פרופ' אמנון אלבק, רקטור Prof. Amnon Albeck, Rector בס”ד February 10

פרופ' אמנון אלבק, רקטור Prof. Amnon Albeck, Rector לשכת הרקטור | Rector's Office

בס”ד

February 10, 2021

Dear Students,

Bar-Ilan University has been playing a historic role in integrating academic excellence in all scientific disciplines with inimitable attentiveness to the Jewish world of Torah and spirituality. Bar-Ilan University is eminently committed to the values of our Jewish heritage and has a distinct religious Zionist character. Many students – religious, traditional and secular – study here precisely for this reason. Over the last generation, a revolution has been taking place in Torah study for women in the religious world, a revolution from which a column of Torah leadership among women has now begun to emerge. These include rabbaniot, halakhic decisors and Torah scholars, engaged in a broad span of educational, community and social activity. Bar-Ilan University has been a pioneer in this area since establishing the first midrasha (women’s Torah study center) in Israel as part of its value system, encouraging the entry of women in all knowledge disciplines. As an academic institution committed to the liberal ideas of freedom and scientific innovation, we have made a decision to introduce a liberal-feminist Torah voice rooted in the world of Jewish thought, halakha and commentary to the Torah voices that already exist on campus, who have been performing their sacred duties with dedication for so many years. As such, the Bar-Ilan University administration has appointed Rabbanit Devorah Evron to serve as a women’s voice for a large community of Bar-Ilan men and women who are eager to hear a feminine voice as part of their spiritual world. Campus Rabbi Shlomo Shefer will, of course, continue with his highly regarded activity, teaching Torah classes and providing halakhic and spiritual advisory services to everyone on campus. Rabbanit Devorah Evron holds a bachelor’s degree from Bar-Ilan and was one of the first students at its midrasha. She also holds a master’s degree in gender studies and in 2014 completed her studies in the Halakha Program for Women at Beit Morasha. She is the director of the Susi Bradfield Women’s Institute of Halakhic Leadership in Ohr Torah Stone’s Midreshet Lindenbaum, is an active member of Kolech and the Beit Hillel Torah Leadership organizations, and is active in the Jewish feminist sphere across Israel. Rabbanit Evron serves as a halakhic advisor and teaches halakha and Talmud. She is also a psychodrama therapist and lives with her family in Mitzpe Netofa. Rabbanit Devorah Evron may be reached at: [email protected] 052-3845142. Our best wishes to Rabbanit Evron for success in this new role.

Sincerely,

Prof. Amnon Albeck Rector