Tucked neatly into the Touro College campus facilities in bustling Manhattan, thrives the Drisha Institute summer high school program for girls, named in memory of the inspirational Dr. Beth Samuels, a”h, who left this world too young. Drisha Institute was founded in 1988, and offers numerous and diverse programs here and in Israel. The high school girls program, which is a fellowship, attracts students from around the world, and this summer included 5 students from Israel, 2 from England, 2 from Canada and 17 from 12 cities across the United States.
“The Dr. Beth Samuels High School Program offers girls the opportunity to focus on Torah learning intensively all day, in a warm and supportive atmosphere,” said Rabbi David Silber, founder and dean of Drisha.
Students have a vast range of informal educational opportunities and tend to be highly motivated learners—most already being exceptional students. Silber noted that the program tends to self-select for excellence. Drisha creates a setting where even the strongest learner will be challenged. A high level of importance is placed on personal character: respect for others, honesty and sensitivity to fellow students. According to Rabbi Silber, many students learn more Torah in one month at Drisha than they typically learn during the rest of the year, all while having a great time.
There are no tests or grades at Drisha. This is not school. The faculty consists of dedicated teachers who view Drisha as a “dream program,” partly because there are no issues of discipline or lack of motivation. Students stay in dorms in the city, and are cared for and supervised by carefully selected madrichot who are often former students. They are also assisted in their learning and studies by other young women in the Beit Midrash.
The program differs from day school in that most of the study takes place with a chavruta, a partner with whom the girls study and prepare. Rabbi Silber describes the environment as open and where questions are encouraged. Students come from different backgrounds, primarily Orthodox families, but not exclusively. The atmosphere, says Rabbi Silber, is “serious, while warm and welcoming.”
The Dr. Beth Samuels program provides high school girls the opportunity to engage in serious learning during the day, and a unique additional format that includes cultural activities in New York—visits to prominent museums and other historical and architectural venues, for example. Success is measured by the student’s connection to the study of Torah, in a way that initiates and sustains her lifetime bond to Torah and Torah study. The girls who complete the program are said to be transformed by their experience.
Gabrielle Buch of Hillside, one of this summer’s three local participants, started her Drisha experience with high expectations for the program. “I wanted to spend my summer doing something meaningful. Drisha gave me the opportunity to learn in a warm, open and empowering environment amongst a diverse group of girls.” Gabi was thrilled with her experience, stating, “Drisha absolutely exceeded my expectations. It has been the most meaningful experience. I was blown away by the friendships I’ve made and the knowledge I have gained. The faculty members were experts in their fields, and were warm and nurturing. It was great to see 26 girls from different parts of the world with diverse backgrounds unite and become a cohesive group.”
Shifra Isaacs of Elizabeth, another local participant, also had high praise for the program and said she would definitely go back again. “Not only did I learn a lot of straight Gemara, midrash and halacha, I also met so many new friends from around the world, and the teachers were some of the best I’ve ever had.” Shifra was impressed by the expansive knowledge of the faculty, who were also “fluent in various other complex topics, such as medicine, philosophy and modern music.” She also appreciated that the girls all felt “treated like people whose opinions and ideas mattered.” Returning to the diversity of the student body, she added, “There were some very frum kids as well as some Conservative kids, but nobody judged anybody else.”
For more information about all of the Drisha Institute Programs, visit www.Drisha.org.
