Bais Yaakov

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Bais Yaakov (בית יעקב or Beit Yaakov or Beth Jacob -- literally "House [of] Jacob" in Hebrew) is a loosely organized group of Orthodox (mostly Haredi) full-time Jewish schools throughout the world for young Jewish females from religious families.

The name comes from a verse in Exodus 19:3, in which the term "house of Jacob" is traditionally understood in Judaism to refer to the female segment of the Jewish nation. Orthodox Jewish males usually attend schools known as yeshivas.

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[edit] History

The Bais Yaakov movement was started by seamstress Sarah Schenirer in 1917 in Kraków, Poland. At that time there was no formalized system of Jewish education for girls and young Jewish women, and Sarah Schenirer felt that providing young women with a thorough education would help combat assimilation. She started a school of her own and trained other women to teach and set up similar schools in other cities throughout Europe.

After World War II, Jews who came to North America and Israel established girls' schools of the same name, although some claim that the educational philosophy differs slightly from that of the original Bais Yaakov schools.

[edit] Current

[edit] Educational approach

The educational policies of most Bais Yaakov schools is generally that of Haredi Judaism and the Agudath Israel movement. In accordance with the differences between the Israeli and American Haredi communities, there are slight variations in outlook and philosophy between Israeli and American Bais Yaakov schools. Israeli Bais Yaakov schools may de-emphasize the secular content of the curriculum and may not always allow the girls to study from texts, whereas in North America the girls frequently receive a far better secular education and may rely more on texts. Large cities may have several Bais Yaakov schools, each with small variations in philosophy, typically over the importance placed on secular studies and/or accommodations made to secular values.

Students are required to wear uniforms which conform to the rules of Tzniut ("modesty"). Uniforms differ from school to school but typically consist of a long pleated skirt, oxford shirt, and sweater or sweatshirt.

The schools' primary purpose is to prepare students to be good Jews, mothers, and wives, and secular studies are secondary, though still considered important.

[edit] Curriculum

Most non-Hasidic Bais Yaakov schools in America teach Judaic studies in the mornings and a college preparatory program of secular studies in the afternoons. Judaic studies usually include study of Torah (commonly referred to as Humash), Nevi'im (Prophets), and other parts of the Hebrew Bible; instruction in Hebrew language; Jewish history; and study of practical halakha (Jewish law).

The Tanakh is studied alongside commentaries. Orthodox Judaism teaches that it is impossible to fully understand the written Torah without the commentaries, so Bais Yaakov girls are taught to read commentary, especially Rashi when they begin to learn Torah.

The curriculum of Bais Yaakov differs from that of male Yeshivas, in that a core component of study for males is the Talmud. Girls in Bais Yaakovs do not learn law from the Talmud, as Haredi Judaism discourages the teaching of Talmud to girls. This contrasts with the outlook of many Modern Orthodox Jewish day schools, which increasingly teach Talmud to women.

Schools in Israel tend to include less secular material and instead focus on Judaic studies.

[edit] Locations

Branches exist in most North American cities with large populations of Orthodox Jews such as New York, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Denver, St. Louis, Toronto, Lakewood, Passaic, Monsey, and in most Israeli cities. Branches are also found in major Jewish centers in Europe, such as London, Antwerp and Moscow, and in other Jewish centers around the world.

[edit] Hasidic schools

Schools for girls within the Hasidic world share the same values, outlook, methodology, and aims of the non-Hasidic Haredi (that are sometimes called "misnagdim") schools. However, they will place a greater emphasis on the teachings of their individual Hasidic Rebbes and much of the instruction will be conducted in Yiddish, which is still the home language for most Hasidic families in the world today.

While schools for young Hasidic females are part of the Bais Yaakov movement, they often take on different names, such as:

[edit] See also

[edit] Judaism's views

[edit] Non-Jewish views

[edit] References

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