RKYHS 11th and 12th grade girls Talmud classes had a unique and enriching opportunity to visit the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education. Founded in 1979 and located on the Upper West Side of New York City, Drisha was the first Beit Midrash to dedicate itself to advancing women’s biblical and talmudic studies. While at Drisha, students had an opportunity to examine texts in chevrutot, or pairs, in order to draw conclusions about Esther and her character development throughout the story of Purim. Students also had the honor of listening to a shiur given by Rabbi David Silber about the possible interpretations of Mordechai’s refusal to bow down to Haman. During the time spent at Drisha, many thought-provoking questions were asked, and the girls were able to gain deep insights into the protagonists of the Megilla.

The students were also presented with information about Drisha’s prestigious summer learning opportunity, the Dr. Beth Samuels Summer High School Program. If one gets accepted into the program, she gets to spend five weeks in New York City, living and learning with girls from high schools across the globe.

After the learning at Drisha concluded, students were treated to frozen yogurt and went on a stroll through Central Park. This provided the girls with a chance to relax after the hours spent in the intellectually stimulating Drisha environment and was a perfect conclusion to a very successful and meaningful trip.