Pardes Teachers at the Forefront of Orthodox Women’s Ordination

Pardes is proud and honored to share that three of our female faculty members have been awarded smikha (rabbinical ordination). Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy and Rabbi Rahel Berkovits completed their studies at Beit Midrash Har’el in Israel and received ordination from Rabbi Herzl Hefter and Rabbi Daniel Sperber. Rabba Yaffa Epstein received ordination after her studies at Yeshivat Maharat in the United States.

Dean Dr. David I. Bernstein remarked, “We are so proud of these three women and their accomplishments.  Each is an outstanding teacher of Talmud at Pardes.  Over the years, hundreds of students have experienced their scholarship, their passion for Talmud, and have been inspired by them.  We are happy and proud that they will now have a new title that recognizes their years of learning, and their mastery of Rabbinic literature.”

Mazal tov Meesh, Rahel and Yaffa!