Torah Learning Doesn’t End After Seminary

Seminary is over. What’s next?

Most young women leaving their first or second year of seminary are looking to ‘start their lives’. That generally means finding a career path or a shlichus that aligns with their skills and interests, feels personally fulfilling and that will hopefully bring in some savings for the future when they’ll need to support a family.

Making time to continue their journey of Torah learning can be challenging, especially when they no longer have the infrastructure of school to help make it happen.

Batsheva Learning Center’s Beis Midrash program is changing this narrative, offering young women in Crown Heights (and beyond) with the opportunity to immerse themselves in advanced Torah study in a warm, supportive and intellectually stimulating environment.

The program offers both in-person and online options to accommodate different schedules and locations. The Crown Heights-based program provides in-person learning from 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM daily, allowing women to engage directly with teachers and peers in a vibrant and welcoming learning environment. The online Program offers virtual learning from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM EST, making advanced Torah study accessible to women worldwide.

Students can choose to join one or both tracks that are offered at the program. The Chassidus track gives students the opportunity to delve into hemshechim and maamarim (such as heshech Ranat and Samech vov) that many have never been exposed to before. Through chavrusa learning and in-depth shiurim, they develop skills for learning Chassidus independently and master core ideas in Chassidus. The halacha track explores foundational topics in halacha (such as kashrus, brachos and tefilla) from the original sources in the Gemara, Rishonim and Acharonim. The groundbreaking curriculum, developed specially for this program, gives students the chance to learn halacha in a whole new way, giving them a deep appreciation for the richness and complexity of the halachic process.

“When I tell people what we learned at Batsheva Learning Center, they’re like, ‘What? Women are learning this today?’ And I’m like, ‘Yes, we are!'” shared Musya Deren, an alumna of the program. Musya explains how the learning structure at the Beis Midrash cultivates an environment where intrinsic motivation drives learning. “The actual environment of learning is so productive. Everyone is there because they want to learn. No one’s there because they feel the need or because they feel that they have to. And so everyone’s motivated to push themselves.” This atmosphere of genuine curiosity and commitment creates a unique learning experience. Students tackle their learning with enthusiasm and determination, supporting each other through complex topics and difficult texts.

One of the most cherished aspects of the Beis Midrash experience is the strong sense of community it creates. The shared journey of wrestling with Torah sources and ideas forms bonds that go deeper than typical social connections. “You’re learning in an environment of a sisterhood,” explains Musya. “Learning develops relationships faster. You don’t have to skip a few steps. Everyone feels very connected to each other and very supportive of each other.” These relationships provide both emotional support and intellectual stimulation, creating a network of like-minded women committed to growth through Torah learning.

Perhaps the most profound impact of Batsheva’s Beis Midrash is how it transforms participants’ relationship with Torah from a temporary school requirement to an essential, ongoing part of life.

“My whole life, I thought that after I’m finished seminary, I graduate from learning. What Batsheva Learning Center was able to bring into my life is that this is actually the start of my learning,” shares Menucha Minkowitz, a third year student at the program. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to continue my life without having a real space of learning. For now, I am very grateful to Batsheva Learning Center for giving me the space to be able to sit down, open up, see the richness, the beauty of Torah inside, and by making it so real that it permeates my being.”

For more information about the Batsheva Learning Center’s Beis Midrash program, visit their website at www.batshevalearningcenter.com/beismidrash