ABOUT

Nishmat is dedicated to nurturing and fostering women in their Avodat Hashem and Yirat Shamayim through high-level Torah study. We are a trailblazer for women’s scholarship, leadership, and social responsibility, and a world leader in paving a new path for women in Jewish life.

Social Responsibility

In-Depth Learning Rooted in Yirat Shamayim

Torah Learning as a First Language

At Nishmat, we invite young women, both before and after their national service or IDF service, to dedicate a year to deep and meaningful Torah study. This is a year of serious learning, acquiring the tools to engage the foundations of Torah within a spiritually vibrant and committed community.

Our learning model combines structured classes with chavruta study and sustained Beit Midrash learning rooted in independent learning in chavrutot. The curriculum spans Gemara, Halacha, Tanach, Chassidut, Jewish thought, and more, integrating breadth with depth.

Throughout the year, our faculty accompany each student with personal guidance and mentorship. They join students for Shabbatons and program trips, and provide ongoing support for their individual growth and communal experience.

Rooted in the belief that “great is Torah study, for it leads to action,” Nishmat’s Beit Midrash serves as an open and welcoming space for women, teens, and broader community audiences, integrating Torah learning with meaningful social engagement.

Through our Beit Midrash Chevrati, students explore each week the connection between halacha and lived practice, and then devote two hours to volunteer service in the community. Our students lead a range of community-based projects, including a Bat Mitzvah program, chavruta study with seniors, a weekly Parashat HaShavua class, programming for high school students, academic tutoring, support for families in need, and the organization of a community food pantry for those in need.

In addition, the midrasha hosts open community initiatives such as study series for new mothers on maternity leave, holiday learning afternoons for mothers and children, a Purim carnival, and other community programs.

Nishmat was founded in 1990 by our Chancellor, Rabbanit Chana Henkin and her husband, Rabbi Yehuda Herzl Henkin, of blessed memory. Rabbanit Henkin dreamed of creating a place for women’s Torah study at a time when the world of seminaries was just beginning. Her vision was that every woman should feel part of the Torah world and that Torah study would be a central part of women’s Avodat Hashem in our generation. Over the years, Nishmat and its various programs have inspired other seminaries to follow its lead and contributed to strengthening Torah learning for women.