HEDER
A Scene from a Typical European Heder
Heders, which means “room”, were traditional Jewish elementary schools in Eastern Europe. The heder is usually located at the house of a private teacher, known as the melammed. The melammed teaches his students about the Torah and the Talmud to prepare him to move onto the next level of religious study. One of the first things that the student would learn is the Hebrew language since the usually learned Yiddish. The curriculum consisted primarily of reading the Torah, learning some arithmetic, and studying/observing Judaism.
TALMUD TORAH SCHOOL
A Scene of A Typical Talmud Torah School
The Talmud Torah school is derived from the heder. Like the heder, it is an elementary school that emphasizes reading the Torah and the Talmud, learning Hebrew, learning arithmetic, and studying/observing Judaism. The purpose of this school was to replace the private-owned heder schools and to make it possible for poor Jewish children to be able to receive a traditional education. This school is funded and supported by the community that is usually poor. As a result, the school was usually run-down. The school was meant to prepare Jewish children for the next level of religious study.
YESHIVA
Entrance of a Yeshiva School
The yeshiva is the higher level of education that the heder and the Talmud Torah schools prepare Jewish children for. The yeshiva is essentially a college level school for the study of the Torah and the Talmud. Most children attend yeshivas at the age of 15. At yeshivas, there is a greater emphasis on the Talmud study. There is a great deal of discussion concerning the interpretation of the Torah. Traditionally, yeshivas were only meant for male admissions but as time progressed to the modern age, they have allowed females to enroll in their schools.
