Tidreshi is a one-year Beit Midrash program of MeMizrach Shemesh for Jewish Women’s Social Leadership. In the Tidreshi program, women study Jewish texts at a higher level and learn about Mizrachi and Sephardic Jewish women’s identity. Over the course of 25 weekly study sessions throughout the year, 15 women learn in a Beit Midrash classical Jewish texts including Midrash and Sephardic Sages as well as modern Jewish sources.

In turn, these 15 women are each encouraged to independently run their own groups that include 90 participants. The facilitators of the additional Tidreshi groups undergo three days of professional training where they learn how to convey information while promoting successful dialogue in the group exchange.

Women’s groups learn topics such as ‘Sephardic Rulings from Morocco to Iraq’, and ‘Women and Community’ and address social values or traditions and build upon them to determine how it is relevant and meaningful in their lives. Sephardic and Mizrachi women learn gender equality, religious feminism and women’s Torah studies. Women in Tidreshi study the writings of Rabbi Mashash who advocated that women study Torah, pray and publically speak. This leads to people connecting from across social-geographic peripheral communities and creating greater social mobility as women re-evaluate their identities as Jewish, traditional and secular women. Women in Tidreshi have professional leadership positions and include: psychologists, teachers, lawyers, municipality workers, social workers, and prison workers.

Women in Tidreshi are empowered by contributing to the community and embracing the positive ethos of women’s learning and empowerment. Tidreshi women assume leadership roles in their communities from the socio-economic periphery enabling other women to overcome the barriers of finding access to high quality educational and leadership opportunities.

Our committed partners include: AVI CHAI Foundation, Adelis Foundation, Yoreinu Foundation, Jonathan Lopatin.