Batsheva Learning Center launched their women’s Beis Midrash program two years ago with the vision of giving young Chabad women the opportunity to engage in immersive, text-based Torah learning. The program is designed to make the students active participants in the learning process, with the bulk of the learning time dedicated to guided chavrusa learning. A facilitator guides the students through the original sources of the topic at hand, building tools for independent study that last a lifetime. The chavrusa learning is supplemented with weekly shiurim; past teachers have included. Rabbi Michoel Lerner, Rabbi Berel Levin, Rabbi Yossi Barber, Rabbi Reuven Leigh, Rabbi Tzvi Freeman, and Rabbi Chanoch Golomb.
Over the past two years, a total of 18 students have gone through the Beis Midrash. Eight out of ten students from the first year’s cohort returned for a second year, and some are even coming back for a third. What keeps them coming back is in large part the transformative nature of learning Halacha and Chassidus in depth, from the original sources. As Leah put it: “For the first time in my life, I feel like the halachos are mine, not just something that was told to me…And the consistent, in-depth learning of chassidus every day, deepened my relationship with Hashem, gave me much more clarity on my inner workings, and gave me a strong sense of purpose in my life mission as a Jew.”
Another major component of the program is the positive environment and camaraderie in the Beis Midrash.
“I honestly never want to miss a day of Beis Medrash,” shared Devorah Leah Gerber. “…everyone is so genuine and we’re all there because we want to be there.”
In addition to the learning provided, the Beis Midrash program builds in extracurriculars like farbrengens, group shabbos meals, and after-hours learning to foster the sense of community and further cement both the ideas and the skills gained during learning hours.
For this upcoming year, the Beis Midrash course offerings are doubling. In addition to the preexisting Halacha and Chassidus tracks, there will be all-new Tanya and Gemara courses. Also, while in past years both courses have run in the afternoon, the upcoming year will feature morning options as well. This will allow the program to work for a wider range of schedules as well as provide the opportunity for a full day learning experience.
The staff for the coming year includes facilitators Simi Hecht, Devorah Silberstein, Tzivi Greenbaum, and Miriam Goldberg, and there will be shiurim given by Rabbi Michoel Lerner and Rabbi Chanoch Golomb.
More information for the upcoming year at this link:
www.batshevalearningcenter.com/beismidrash. Registration closes Sunday, August 4th/29 Tammuz.
https://www.batshevalearningcenter.com/beismidrash