Yeshiva: Encyclopedia II - Yeshiva - Types of yeshivot

Yeshiva - Types of yeshivot

There are four types of yeshivoth:

1. Yeshiva Ketana ("small yeshiva") - Also called Cheder, for elementary school students. Many Yeshivot Ketana in Israel and some in the diaspora do not have a secular course of studies and all students learn Judaic Torah studies full time.
2. Yeshiva High School - Also called Mesivta or Mechina, combines the intensive Jewish religious education with a secular high school education. The dual curriculum was pioneered by the Manhattan Talmudical Academy of Yeshiva University (now known as Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy in 1916).
3. Beth medrash - For high school graduates, and is attended from one year to many years, dependant on the career plans and affiliation of the student.
4. Kollel - Yeshiva for married adults. The kollel idea, though having its intellectual roots traced to the Torah, is a relatively modern innovation of 19th century Europe. Often, a Kollel will be in the same location as the yeshiva.

One should distinguish between American and Israeli Yeshivot.

The American Yeshiva student typically attends Yeshiva Ketana locally. Afterwords he sometimes attends a local, but more often dorms at, a Yeshiva High School. This is often followed by 2-4 years in a Beth Medrash and then 2-5 years in Israel, after which he returns to America to attend an American Yeshiva, marry, and then often learn in Kollel.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Types of yeshivot", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki