Colleges for Women’s Torah Study (Midrashoth) as Change Agents in Women’s Role Within Religious Zionism in the Past and Present in the Postmodern Era

Torah study by women has been a point of dissension over the years.Side by side with partial support,the subject has aroused resistance within the religious community.In recent years,Torah-oriented study settings for women have greatly expanded,concurrent with the rise in the value of Torah study as part of religious women’s life.One option that has become more available for women in religious Zionist society in recent years,as part of the moratorium,is colleges for Torah study by women,called“Midrashoth”(single:Midrasha).The purpose of the current study was to examine whether and to what degree full-program Midrashoth constitute change agents for their students by shaping the image of women within religious Zionist society.The first Torah-oriented Midrashoth were opened in the 1990s,with one main aim to enable women to study Torah and Talmud and thus attempt to reach an equal level as men in this area.Previously,the study of“Torah Lishmah”(i.e.,Torah for its own sake)was less customary and not perceived as part of the role of women in religious Zionist society.Since the opening of the Midrashoth and until the present,several interesting developments have occurred.The first was the significant increase in Torah-oriented Midrashoth for women,particularly full-program Midrashoth.At present,there are 25 full-program Midrashoth.Another development is the timing of studies at the Midrasha.In the past,some women would study at Midrashoth after completing their national service,particularly when a full program was involved.But at present,there is an increase in full-program Midrashoth even before national service.The current study found that nearly half the respondents had studied a full program before their national service.Another interesting change that is occurring in recent years involves women’s motives for studying at the Midrashoth.As stated,the main purpose for which Torah-oriented Midrashoth were established was for women’s Torah study.This purpose has remained valid,but it has been joined by other more conspicuous motives related to constructing one’s personal identity and self-focus.This study hypothesized that an association would be found between the growth process of Torah-oriented Midrashoth and the enhanced status of women in religious Zionist society.Moreover,it was hypothesized that an association would be found between the motives of students to study in the Midrashoth and current-day postmodern processes.Torah-oriented Midrashoth were found to have an important role in enhancing the status of women in religious Zionist society,by means of a comparison between the results of a previous survey on women’s status and the current results.In most aspects,an increase was found in the present compared to the past.Women now perceive Torah studies for women more positively,with a rise of more than 30%in answer to the question to what degree Midrashoth have a very positive impact on the life of religious women today,and these seem to serve as change agents for enhancing women’s status in religious Zionist society.In addition,it appears that the postmodern approach is currently manifested in respondents’motivation to study in the Midrashoth.The main reasons seem to be the desire to shape one’s personal and religious world view and,in general,an increased focus on oneself and less on Torah study or attempts to resemble men’s Torah study.