Our rabbinical school is unique in its combination of a small, and highly diverse student body, an intellectually honest and stimulating staff, and a welcoming, open atmosphere.

A SMALL, PERSONAL SCHOOL

Small classes promote intellectual growth and encourage strong friendships and supportive peer groups. An extremely high faculty-student ratio and the consistent presence of faculty in the beit midrash foster lively, stimulating interactions between students and their rebbeim. Teachers concern themselves with the whole student, taking a personal interest in each student's intellectual, emotional and religious development.

Self-awareness is critical to a student's ability to relate empathically to others and to be effective and fulfilled. To encourage reflection on personal and group experiences in the course of their residence at the Yeshiva, students of each year participate in a weekly process group with a trained psychiatrist. These sessions also help to develop group identity and serve as a model for future collegial support.

We kick off every year with a day-long "ropes course" retreat for first-year students.  Shabbatonim, chagigot, and class outings occur throughout the year. These events strengthen bonds between students and between students and teachers, create a positive learning environment and forge relationships that will continue long after one's years at rabbinical school.

INTELLECTUAL OPENNESS

While our program is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and commitments, we believe that no questions are off-limits. A nondogmatic staff, a comprehensive and interdisciplinary library, a wide range of visiting lecturers, and thought-provoking classes on Jewish Thought all teach students that intellectual honesty and questioning are key components of religious growth.

Our students bring different intellectual interests, world views and life experiences to their studies and religious pursuits. At times, debates are heated, but they are always carried on in a collegial atmosphere with mutual respect and openness to different opinions.

A CULTURE OF SPIRITUALITY AND RELIGIOUS MEANING

At YCT, we work to cultivate an atmosphere of meaning-seeking and spirituality.  Afternoon Seder includes a Machshava seder and courses that focus on a given theme of practical theology linked to the Halakha curriculum.   Such themes include: Kedusha; Tefillah; Shabbat; Moadim; Sex and Marriage; Ethics; and Death, Afterlife and Messianism.

In addition to formal classes, we hold regular weekly sichot on issues such as identity, boundaries, belief, commitment, and spirituality.  These sichot will be followed up with moderated yeshiva-wide discussions every 4-6 weeks.    

We also strive to create a meaningful prayer community.  With full attendance at davening, through ongoing discussion about how to best bring meaning and connectedness into our tefillot, by exploring tefillah initiatives, and by working together to achieve this goal, we are certain that such a community can be created.

This year we will be beginning life-reflection groups which will meet every third week, helping students to bring a religious lens to their life-experiences.  Other initiatives include a “Writing as a Spiritual Practice” workshop and a spirituality retreat in the fall.

STUDENT EMPOWERMENT

Students take an active role in their own learning, presenting class lectures to their peers, participating in workshops and producing independent projects. Students serve on as many as eight different committees, participating in nearly every aspect of the Yeshiva. Some of these committees set up community service and learning projects, plan programs to enhance student life and oversee the Yeshiva's library and its publications.

YCT is receptive to the suggestions and concerns of students and regularly solicits their input. One notable committee is the Curriculum Committee, where students give regular feedback and suggestions to the Rosh HaYeshiva, helping to shape the curriculum of the Rabbinical School. At the conclusion of every semester, students fill out evaluations of their individual classes and of the Yeshiva overall.

RESPONSIBILITY TO OTHERS

YCT as an institution, and our students as individuals, are strongly and actively committed to the principle of Tikkun Olam, helping others and working to improve the larger world. On the collective level, students plan and organize rallies for support of Israel, travel to Eretz Yisrael in times of struggle and sorrow, spend time abroad with other seminaries on missions to help the poor and learn about living conditions in third-world countries. On the individual level, students work with the homeless, teach the underprivileged, and attend to the sick.