The Schechter Institutes

28/05/2026

War does not end.
In Kyiv, it might be spring, almost summer, yet war remains a daily fact. 😖

This week, a Russian missile fell on the Jewish Community building where the vibrant community of 150 families gathers for prayer, for education, for holiday events and for celebrating life.

They are very fortunate that the fragment of the Russian missile only (ONLY) fell through the roof and not into the buildings communal spaces.

We continue to pray for their safety. Єврейська громада консервативного юдаїзму міста Києва "Масорет"

26/05/2026

¡Grandes noticias de TALI תל"י - מרכז לחינוך יהודי ישראלי פלורליסטי

¡La increíble herramienta educativa "Dorot" (Generaciones) ya está disponible en español!

A través de este enlace https://dorot.tali.org.il/es, podrás disfrutar explorando, visitando y aprendiendo sobre 4000 años de historia cultural, religiosa y política judía.

¿Quieres saber cuándo se inventó el bagel? ¿O cuándo los asmoneos tuvieron su reino? ¿Quizás te interesa conocer a la jueza Ruth Bader Ginsburg? ¿O tal vez te fascinan las comunidades judías de las islas del Caribe o las de Afganistán?

Puedes encontrar todo esto en Dorot, la línea de tiempo interactiva de la vida judía alrededor del mundo. (Bueno, quizás no el bagel).

דורות הוא כלי ויזואלי אינטראקטיבי וחופשי להמחשת ההיסטוריה והתרבות היהודית מבית מרכז תל"י לחינוך יהודי ישראלי פלורליסטי.

26/05/2026

Some great news from TALI תל"י - מרכז לחינוך יהודי ישראלי פלורליסטי

The amazing educational tool 'Dorot' (Generations) is open for business in English and Español!

Via https://dorot.tali.org.il/en you can enjoy looking, visiting and teaching with 4,000 years of Jewish cultural, religious, political history.

Want to know when the bagel was invented? Or when the Hasmoneans had their kingdom? Or maybe you want to know all about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg? Or maybe you are fascinated by the Caribbean Islands' Jewish Communities or maybe those of Afghanistan?

You can find it all at Dorot - the interactive timeline of Jewish life around the globe. (OK, maybe not the bagel?)

דורות הוא כלי ויזואלי אינטראקטיבי וחופשי להמחשת ההיסטוריה והתרבות היהודית מבית מרכז תל"י לחינוך יהודי ישראלי פלורליסטי.

24/05/2026

We are closer, much closer.

Patissiere Schechter, formerly known as Schechter Cafe, is nearing opening day.

What began just over a month ago as a joint Nayot Neighborhood - Schechter Institute venture for providing fresh, exciting and real food for students, faculty and neighbors, is getting closer to fruition.

Now we can all see the outside deck and the inside kitchen.

These images are not AI, they are real and tangible.

We look forward to meeting you for tea, coffee and any thing else you might want while visiting us here in Jerusalem.

20/05/2026

TALI educating for Jewish pluralism תל"י - מרכז לחינוך יהודי ישראלי פלורליסטי believes that family matters in introducing and maintaining a robust belief in pluralism.

Here, just prior to the Jewish holy day Shavuot, TALI programmed an exciting afternoon for parents and their children- most of whom live in the adjacent Nayot neighborhood.

With Omer the Storyteller, families learned about how the Jewish People brought their gifts to the Temple, the divine's sanctuary in Jerusalem.

The audience, young, very young and not so old enjoyed the enriching opportunity.

19/05/2026

Today, the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary (SRS) בית המדרש לרבנים ע"ש שכטר Schechter Rabbinical Seminary was privileged to finish its school-wide study of Tractate Hagiga.

Originally scheduled for the first day of the spring semester, the Siyum (completion of the Talmud tractate) was disrupted by the war with Iran and the inability to gather in person.

But finally, today, SRS kicked off the Siyum with a class from our teacher Professor Rabbi David Golinkin, followed by short lessons from each student covering the entire tractate.

A wonderful way to prepare for the receiving of the Torah. Mazal tov!

14/05/2026

Yom Yerushalaim, celebrating 59 years of Jerusalem's reunification! Amaaazing!

At Schechter, we marked the day in the 'Schechter Way' - learning Jewish texts, archeology, and today, also statistics.

Dr. Avraham Yoskovitch brought us all closer to views of Jerusalem via reading the prophets and discussing their diverse expresions of what type or kind of city this is vis-a-vis the people, the Divine, and their visions.

Dr. Noa Yuval Chacham connected 'Jerusalem of Above' and 'Jerusalem of Below' with a graphic look at the remaining paintings depicting Jerusalem and the Temple found in 1928 at the Dura Europos Synagogue.

Prof. Doron Bar took us through a statistical journey in the modern city of Jerusalem. Comparing and contrasting the population of East and West Jerusalem, Haredi and other Jews...and even the fluctuating price of felafel throughout the city.

14/05/2026

Look what we found in the archives!

This picture taken just at the end of Six Day War (June 13th 1967) in the just re-united Gush Etzion area south of Jerusalem between Bethlehem and Hebron.

Robert (Reuven) Gabbai z'l, a 7th generation Jerusalemite, proudly stands adjacent to the Israeli flag.

We thank the Gabbai family for permission to use this picture.

Happy Yom Yerushalaim

11/05/2026

Ask the Rabbi....
Spotlight on Schechter's interview of Schechter Rabbinical Seminary בית המדרש לרבנים ע"ש שכטר Schechter Rabbinical Seminary Dean Rabbi Chaya Rowen Baker by The Schechter Institutes, Inc. president Rabbi Matthew Berkowitz took place last night.

Teaching rabbis - not only Jewish texts but also how to manage synagogue budgets, how to market programs were amongst the topics.

What is it like to be a Masorti rabbi? and how the seminary brings together colleagues from North America, South America and Europe all in one beit midrash were covered during the conversation.

To view the recording - here is a link to YouTube https://youtu.be/EIsLkFhqHzs

10/05/2026

Following high school, the gap year has become a popular way for students to explore identity, religiosity, community, the famous 'meaning of life,' and prepare for their army or national service duty.

Schechter is blessed to be part of the network that supports these important organizations.

The בית המדרש לרבנים ע"ש שכטר Schechter Rabbinical Seminary meets with gap year participants during the year to explain pluralism in Judaism and how to learn from Jewish texts in an enclusive method.

Thank you to the Binah (Yavne city location) gap year for joining Rabbi Chaya Rowen Baker and learning about leadership, Jewish texts and what it is like to be a female rabbi in Israel!

08/05/2026

ASK the Rabbi anything...

'Spotlight on Schechter' is bringing the public an opportunity to take an in-depth look at the workings of the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary @בית המדרש לרבנים ע"ש שכטר Schechter Rabbinical Seminary and its programs.

On Sunday (10th of May) we are happy to host Dean Rabbi Chaya Rowen Baker in an interview with Schechter Institutes, Inc. president Rabbi Matthew Berkowitz.

They will talk about rabbinic work in Israel, SRS programs for young adults, spiritual support for clergy and what makes Schechter's rabbinic (and non-rabbinic programs) unique.

Look at our website for the zoom link and look forward to seeing you with us.
https://schechter.edu/event/spotlight-on-schechter-schechter-rabbinical-seminary/