core semikha program
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The core maharat semikha program
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Taught over four years, the program combines the traditional Orthodox semikha curriculum focused on mastery of key sections of Jewish law with insightful pastoral education and practical rabbinic skills.
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the yeshiva trains students in
(a) Halakha and Gemara — The Belz Center for Halakhic Studies offers the classical skills required for p’sak halakha through mastery of relevant sections of Gemara, Rishonim, Tur, Beit Yosef, Shulkan Arukh and contemporary teshuvot.
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(b) Pastoral Torah — Pastoral Torah is a specially designed curriculum that integrates Jewish text with a grounding in the range of mental health experienced in different life situations. Students gain psychological and spiritual insights enabling them to becoming effective spiritual counselors.
(c) Leadership Development — The Lindenbaum Center for 21st Century Rabbinic Leadership equips students with the entrepreneurial skills to drive growth and innovation in various organizations.
The combination of these three components positions our graduates to serve as forward-thinking, visionary religious leaders who are grounded and fluent in halakhic literature and also have a well-developed sense of what it means to be present for another individual or the community at large.
halakha and gemara
Students attain expertise of the following areas of Halakha: niddah, shabbat, kashrut, aveilut, geirut, brakhot, tefilah, beit k'nesset and moadim in the Belz Center for Halakhic Studies. Students immerse themselves in the relevant sugyot from the Gemara as well as the sweep of Halakhic literature through the present day. Students will hone their skills in reading Gemara on both an in-depth level and across a broad swath of topics.
pastoral torah
Pastoral Torah is a unique integrated pastoral, spiritual, and leadership training curriculum that employs Torah texts alongside contemporary social sciences to grapple with key issues of human life and development, while also developing leadership skills of Yeshivat Maharat students. Over the course of a career in clergy, one will be called upon to tend to the sick, mediate marital and family disputes, and escort souls through the vicissitudes of life. Pastoral Torah creates a uniquely integrated rabbinate—a rabbinate that joins the head and the heart, that recognizes the life wisdom of Torah and the Torah roots of spirituality and pastoral care. In their first year students will learn how to be a sensitive and thoughtful rabbi. In subsequent years they will move through Jewish lifecycle events and study both the practicalities of how rabbis show up and the pastoral roles that rabbis will be called on to play.
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leadership development
Serving 21st century communities as a spiritual leader requires an ability to think creatively, manage effectively, deliver inspiring divrei Torah, teach thoughtful and informative classes, and lead lifecycle and other events in the life of a congregant. The Lindenbaum Center for 21st Century Rabbinic Leadership enables students to deepen their skills in homiletics, practical rabbinics, entrepreneurship, and adaptive leadership skills.
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for more information please contact:
Admissions: admissions@yeshivatmaharat.org​​​
Rabbanit Liz Shayne, Director of Academic Affairs: eshayne@yeshivatmaharat.org