Warsaw Rabbinical School

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The Warsaw Rabbinical School was a middle school for Jewish male youth. It was founded in 1826 on the basis of the tsar's decree of July 1, 1825 and existed until the school year 1860/1861.

In four school years there were lessons in the following school subjects:

  • Old testament
  • Midrash (Commentaries on the Holy Scriptures)
  • Talmud
  • General story
  • History of Poland
  • mathematics
  • geography
  • Hebrew, Polish, German and French languages

There were also preparatory classes with the elementary school program. Only a few graduates devoted themselves to the profession of rabbi. Supplementary lessons were planned for them. Most of the graduates formed the progressive Jewish elite in Warsaw: entrepreneurs, merchants, scientists, journalists, artists and art patrons.

The founding committee appointed by the government of Congress Poland consisted of three Poles, including Stefan Witwicki . The rabbinical school was headed by Antoni Eisenbaum from its foundation until 1852, then by Jakub Tugendhold until it closed in 1862. Jews and Christians were active as teachers.

In the first year of school he gave only 25 students, but twenty years later already 260 students. In total, around one thousand Jews graduated from the rabbinical school. Some students, like Stanisław Hernisz , took part in the November 1831 uprising.

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