Nishmat held a certification ceremony for the most recent Yoatzot Halacha graduates this past week. These 11 scholars bring the global total of Yoatzot Halacha to over 100! Nishmat’s Beit Midrash was filled to capacity with the diverse audience of highly respected Rabbis, educators, practicing Yoatzot, current Nishmat students and alumnae, and young children and families of the graduates. Seated at the dais were the Keren Ariel Program Dean, Rabbi Yaakov Warhaftig, Associate Dean of Nishmat, Yoetzet Halacha Rabbanit Noa Lau, Rosh Midrasha, Rabbanit Chana Henkin, Halachic Authority, Rabbi Yehuda Herzl Henkin. Also present were Dean of Students Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel and Stuart Hershkowitz, Chairman of Nishmat.
Rabbanit Henkin eloquently stated that “We’re at a crossroads; a juncture at which we evaluate where we come from and where we are headed. When we started, we knew we wanted to fill a need by providing a female halachic address. We had no idea the breadth of the field and the sheer volume of questions we would face in just under two decades. I know each graduate will find her place on the front lines of women’s spiritual leadership, strengthen halachic observance and bring shalom to the homes of Am Yisrael.”
Keynote speaker, Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon, Founder and Chairman of the Halacha Education Center, and Founder of JobKatif, and Rabbinic Head of Jerusalem College of Technology, discussed how “this area of halacha can either be traumatic or uplifting. We must invest energy in making this experience beautiful. Yoatzot Halacha have great depth of knowledge, integrity, tzniut, and a pleasantness that allows for them to not just provide a correct answer, but to take part in the emotional and halachic process with the women whom they counsel. Yoatzot Halacha enable so many women to joyfully connect with this mitzvah.”
May we continue together m’chayil l’chayil.