Bnos Avigayil or Bnos Sara seminaries, any info?

amother

Tue, Nov 19 2019, 8:41 pm

Does anyone know anything about Bnos Avigayil or Bnos Sara? My dd is more intellectual, she enjoys learning new information, but doesn't want to have to work extremely hard on reports etc. We live in Lakewood, we are more to the left, not yeshivish, but we still fit in.

I was told Bnos Avigayil might be too much to the left, but the one person I found to ask didn't know much about it.

I was told Bnos Sara sounds like a good fit, but it's extremely hard to get in.

Does anyone have any other info about them?

amother

Brunette

Tue, Nov 19 2019, 8:46 pm

My daughter went to Bnos Sarah. It is intellectual, but I would caution you that there were a lot of reports. Still may be a good fit, but since you specifically mentioned that she doesn't want to be busy constantly writing reports...

amother

Tue, Nov 19 2019, 8:49 pm

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

Thank you, that's good to know.

Was she happy there? Is it a warm seminary, or will she be one of many and lost in the crowd?

amother

Seagreen

Tue, Nov 19 2019, 9:12 pm

My daughter was in Bnos Avigayil last year. She had a great year. It sounds like it might be a good fit for you. Most girls were from out of town and not too yeshivish but not too left either. I think Bnos Sara is more yeshivish but also more intellectual.

amother

Brunette

Tue, Nov 19 2019, 9:13 pm

She was for the most part happy and made some very close friends.
In terms of warmth, it is ok, I didn't find it to be that warm. (For example, she is not in touch with any of the teachers, so no lasting kesher, which is disappointing.) The seminary is quite large. Not sure if it is fair to say she was lost in the crowd while she was there, but I think once her year was over so was her connection.
I know very little about Bnos Avigail, so can't compare.

amother

Tue, Nov 19 2019, 9:15 pm

amother [ Seagreen ] wrote:

Do you know enough about other seminaries to tell me how it compares as far as how yeshivish it is? My dd doesn't want a yeshivish seminary, but the teacher at her school who deals with seminaries made it sound like it was really very far left. She is pretty yeshivish, so it's hard to know how seriously to take it.

Other than that it sounds like a great fit for my dd, but if she really won't fit in then I don't think she'll be happy. I realize that not yeshivish in Lakewood, can be pretty yeshivish in oot communities, so it's hard to figure it out.

amother

Khaki

Tue, Nov 19 2019, 9:41 pm

I went to Bnos Sarah. It has a very diverse great crowd of girls. You have from the super yeshivish girls to girls who come from just about frum homes but have become frummer on their own. I loved that there was such diversity and we were all very close and friendly and accepting as a group. But I did not find the hanhala to be exceptionally warm. But maybe it’s because that’s just who I am. I never really was the type to “kiss up” to teachers and become really close to them. I know some girls from my year do keep up with the hanhala. But as a whole I absolutely loved it! As far as reports Bnos Sarah I would say has the highest level of reports amongst other seminaries. They are known for it! We had to do hours of research and pages of writing which was very intellectually stimulating but there were girls who just somehow put the bare minimum together a few days before and didn’t mind that they didn’t really get a passing mark.

amother

Seagreen

Tue, Nov 19 2019, 9:46 pm

I’m not sure what your definition of yeshivish is but it is definitely not far left. If about 70 girls, not more than 10 were from Brooklyn so it may attract an OOT yeshivish type. For the most part, the girls came from Bais Yaakov type schools. As for warmth on the part of the staff, I think that’s very individual. A girl who wants that will find it. From what my daughter told me, the staff at BA sounded open to that.

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Nov 19 2019, 9:47 pm

I would not call Bnos Avigayil to very left at all! It's run by Rebbetzin Heller and I know wonderful, OOT yeshivish* girls who loved their experience their year.

*girls who later went on to marry kollel learners and have yeshivish hashkafos

amother

Ginger

Tue, Nov 19 2019, 10:05 pm

My dd went to Bnos Avigayil and she had a great year BH. Lots of learning but not so many papers. She had kesharim with the eim bayis and some teachers, is still in touch with some. She made great friends from OOT places like Monsey, queens, Far Rockaway, and...Atlanta! 😁 She was able to wear any color sweater she wanted with her collared shirt and pleated skirt. Highly recommended.

amother

Bronze

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 2:34 pm

I went to Bnos Sarah (anonymous because there weren't too many of us their the first year ). It was small and a diverse , roughly 1/2 out of town crowd. Their big focus in on Hebrew, almost all the classes are in Hebrew taught by Israelis . They do have 3-4 big reports a year that you have to do a lot of research for and write them all up in Hebrew , by hand. They do have tutors available to help.

Chayalle

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 2:38 pm

My DD's very good friend is in Bnos Avigail this year. She's a more OOT but solid frum spunky fun girl.

I think Bnos Sarah has become more yeshivish recently. My sister went to BS quite a few years ago, and I think it was much more diverse then. Very warm seminary, and VERY academic. My sis is very smart B"AH and the type that thrives on reports, etc....she was valedictorian of her year B"AH.

From what you describe, I wonder if Seminar would be another choice your daughter might consider.

TravelHearter

Wed, Nov 27 2019, 4:36 am

I went to Bnos Avigail:
Out of town, open minded, smart and intellectual but NO busy work and no reports- instead there are presentations to the class in front of Rebbitzen Heller. Very practical and applicable learning. Out of town yeshivish, but not everyone is yeshivish.