social group of like-minded peers with similar Hashkafa and background,” Rabbi Tenenbaum said.

All this led to the launch of the BROC post seminary learning program, launched right before Tishrei.

“There is no other girls-only program in Melbourne with learning at this level,” Tenenbaum says.

The program began with a ‘soft launch’ series before Tishrei, with weekly shiurim in preparation for the Yomim Noraim.

Shiurim were presented by Mrs. Beruria Tenenbaum, Mrs. Yael Schneier and Rabbi Levy Tenenbaum. This was supplemented with a Farbrengen for Chai Elul and a hugely successful paint night on Motsei Shabbos Vav TIshrei. Facilitated by Zahava Pinson, 25 girls painted their own personalized canvas to enhance this special day.

Rabbi Aron Moss visited from Sydney to officially launch the program at the grand launch event, where nearly thirty girls enjoyed a fascinating shiur on “The purpose of being single” while enjoying wonderfully catered finger food and a great atmosphere.

The girls have now settled into regular programming with two evenings a week of intense shiurim on Chassidus, Gemara and Tanach.

Some of our great teachers who will be delivering shiurim are Rabbi Shmulik Hilel, Rabbi Menachem Wolf, Mrs. Rickel Cohen, Mrs. Musha Krasnjansky, Rabbi Yacov Glasman and Mrs. Chaya Cowen. Everyone is looking forward to a Yud Tes Kislev Farbrengen and a huge Chanukah rooftop supper event.

“In researching the need for this program, girls identified that returning to Melbourne was particularly hard when you are not ‘part of something,'” Rabbi Tenenbaum says.

“It was evident that in the formative gap years between finishing school/seminary and starting their own homes, girls are craving to belong and to have a community of likeminded girls of a similar age to be a part of.”

The program is based in the Beit Midrash at BRS, which is upstairs in Bais Rivkah Secondary school. The recently renovated space has a capacity for 30-40 girls and is a welcoming and warm environment. Rabbi Levy Tenenbaum and Mrs. Yael Schneier are coordinating the program and would love you to be a part of it!

For more information if you would like to launch something similar in your community or to get involved contact us at: [email protected] [email protected]