Mission Statement
Yeshivat Hadar is animated by three central goals:
- To foster a community of students who engage in intensive Torah study, prayer and action.
- To offer a passionate vision of traditional Jewish life as a spiritual path.
- To empower students to build and contribute to vibrant Jewish communities.
Unique Summer and Full-Year Programs
Yeshivat Hadar offers fellows from around the world a full-time, intensive text study program in the heart of Manhattan's Upper West Side. Our summer and full-year programs combine traditional text study, egalitarian prayer and social action with a special focus on personal religious growth. Yeshivat Hadar creates a community of learning which includes seminars, havruta (paired learning), and individualized projects. Students will complete our programs equipped with greater textual competence and broader knowledge of the Jewish tradition as a whole.
Text Study
Yeshivat Hadar fellows will explore an array of classical and modern texts, ranging from Tanakh and Talmud to modern theology and teshuvot (halakhic responsa). They will be given the opportunity to use both traditional and modern academic methods to translate their learning into contemporary religious meaning and obligation.
Social Action
One day a week, fellows will participate in social justice work, an expression of Yeshivat Hadar's commitment to demonstrating that the Torah learned in our Beit Midrash must translate into action. In the past, fellows have participated in a wide variety of social action projects, including SAT prep, visiting the sick and elderly and working with Head Start.
Prayer
Communal prayer is a central component of the Yeshivat Hadar experience, alongside study and action. Tefilot will be egalitarian and employ the traditional liturgy. Students will have the opportunity to develop practical prayer skills, as well as explore the opportunities and struggles related to a prayerful life.
Program Details
- The 2010 Summer Program will run Sundays through Fridays, June 13 - August 7, 2010. The length of the day will vary. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays will begin at 7:30am and conclude at 9:00pm (12:30pm on Fridays, leaving time for Shabbat preparations). Wednesdays run from 8:15am until 4:45pm. Sundays will include some evening sessions. Click here to see 2009 summer schedule.
- The Full-Year Program will run Mondays through Fridays, from October 2010 -- May 2011. The length of the day will vary. Morning start times will vary from 7:45-8:30 am. Mondays and Wednesdays will conclude at 9:00pm, Tuesdays will conclude at 5:00 pm. Thursdays will conclude at 7:00pm. There will be classes on Fridays when the yeshiva is offering Shabbat programming (about twice a month). On these Fridays classes will end at 12:30 pm. Click here for the current Full-Year Program schedule.
Expectations for Fellows
- Yeshivat Hadar is committed to the integration of Torah and mitzvot. Students in the program are expected to help create religious community by participating in all of the yeshiva's tefillot (prayer services), shiurim (classes), and social justice projects as well as by being shomrei mitzvot (observant of mitzvot). The yeshiva accepts people from all backgrounds and patterns of observance, honoring each student's religious journey and making no assumptions about religious commitment prior to the year. While the yeshiva hopes its students will exemplify the vision of observant egalitarian life modeled over the year, we have no formal expectations or requirements regarding where one's religious journey will head in the future.
- Students will commit to bringing lessons from their time at Yeshivat Hadar to their hometown communites. Project details will depend on individual student interests and strengths, as well as their home communities. Past projects have included teaching, organizing a learning program, leading services and prayer communities, Students will have the opportunity to work closely with faculty to develop their projects.
- Part of the way we create the yeshiva community is by taking responsibility for our mekom Torah. There are a whole range of tasks that need to happen on a daily and weekly basis to keep the yeshiva running smoothly and students are integral to this endeavor.
- Students will additionally participate in Matmid, a unique program which will allow them to build community organizing and fundraising skills and use them to help build the Jewish world Mechon Hadar is trying to create through community organizing and fundraising for Mechon Hadar.
Shabbatot
Yeshivat Hadar will sponsor 2-3 Shabbatonim during the summer, including Shabbatonim for the entire yeshiva on the first and last Shabbatot of the summer. Shabbatonim take place once or twice a month throughout the full-year program. Other Shabbatot are free, and students can take advantage of Kehilat Hadar's services (www.kehilathadar.org), occasional optional programming at the Yeshiva, or any of the rich array of Shabbat communities in Manhattan.
Student Qualifications
Yeshivat Hadar is designed for people who are willing to participate fully in the intensive schedule and who are at a particular point in life where an 8-week or full-year experience will affect their approach to Jewish life and community beyond the summer. The summer program is primarily geared towards applicants ages 20 to mid-30's who will have completed at least two years of an undergraduate degree by summer 2010. The year-round program is primarily geared towards those who have already completed an undergraduate degree. However, we will consider all appropriate applications on a case by case basis.
Stipend
In recognition of the intense time and energy commitment required by the fellowship, Yeshivat Hadar is pleased to offer full tuition remission as well as a generous stipend, intended to cover the cost of rent, food, books and incidentals. The full stipend is contingent on completing the full-time program.
Housing
Students are expected to find housing for the duration of the program. Yeshivat Hadar will supply fellows with a list of housing resources.
Food
We are very happy to provide some supplemental food for fellows. We will be offering a vegetarian breakfast and lunch most days of the week. Because we don't have a full-service cafeteria, we unfortunately cannot serve all special food requests (i.e., lactose intolerance, allergies), but hope that this food will prove a useful supplement for many of you. There will also be space for you to store food.
Student Level
Certain classes will be divided into skill levels, and a wide range of students are appropriate for the program. Students must minimally have basic facility with reading vocalized passages from the Tanakh and the Mishnah. The Yeshiva will also include students with extensive background in Jewish learning, including those who have spent time learning in a yeshiva environment in the past, whether in Israel or elsewhere. For those who have spent multiple years learning in a yeshiva environment, Yeshivat Hadar offers a Kollel track that allows for advanced, independent learning and opportunities for leadership within the yeshiva.
Application Process
Participation in the program is a selective process, and prospective fellows must complete a full application, (including references), by February 1, 2010. The second stage of the application process will include an interview by phone or in person. Fellows will be notified in mid-late March. Please notify us at info@mechonhadar.org in advance of the deadline if you intend to submit an application.
Questions
We are happy to answer any questions. Please contact Aryeh Bernstein, Director of Recruitment and Alumni Affairs at bernstein@mechonhadar.org.
