Beth Rivkah Ladies College
Encyclopedia
Beth Rivkah Ladies College or Beth Rivkah Lubavitch is a single-gender
girls' K-12 Orthodox
Jewish
day-school on Balaclava
Road, East St Kilda in Melbourne, Australia run by the Chabad-Lubavitch
movement's Yeshivah Centre
. The school runs from kinder through to Year 12. By including a comprehensive secular curriculum it is geared in its approach to accommodating children from a non-religious background whose parents would otherwise not agree to enrol their children there. It also serves the purpose of providing an Orthodox Jewish day-school to Orthodox parents who also value a secular education. Most of its students come from non-Chabad families. It is known for its academic excellence, and its matriculants regularly score high in the VCE
.
Menachem Mendel Schneerson
, the Lubavitcher Rebbe (with the assistance of Moshe Zalman Feiglin, Yehoshua Shneur Zalman Serebryanski
, and others) and is officially under his auspices.
In mid-1956 Rabbi Schneerson sent a letter “To Chabad activists in Melbourne,” urging:
Two days later, on 20 Av 5716 [1956], Moshe Zalman Feiglin and his son, Dovid, attended a Farbrengen
, a Chassidic gathering, in the court of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe addressed them, saying:
Afterwards the Rebbe wrote to Ya’akov Eliezer Herzog:
The Rebbe made clear what the philosophy of the school was to be. In a letter to Mendel New he wrote of “the vital necessity not only to expand the Yeshivas Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch in Melbourne, but also to found, open up, and expand a girls’ school, Beth Rivkah, according to the philosophy of Chabad education.”
The Rebbe regarded himself as a direct partner in this enterprise:
The Rebbe allayed the concerns of those who thought the financial burden of maintaining the school too great:
Mrs. Susan Herz had founded the Herz kindergarten and primary school in 1950. When Rabbi Schneerson called for a girls' school, Zalman Serebryanski and Moshe Feiglin approached Mrs. Herz, and offered to join forces, expanding her school and dubbing it Beth Rivkah, with Mrs. Herz as its headmistress. She accepted the offer, and remained headmistress until she immigrated to the Land of Israel
in 1971.
, and Mr. Shmuel Gurevitch is the principal of the high school.
Although the students at the school are mostly Ashkenazi Jews, with a large element of Hasidim
and other Haredim, Mr. Gurevitch introduced that when Hebrew is spoken it should follow the Modern Hebrew
pronunciation. He claimed that this would make the school more attractive to as yet non-observant or minimally-observant Jews, whom he argued would identify more with that form of pronunciation. He claimed that he told this to Rabbi Schneerson, who consented to this.
The school is part of the larger network of facilities of the Yeshivah Centre, which include a youth movement, Jewish studies classes, day camps, and many other initiatives that benefit Melbourne's wider Jewish community.
Single-sex education
Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, is the practice of conducting education where male and female students attend separate classes or in separate buildings or schools. The practice was predominant before the mid-twentieth century, particularly in secondary education and...
girls' K-12 Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
day-school on Balaclava
Balaclava, Victoria
Balaclava is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, in Australia. It is situated in the south-east of the city in the St Kilda East area and is bounded by Inkerman Street to the north, Chapel Street to the west, Hotham Street to the east and Oak Grove and Los Angeles Court to the south. In terms of its...
Road, East St Kilda in Melbourne, Australia run by the Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...
movement's Yeshivah Centre
Yeshivah Centre, Melbourne
The Yeshivah Centre is an Orthodox Jewish umbrella organisation in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia that serves the needs of the Melbourne Jewish community. It is run by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, until recently, under the direct administration of Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner...
. The school runs from kinder through to Year 12. By including a comprehensive secular curriculum it is geared in its approach to accommodating children from a non-religious background whose parents would otherwise not agree to enrol their children there. It also serves the purpose of providing an Orthodox Jewish day-school to Orthodox parents who also value a secular education. Most of its students come from non-Chabad families. It is known for its academic excellence, and its matriculants regularly score high in the VCE
Victorian Certificate of Education
The Victorian Certificate of Education or VCE is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete high school level studies in the state of Victoria, Australia. Study for the VCE is usually completed over two years, but it can be spread over a longer period in some cases...
.
Early history
The school was founded in 1956 by RabbiRabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Menachem Mendel Schneerson , known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe or just the Rebbe among his followers, was a prominent Hasidic rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. He was fifth in a direct paternal line to the third Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Menachem Mendel...
, the Lubavitcher Rebbe (with the assistance of Moshe Zalman Feiglin, Yehoshua Shneur Zalman Serebryanski
Yehoshua Shneur Zalman Serebryanski
Rabbi Yehoshua Shneur Zalman Serebryanski, known familiarly as Reb Zalman, was an Orthodox rabbi and Mashpia belonging to the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement...
, and others) and is officially under his auspices.
In mid-1956 Rabbi Schneerson sent a letter “To Chabad activists in Melbourne,” urging:
- “A girls’ school is extremely crucial. It is surprising that that there are doubts about this among those who contemplate the talks of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, and several of his letters. He emphasised the vital need to educate girls tens of times, and at least no less than [he emphasised] educating boys.”
Two days later, on 20 Av 5716 [1956], Moshe Zalman Feiglin and his son, Dovid, attended a Farbrengen
Farbrengen
A Farbrengen is a Hasidic gathering. This term is only used by Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidim, as other Hasidim have a Tish. It may consist of explanations of general Torah subjects, with an emphasis on Hasidic philosophy, relating of Hasidic stories, and lively Hasidic melodies, with refreshments being...
, a Chassidic gathering, in the court of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe addressed them, saying:
- “The [Previous] Rebbe established an institution to educate boys in Australia, and through his prayers for abundant divine mercy it is led with enormous success, and Reb Moshe Zalman Feiglin and his son Reb Dovid Feiglin, along with the entire family, are among those at the head. Since we have discussed that educating girls is no less important than educating boys, and even more [important], they should establish an institution to educate girls as well, and the Feiglin family should be among those at the head.”
Afterwards the Rebbe wrote to Ya’akov Eliezer Herzog:
- “You are surely aware that the Chossid who has accomplished much, Reb Moshe Zalman Feiglin and his son Reb Dovid Feiglin are now here. I have received the impression from my conversation with them that it is crucial to immediately establish a girls’ school according to the Chabad approach (with the name Beis Rivkah or Beis Sara) ... I have even told them that they should not wait to found a girls’ school until they find a building or a house—and certainly not until they build a building. Rather, since rumour has it that there is an empty room in the Yeshiva building, in the woman’s section, or the like, they should make a separate opening for entry and departure for the girls (and also a fence in the courtyard, to prevent mixing) and as soon as they [the Feiglins] return to Melbourne successfully, studies should commence.”
The Rebbe made clear what the philosophy of the school was to be. In a letter to Mendel New he wrote of “the vital necessity not only to expand the Yeshivas Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch in Melbourne, but also to found, open up, and expand a girls’ school, Beth Rivkah, according to the philosophy of Chabad education.”
The Rebbe regarded himself as a direct partner in this enterprise:
- “Since I too am entering into a partnership ... I wish to take part in the financial side as well. I hereby enclose a check as participation in the founding and bolstering of the Lubavitcher Beth Rivkah School of Australia.”
The Rebbe allayed the concerns of those who thought the financial burden of maintaining the school too great:
- “As for what you write concerning the founding of the Beth Rivkah, and the concern that it not harm the Yeshiva [financially] ... [you should remember the words of the Previous Rebbe regarding the] importance of educating girls, of Jewish education in general, and of Chasidic education in particular. ... No room remains for doubt as to whether there should be a Beth Rivkah, or not, G-d forbid. ... The doubt is only how to establish the income such that it will be independent. In fact, the situation in this respect is better [for Beth Rivkah] than for the Yeshivas Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch.”
Mrs. Susan Herz had founded the Herz kindergarten and primary school in 1950. When Rabbi Schneerson called for a girls' school, Zalman Serebryanski and Moshe Feiglin approached Mrs. Herz, and offered to join forces, expanding her school and dubbing it Beth Rivkah, with Mrs. Herz as its headmistress. She accepted the offer, and remained headmistress until she immigrated to the Land of Israel
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...
in 1971.
Current administration and policies
The school, as a branch of the Yeshiva Centre umbrella, is under the administration of Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid GronerYitzchok Dovid Groner
Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner , was the most senior Chabad rabbi in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and the director of the Yeshivah Centre, which includes the Yeshiva Shul, the Kollel Menachem Lubavitch, a boys' school known as Yeshivah College, a girls' school known as Beth Rivkah Ladies College, a...
, and Mr. Shmuel Gurevitch is the principal of the high school.
Although the students at the school are mostly Ashkenazi Jews, with a large element of Hasidim
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
and other Haredim, Mr. Gurevitch introduced that when Hebrew is spoken it should follow the Modern Hebrew
Modern Hebrew
Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....
pronunciation. He claimed that this would make the school more attractive to as yet non-observant or minimally-observant Jews, whom he argued would identify more with that form of pronunciation. He claimed that he told this to Rabbi Schneerson, who consented to this.
The school is part of the larger network of facilities of the Yeshivah Centre, which include a youth movement, Jewish studies classes, day camps, and many other initiatives that benefit Melbourne's wider Jewish community.
See also
- Hasidic JudaismHasidic JudaismHasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
- List of VCE providers according to 2006 results
- Torah studyTorah studyTorah study is the study by Jewish people of the Torah, Hebrew Bible, Talmud, responsa, rabbinic literature and similar works, all of which are Judaism's religious texts...