College Learning Fellowship
​​The College Learning Fellowship is a weekly halakha shiur, taught by Rabba Amy Newman, about the human side of halakhic issues. This course will study cases where the posek/et must consider halakhic, meta-halakhic, or extra-halakhic imperatives such as tza'ar, kevod hatzibur, kevod habriyot, pikuach nefesh, kiddush hashem. Understanding these principles and applying them appropriately is crucial for psak halakha, and it is an art rather than a science. Through our exploration of cases where these concepts are central - including topics in medical ethics, mental health, disability and accessibility, gender inclusivity - we will try to understand what their role is (and what their role could be or perhaps should be) in a sensitive, humane halakhic process. All sources will be presented in their original, and is intended for students who feel comfortable navigating texts without access to a translation.
This class meets weekly on Zoom on Tuesday nights from 7:30-8:30 PM ET. Classes will begin in September and end in late April, with breaks for chagim and winter break. This shiur is open to people of all genders.
All fellows are invited to join the Collegiate Intensive that will take place in the Maharat Beit Midrash in Riverdale, NY the week of January 5 with domestic travel and housing for fellows provided by Maharat.​​​
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Join Collegiate Intensive and apply for the spring semester: Contact Dr. Rachel Rosenthal for questions.
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Meet the 2025-2026 College Learning Fellows
Rutie Afriat is from Los Angeles California. She previously studied at Midreshet Amudim and is currently studying Microbiology at UCLA. Rutie loves that learning allows her to participate in a chain of mesorah that connects her to her ancestors.
Arvind Asokan is from New Hampshire and is currently a junior at Stanford University studying Electrical Engineering. The thing he loves most about torah learning is how it allows him to uncover connections between logic, creativity, and human experience.
Ilana Bramson* is from Providence, Rhode Island. She is currently studying at the Joint Program with Columbia and JTS and is majoring in Jewish Text and Urban Studies with a specialization in Diaspora Studies. She hopes to be a Jewish Studies librarian.
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Ilana Brener is from Orlando, Florida. She is currently a student at the University of Florida where she is majoring in History. Her love of learning is stemmed from learning about different perspectives.
Tori Carroll is from Tampa, Florida and is currently studying at Fordham. She is getting her master’s degree in media management.
Leah Fischer is from East Brunswick, New Jersey and attends Binghamton University. She loves exploring questions of the gemara and examing the thought patterns behind them. She is studying social work and hopes to work as an advocate for prisoners.
Ayelet Lederman is from Silver Spring, Maryland and is an incoming sophomore at Binghamton University.
She loves learning new ideas, and is currently minoring in theatre.
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Mateo Levin is from Riverdale, NY. He is a Junior at Brandeis studying Jewish studies and business. He went on the Nativ gap year program and has spent time learning at the Conservative Yeshiva and Yeshivat Hadar. He loves learning Torah that challenges him to think in new ways.​
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Lee-El Messinger* is from New York, and attends Brandeis University. She is double majoring in History and Politics with minors in Legal Studies, Near Eastern Judaic Studies, and Women and Gender Studies. She loves to explore the intersections of law, politics, feminism, and Jewish studies to better understand how they shape justice and community.
Lilah Peck* is from Charlotte, North Carolina. She is currently a student at UCLA where she studies theatre and writing. She loves lidrosh–interpretating, engaging, making meaning and connecting with the infinitely rich Torah that came before us.
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Sophie Schonberger is from New Haven, Connecticut, and is majoring in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale. She loves to learn halakha because she enjoys understanding the "why" behind what we do, as it makes her feel more connected to God and to her community.
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Maya Tratt is from Westchester, New York and is back from a gap-year at Yeshivat Drisha in Kfar Etzion. She is currently a student at Yale. She is going to be focusing on history, literature, and philosophy. ​
*current ambassador