(Miami, October 13, 2019)—Michelle Cohen Farber, founder of Hadran: Advancing Talmud Study for Women and Daf Yomi for Women is organizing the first ever global daf yomi siyum for women. She estimates that thousands of women worldwide will participate, either live (3,000) or via livestream. Farber has rented the largest hall in Jerusalem’s Binyanei Ha-uma Conference Center for January 5, 2020, and she has begun preparations and fundraising for the event, titled “Hadran – The Siyum HaShas for Women.”
Leading Torah-study institutions both in Israel and globally have partnered with Hadran to participate and promote the siyum. More than 1,500 students have already registered, and the program will include a full day of Torah study leading up to the siyum.
Women from around the world will be coming to Israel to participate in the siyum, including participants of many daf yomi groups throughout Israel, America, London and other places. In addition, there are Israeli institutions partnering with the siyum including Ohr Torah Stone, which is planning the Yom Iyun/Study Day, Matan, Be’er, Drisha, Midreshet Ein Hanatziv, Midreshet Migdal Oz, Tzahali, and Kulana. There are many other learning programs and study groups in Raanana, Alon Shvut, Beit Shemesh, Efrat, London, New York, and Boston that are also participating in the siyum.
Targum Shlishi is honored to be the first organization to provide grant funds in support of the siyum.
“We are immensely pleased to be supporting this incredibly important initiative,” says Aryeh Rubin, director of Targum Shlishi. “Women have been studying Torah in growing numbers since the 1970s, and this increased participation in women’s Torah study has opened new vistas.”
Background
The idea for the siyum grew out of Farber’s daily daf yomi shiur podcast, which has been listened to by hundreds of people. At the completion of the cycle, she will be the first woman in Jewish history to teach an entire cycle of Talmud online.
Inspiring Women
Farber feels that the siyum will be inspiring both to women who participate in it and those who hear about it, as it will be the first time this type of celebration will be taking place. Farber’s organization Hadran was formed for this same reason—to transform the Jewish world by inspiring women to learn Talmud and providing them resources for Talmud study, written by women. It is the only organization that exclusively promotes women’s Talmud study.
Education Women
In conjunction with the siyum, Hadran will launch a package of resources to promote women’s Talmud study, including a web-based portal that will offer classes taught by women and that will host a commentary on the Talmud by women. Farber anticipates that as a result of the siyum, new classes taught by women will begin in the next Talmud study cycle.
Next Steps
Farber has an advisory board and has solicited support from institutions that will participate in the event. The event was announced in April 2019. Work is underway for programming for the event, which includes planning learning events in institutions worldwide leading up to the event.
Further Information
For more information, see Hadran’s website and/or Facebook page.
About Targum Shlishi
Targum Shlishi, a Raquel and Aryeh Rubin Foundation, is dedicated to providing a range of creative solutions to problems facing Jewry today. Premised on the conviction that dynamic change and adaptation have historically been crucial to a vibrant and relevant Judaism and to the survival of its people, Targum Shlishi’s initiatives are designed to stimulate the development of new ideas and innovative strategies that will enable Jewish life, its culture, and its traditions to continue to flourish. For more information on the foundation, visit its website. Follow Aryeh Rubin, Targum Shlishi’s director, on Twitter..