Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies
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Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies

Welcome

Nowhere in North America can women enjoy greater range and depth of Torah study than at Yeshiva University's Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies, which offers the country's largest and most diverse undergraduate Jewish studies program for women. Our program is designed to expose students to the beauty of Torah study and the richness of Jewish tradition. We offer valuable training in rigorous thought, exposure to research methods and opportunities for independent work. Students learn across a curriculum that includes courses in Bible, Hebrew language, Jewish history, Jewish philosophy and Judaic law.
Regardless of focus, all students engage with the textual analysis of Jewish works in the Hebrew and Aramaic originals, through hakhanah, chavruta and shiurim. The structure of the learning and committed faculty result in genuine relationships that personalize, deepen and distinguish each student's education. The Jewish studies faculty are not only accomplished scholars and moral exemplars; they provide guidance on how to live an ethical life.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies is:

  • To build students’ knowledge and analytic skills in the study of Bible/Tanakh, Hebrew language, Jewish history, Jewish philosophy, and Torah she-be’al peh, including Talmud, Jewish law, and other Rabbinic literature, through robust, rigorous, and scholarly coursework; and 
  • To instill in our students an understanding of the ethics and values that emerge from Jewish learning, and to foster curiosity and engagement with Torah, an ethos of ahavat Hashem and yirat Hashem (love and awe of God), and connection to the masorah (tradition), to religious mentors, to the land and people of Israel, and to Jewish faith, practice, and culture that will sustain our students throughout their lives. 

Program Student Learning Goals:

Upon successful completion of the Jewish Studies program, students will be able to: 
1: Textual Competence in Primary Sources Read, translate, and analyze classical Jewish texts—including Tanakh, Talmud, halakhic literature, and works of Jewish thought—in their Hebrew and Aramaic originals, demonstrating the linguistic and interpretive skills cultivated through hakhanah, chavruta, and shiur-based learning. 
2: Breadth and Depth Across the Disciplines of Jewish Studies Demonstrate substantive knowledge across the core areas of the curriculum—Bible/Tanakh, Hebrew language, Jewish history, Jewish philosophy, and Torah she-be'al peh (including Talmud, Jewish law, and other Rabbinic literature)—and articulate how these disciplines illuminate one another within the broader Jewish intellectual tradition. 
3: Critical Analysis and Scholarly Methods Apply rigorous methods of textual, historical, and philosophical analysis to Jewish sources; evaluate diverse interpretive approaches, both traditional and academic; and produce independent work that reflects clear argumentation, careful use of evidence, and engagement with relevant scholarship. 
4: Ethical Reflection and Engagement with Masorah Identify and reflect on the ethical principles, values, and religious commitments that emerge from Jewish learning, and articulate how engagement with Torah fosters ahavat Hashem and yirat Hashem, connection to masorah, and a meaningful relationship with the land and people of Israel, Jewish faith, practice, and culture.