I am in Tomer Devorah and I love it!!
1. A year to enjoy Israel, learn about the land. Learn about yourselves- about your place in life, how to achieve potential. Learn halacha, about our heritage. They make you want to grow- don’t force anything.
2. There are 2 tracks, higher and lower in terms of textual learning but pretty much they don’t care what level you are on. 3.What is the style of teaching? Discussion, lecture, classroom setting, chavrusa??
3. So most classes are in a classroom setting. A few times a week we have a chumash/freestyle tutoring time with 1 or 2 other girls. All the teachers though will answer pretty much any question and we get into discussions a lot.
5. Only text ones are Chumash and Navi. Theres Hilchos shabbos, bein adam lachaveiro, issues in israel, inyanei nashim, emunah and bitachon- a huge variety.
5. You choose 2/3 per semester but otherwise no.
6. There’s not a lot. A few classes give a 3/4 question quize once a week or so but otherwise midterms/finals for most classes and 1 or 2 papers a semester.
7. Learning as much as possible out of each thing. tests/work is a side factor.
8. Very easy. Some people come from schools where you barely learn jewish subjects and I would say it is not too hard for them.
9. You can ask any question! Taharas hamishpacha questions, guys/girls relationships, questions that some people would consider being an apikores in a BY school but they try to answer everything.
10. Learning more and growing more spiritually- definitely.
11. Most girls are self-made. Most are not from the frummest families.
12. Focus on the inside. Middos, our relationships with friends/teachers/family.
13.I am a shy person and I found a really good group of friends right away. There are all types here. I don’t think anyone feels like they don’t belond.
14. A lot of tiyuls! Like once a month a 2 day trip or so and once a month a trip to a park/beach/museum. Not to Europe.
15. Cover your toes, 12pm curfew every night, no drinking, and no hanging out with boys in the neighborhood of the school but other places its okay.
16. Basically cover your elbows/collarbone/knees (not so strict abt it really) and cover your toes.
17.They are pretty nice. American mattresses, 2-3-4-5 per room. Enough closet space. There is a piano, an exercise room, very nice student lounge. In the same building as the classrooms and lunchroom etc. Bathrooms arent the greatest but there is a cleaning lady every day.
18.You find a place for Yom Tov. Shabbos, every 4/5 weeks there is an in school shabbaton. On out shabbosim oyu can stay in the dorms and they find you meals or there is someone designated to find you anywhere to go.
19. Lunch: Bagels and spreads, pizza, falafel, lasagna with salad.
Dinner: Almost every night chicken with 2 sides like rice/soup/vegetables.
Tomer Devorah is a really nice sem and you should check it out 🙂