Bais Yaakov or Beit Yaakov or Beth Jacob (literally "House [of] Jacob" in Hebrew) is a loosely-organized group of Orthodox Jewish day 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. Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than 6 million people, mainly in Israel, the West Bank, the United States and by Jewish communities around the world. ... Orthodox Judaism is the stream of Judaism which adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmud (The Oral Law) and later codified in the Shulkhan Arukh (Code of Jewish Law). It is governed by these works and the Rabbinical commentary... // The word Jew (Hebrew: יהודי transliterated: Yehudi) is used in many ways, but generally refers to a follower of Judaism, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity; and often a combination of these attributes. ... This article is about the second book in the Torah. ... Over at least the last two thousand years, Judaism has not been monolithic in practice, and has not had any centralized authority or binding dogma. ... Yeshiva or yeshivah (Hebrew: ישיבה pl. ...

History

The Bais Yaakov movement was started by seamstress Sarah Schenirer in 1917 in Krakow, Poland. At that time there was no formalized system of Jewish education for girls and young Jewish women, and Schenirer felt that providing young women with a thorough education would help combat assimilation. She started a school of her own and also trained other women to teach and set up similar schools in other cities throughout Europe. 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... This article needs cleanup. ... A satellite composite image of Europe // Etymology Picture of Europa, carried away by bull-shaped Zeus. ...

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. Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 7 million military deaths World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-20th century conflict that engulfed much of the globe and is accepted as the largest and deadliest... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the...

Current

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. 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. Haredi or Charedi Judaism, often also called ultra-Orthodox Judaism, is the most theologically conservative form of Orthodox Judaism. ... World Agudath Israel (The World Israelite Union) was established in the early twentieth century as the political arm of Orthodox Judaism. ...

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. Tzeniut (or Tznius) (Hebrew: צניעות, modesty) is a term used within Judaism. ...

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

Curriculum

Most Bais Yaakov schools in America teach Judaic studies in the mornings and a college preparatory program of secular studies in the afternoons. Judaic studies curricula usually include study of Torah (commonly referred to as Chumash), Nevi'im (Prophets), and other parts of the Hebrew Bible; instruction in Hebrew language; Jewish history; and study of practical halakha (Jewish law). Torah (תורה) is a Hebrew word meaning teaching, instruction, or law. ... Neviim [נביאים] or Prophets is the second of the three major sections in the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible). ... 11th century manuscript of the Hebrew Bible with Targum This article discusses usage of the term Hebrew Bible. For the article on the Hebrew Bible itself, see Tanakh. ... Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than 6 million people, mainly in Israel, the West Bank, the United States and by Jewish communities around the world. ... Jewish history is the history of the Jewish people, faith (Judaism) and culture. ... Halakha (Hebrew: הלכה; also transliterated as Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish rabbinic law, custom and tradition. ...

The text of the Old Testament is studied alongside commentary known as "Oral Law", which Orthodox Jews believe was passed down along with the written Old Testament to Moses on Sinai. Orthodox Jews believe that it is impossible to study the written Torah without the Oral Torah, so Bais Yaakov girls are taught to read commentary, especially Rashi when they begin to learn Torah. Rashi Rashi (February 22, 1040 – July 17, 1105) is the acronym of Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac (or: Shlomo Yitzchaki). ...

The curriculum of Bais Yaakov differs from that of male Yeshivot, in that a core component of study for males is the Talmud. Girls in Bais Yaakov do not learn law from the Talmud, as Haredi Jews believe that Talmud is forbidden, inappropriate, and/or not essential for girls to study. This contrasts with the ideology of many Modern Orthodox schools which increasingly are teaching Talmud to women.

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

Locations

Branches exist in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Saint Louis, Toronto, and other cities with large Orthodox populations.

Hasidic schools

Schools for girls within the Hasidic world share the same values, outlook, methodology, and aims of the mitnagdic non-Hasidic Haredi schools. However, they will place a greater emphasis in 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. Hasidic Judaism (from the Hebrew: Chasidut חסידות, meaning pious, from the Hebrew root word chesed חסד meaning loving kindness) is a Haredi Jewish religious movement. ... Mitnagdim (also: misnagdim) is a Hebrew word (מתנגדים) meaning opponents; this term was used to refer to European religious Jews who opposed Hasidic Judaism. ... Rebbe is a title that may be given to a rabbi in Orthodox Judaism, particular in Hasidic Judaism. ... Yiddish (ייִדיש, Jiddisch) is a Germanic language spoken by about four million Jews throughout the world. ...

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

• Bais Rochel for the Satmar Hasidic girls' schools.
• Bais Rivka or Bais Chaya Mushka or Bais Chana for the Chabad Lubavitch girls' schools.
• Bnos Zion for the Bobov girls' schools.
• Bnos Belz or Bnos Malak for Belz girls' schools.
• Bnos Vizhnitz for Vizhnitz girls' schools.

Satmar (חסידות סאטמער) is a dynasty of Hasidic Judaism which originated in the Hungarian town of Satu Mare (Szatmárnémeti in Hungarian), originally part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and presently located in Romania). ... Bais Rivka (or Beth Rivkah) is the name used for the Bais Yaakov-type private girls schools of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic movement. ... Chaya Mushka (Moussia) Schneerson (March 16, 1901-February 10, 1988) referred to by Lubavitchers as The Rebbetzin was the wife of Menachem Mendel Schneerson the seventh and last Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch branch of Hasidic Judaism. ... Chabad Lubavitch, or Lubavich, is one of the largest branches of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi . ... Bobov, (or Bobover Hasidism) (חסידות באבוב) is a Hasidic group within Haredi Judaism originating in Bobowa, Southern Poland and now headquartered in the neighborhood of Borough Park in Brooklyn, New York. ... The third Belzer Rebbe, Yissachar Dov Rokeach Belz (חסידות בעלז) is a Hasidic dynasty named after the town of Belz, a small town originally located in eastern Poland, presently in Ukraine. ... Vizhnitz or Vizhnitzer Hasidim are a Haredi group of Hasidic Jews. ...

See also

• Rebbetzin
• Role of women in Judaism
• Yeshiva

Rebbetzin (in Yiddish, or Rabbanit in Hebrew) is the title used for the wife of (usually) an Orthodox, or Haredi, and Hasidic rabbi. ... The role of women in Judaism is determined by the Hebrew Bible, Talmud (oral law), tradition and by non-religious cultural factors. ... Yeshiva or yeshivah (Hebrew: ישיבה pl. ...

External links and references

• Sarah Schenirer: The Mother of Generations article from The Jewish Observer
• The Contribution of German Chareidim to the New Yishuv article from Deiah veDibur