Beis Midrash
Mesorah

In 1919, a group of rabbis met to evaluate the priorities of higher education in Chicago.  The Beis HaMidrash LeRabanim was founded at this meeting, with an initial enrollment of ten students.  Two years later, the yeshiva’s name was changed to Beis HaMidrash LaTorah – Hebrew Theological College, which was chartered by the state of Illinois as a degree-granting institution of higher education.  

Since 1922, Beis HaMidrash LaTorah has ordained hundreds of rabbis, who have served as rabbis, chaplains and educators in the United States, Canada, Israel and throughout the world.  The thousands of alumni who have studied at Beis HaMidrash LaTorah have made an indelible impression, both as lay and as professional leaders, upon the world’s Jewish community. 
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Our William and Lillian Kanter School of Liberal Arts  and Sciences was established in 1959, according each bochur the opportunity to pursue general knowledge while availing himself of an outstanding Judaic Studies program.

You, too, can become part of our historic mesorah.

Excellence in Torah Learning

 A full-time Beis Midrash program offers the opportunity to achieve great heights in Torah study.  Three sedorim, morning, afternoon and night, allow you to learn both b’iyun and b’kiyus intensively while also having time for chazarah.  Our Beis Midrash and our Rabbeim impart a stimulating and unique quality of hasmada.  

The bochrim are endowed with guidance in Torah and Yiras Shomayim through weekly shmoozin and va’adin presented by the Mashgiach Ruchani, Rabbi Yirmiyahu Neuman, himself a former talmid of our Yeshiva.  Because Rabbi Neuman lives only blocks from the yeshiva, he can spend time with each bochur individually according to need, day or night.

Personal Touch

Our program ensures that you will never feel lost among a large number of students.  The morning seder has a low rebbe/bochur ratio that fosters strong and lasting relationships between the bochrim and Rabbeim, whose depth of perception and constant, personal guidance enable students to excel in their derech halimud.

During the afternoon seder, a Shoel u’Mashiv coupled with an optional shiur is available for those bochrim who are interested in reviewing the day’s blatt.

The night seder is truly open in format.  Students may choose from various optional shiurim, including topics such as halacha l’meisa and parashas hashavua.  Several Rabbeim return at night and are readily accessible for chazarah.

Each bochur’s intellectual, spiritual and emotional growth is of paramount importance to us.  Through vigilant monitoring of the individual’s needs and rigorous schedule, counseling and the genuine personal interest taken, our Hanhalah truly keeps its finger on the pulse of our students’ lives.

The yeshiva encourages all members of the Beis Midrash to finish each Mesechta.  Once an appropriate pace of learning is established for b’kiyus seder, everyone is, literally, on the same page.  Consequently, bochrim may discuss Torah with one another regardless of which shiur or level a particular student is learning.  This also imbues the bochrim with a sense of completion and accomplishment, which is important to the development of a Ben Torah.

Several times a year, the Beis Midrash hosts Shabbatonim and off-campus retreats.  Featured guest speakers provide inspiring divrei chizuk, while the relaxed setting generates greater ruach and encourages camaraderie.