Seminary in Israel for very modern daughter

tichellady

Mon, Aug 05 2019, 11:26 pm

Nishmat, midreshet lindenbaum, migdal oz, midreshet moriah are good places to start- nishmat and migdal oz are pretty integrated into the Israeli programs so she need to want the Israeli/Hebrew emphasis. Midreshet moriah is less rigorous in terms of learning ( the others are more intense)

JoyInTheMorning

Mon, Aug 05 2019, 11:42 pm

I was curious about Shaalvim because I know so little about it, so I went to the website and found the course schedule ay https://www.shaalvim.org/sfw/p......pdf. It seems really interesting: they have a lot of parshanut, halacha, history, philosophy (including Rav Kook and Rav Soloveitchik) -- but they have very, very limited Gemara. I think that in the 21st century, that's what characterizes a right-wing school from a truly Modern Orthodox school.

amother

Smokey

Mon, Aug 05 2019, 11:44 pm

JoyInTheMorning wrote:

I'd consider it fairly right wing even though obviously Zionist. Definitely not for someone who wears short sleeves and pants. I'd put it in the same category as Michlala. I could be wrong. Nobody I know has even considered it.

My DD has friends going this upcoming year. Trust me, MO.
FYI, plenty MO girls and women who wear skirts and cover their elbows.

amother

Wine

Mon, Aug 05 2019, 11:53 pm

amother [ Smokey ] wrote:

My DD has friends going this upcoming year. Trust me, MO.
FYI, plenty MO girls and women who wear skirts and cover their elbows.

There are all sorts of sub groups within each group. MO has ‘machmir’ and also ‘torahdig’ classifications , some who dress far more modest than someone yeshivish (just an example)

JoyInTheMorning

Mon, Aug 05 2019, 11:56 pm

amother [ Smokey ] wrote:

My DD has friends going this upcoming year. Trust me, MO.
FYI, plenty MO girls and women who wear skirts and cover their elbows.

Yup, as a matter of fact, I'm a MO woman who wears skirts and covers my elbows. But OP specifically said that her daughter wears pants and short sleeves.

There are really two issues here:
(1) The degree of external frumkeit observances. IMO, a truly Modern Orthodox institution will give more leeway on the dress code. There are plenty of girls who wear long sleeves and long skirts in Midreshet Lindenbaum, but a skirt that skims the knee won't cause problems.
(2) The hashkafic stance, which can differ on issues like Zionism, but also on issues like women's involvement in learning Gemara, giving public divrei Torah, participating in Women's Tefillah groups, etc.

On both those scores, I think Shaalvim is on the right vs. the left. This isn't a value judgment, just a question whether it's a fit for OP's daughter.

amother

Smokey

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 12:10 am

From what OP has said, I don't think Shalavim, Brovenders, Migdal Oz, Amudim, or Nishmat are the right place for her.

Bar Ilan Experience may be perfect or it may push her farther away from where the family is, but it was the first to come to mind from OP's description.
Amit might be a choice
Harova???
Tiferet???
Emunah v'Omanut
Less so MMY & TVA.

But really I am going based on a combination of OP's 5 sentace post and the Info my DD reported back to me from her research this year and where which of her friends are going.

Really the best advice is to ask the Israel office at school.

Jewishfoodie

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 12:23 am

I have no info to contribute OP, but I'm blown away by what an amazing mother you are. How accepting, how loving, how honest and mostly, how far you would go to raise your child according to her path.

I know it probably comes naturally to you but it doesn't to a whole lot of people and you are commendable.

May Hakadosh Baruch Hu place her in the best school for her, and may she always give you great nachas.

Sorry I can't help. But BRAVO!

amother

Lawngreen

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 12:26 am

Lucky girl to have such supportive parents.

Absolutely be in touch with the school's Israel advisor. I'm not sure this is for you, but a lot of families visit schools in the fall and winter before applying so they can see the places for themselves.

Some things to consider: how good is her Hebrew? Has she learned gemara? Does she want an American program or does she want to integrate into an Israeli setting? Is she very academic or more interested in trips and volunteering? Does having a curfew bother her? Is she interested in textual learning or does she want more touchy-feely classes?

There are quite a few schools and there's quite a range, so chances are she'll find the place that's right for her. The best thing is to speak to girls who have gone to the different seminaries.

mochamix18

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 2:08 am

In addition to the other great suggestions on this thread, I’d like to suggest midreshet Amit which is in Gilo, has a unique model with good learning and built in chessed (it’s on the campus of an Israeli foster care facility). The young ladies I see attending this seminary seem to fit your daughter’s description.

amother

Gray

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 2:19 am

abound wrote:

SHALLAVIM, it is totally MO. The girls do wear skirts and sleeves (I think in sem most girls cover their elbows but I am not sure)

I know nothing about Shaalavim, but MO covers a huge spectrum.

Its Israeli version, dati leumi, goes from pants wearing women who pray in תפילה שוויונית, to types who layer on 4 different mitpachot and hang signs condemning gay families.

The fact something is MO or dati leumi doesn't mean it suits everyone on that spectrum.

byisrael

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 2:38 am

I was going to recomend Amit as well - I know some really nice girls who went and the sound similar to dd
Shaalavim is definitly right wing- it's more similar to Michlalah or Darchei Bina.....
A place like MMY or TVA would not allow her to where pants in school - and I doubt most of the girls where pants at all, although many do wear short sleeves/ skirts 10 inches above the knee

Why don't you call her Israel Advisor and then start researching the names she gives....

mamsegula

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 3:16 am

First of all, it's impressive how supportive you are of her. How do you do that? There is a seminary in Netanya under Rabbi Goldin. Which is great. The program combines learning with volunteering. It's on a shares a campus with a very well run foster village for kids. It's amazing for some perspective and growth.

teachkids

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 3:21 am

JoyInTheMorning wrote:

The girls shalavim is far more modern than the boys.

amother

Lawngreen

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 3:22 am

teachkids wrote:

The girls shalavim is far more modern than the boys.

In my experience, it caters to MO girls looking to move rightward.

teachkids

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 3:23 am

amother [ Lawngreen ] wrote:

In my experience, it caters to MO girls looking to move rightward.

Based on the girls I know who went there I'm not sure how true that is. But you can't judge a school just by examples.

However I don't know anyone who applied to both michlalah and shalavim- too far apart in the types of girls that go

teachkids

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 3:26 am

byisrael wrote:

Does she want a school that allows pants in school or was that just explaining her current hashkafa?

amother

Lawngreen

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 3:29 am

teachkids wrote:

Agreed, Michlalah starts out further to the right. It doesn't sound right for OPs daughter.

amother

Fuchsia

Tue, Aug 06 2019, 3:58 am

byisrael wrote:

I think Amit is a wonderful option for some girls - but not OP's daughter. From what I've heard, it has a mixture of girls, some of whom aren't that serious about learning, and OP's daughter has serious learning as her priority!