The traditional structure of yeshiva study (three sedarim of Gemara study in chevrutawith shiurim from a Rebbe) was developed to educate young men in 19th century Eastern Europe. Unlike the curriculum and format of a traditional yeshiva, these kinds of activities, lead by the students under the guidance of the Yeshivat Har El faculty, will take advantage of the special skills and experiences of college graduates in the 21stcentury. By building on the very strengths that our students bring to the yeshiva, we will not only create a curriculum that teaches more content, but reinforce their educations by showing how the same characteristics of independent thinking and investigation developed in a university can strengthen their faith and service of God.
Student Presentations
We believe that the study of Torah “for its own sake,” lishma, without ulterior motive is both liberating and transformative. It is the cornerstone of personal growth in Torah and is indispensable in creating the authentic yeshiva experience.
The opportunity for a yeshiva student to completely immerse himself in the study of Torah, before he has worldly responsibilities of family and earning a livelihood, is a memory he can revisit to regenerate his love of, and commitment to Torah for the rest of his life.
The challenge of a ‘lishma environment’ is that without clear cut goals to direct one’s time and effort, the learning environment can become lethargic.
We must maintain a healthy tension in the learning environment while not sacrificing the beauty and power of the study of Torahlishma.
We believe that this can be achieved by having the students be responsible to one another.
In order then, to promote mutual commitment, accountability and community the following elements will be integrated into our program.
Writing workshop
In the creative writing workshop, we will deepen our religious and Jewish identity through the medium of creativity. Each session will begin with learning a short passage from one of the traditional Jewish texts: a midrash, a Hasidic story, a short passage from the Guide to the Perplexed, etc. This text will then be the springboard for the actual writing exercise, which will always try to focus on a Jewish theme. Rabbi Nachman wrote that “the imagination is the cornerstone of faith.” We believe that the imagination can be a gateway for a person to enter the palace of devekut and faith.
Great books
Pursuant to our intention to prepare our students to engage the world, we will integrate the following subjects into the yeshiva curriculum in a way which will not compromise the intensity of the Torah studies. We will produce a reading list of essential books on these subjects. The students will meet regularly to discuss these books. At times students themselves will be responsible to moderate the discussion.
v Philosophy
v Psychology
v Gender studies
v Political science
v Economics
A partial list of great books:
- Descartes, “Meditations on First Philosophy”
- John Stuart Mill, “On Liberty”
- Sigmund Freud, “The Psychopathology of Everyday Life”
- Adam Smith, “The Wealth of Nations”
- John Kenneth Galbraith, “The Affluent Society”
- Ian Barbour, “Science and Religion”
- Mircea Eliade, “The Myth of the Eternal Return”
Students will be expected to present to their peers. They will write their presentation for posting on our website.
Goal orientation
The learning day will begin with each student writing for themselves the tangible goals for the day and sharing them with their peers.
Distinctive activities
In addition there will be special seminar days (yemei iyyun) dealing with pressing issues such as:
- Differing paths to avodat HaShem: Breslav, Chabad, Non- Hasidic Litvish, “new age”
- Democracy and Torah in a modern state
- Universal concerns, social justice and environmental awareness
- Relations with the Other: non-observant, non-Jew
- The changing roles of men and women. Human sexuality.
- Science and religion
Shabbat
The light of Friday’s setting sun on the stones of the Old City of Jerusalem ushers in a sacred time to absorb and contemplate the lessons and experiences of the week past.
Shabbat at the yeshiva will be a time for personal reflection and coming together as a group. Students, teachers and their families will get to know each other in a more relaxed spiritual context. Shiurim, divrei Torah and tischim will be part of our Shabbat experience
