Visionary Leaders: Power and Ethics
Sunday, April 29, 2012
The Harmonie Club
Program
Welcome
Sharyn Mann
Greeting
Malke Bina
Guest Presenter
Shani Taragin
Guest Presenter
Erica Brown
Closing Remarks
Esther and Motti Kremer
Biographies
Rabbannit Malke Bina is the founder and chancellor of Matan: the Sadie Rennert
Women's Institute for Torah Studies. Matan's creation pioneered women's learning institutions
in Israel and abroad through its advanced level Beit Midrash and Scholars programs, its
international Bat Mitzvah program and a number of other successful community based learning
initiatives. In her role as teacher of Bible, Talmud and Jewish law, Rabbanit Bina has introduced
hundreds of women to the joy of advanced level Judaic studies.
Rabbanit Bina was born in Baltimore. She was one of five American girls who came to study at
the Michlalah College for Women in Jerusalem in 1967. In 1972 she received her MA in Bible
from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Yeshiva University. Prior to founding Matan,
Rabbanit Bina taught Bible and Mishna at Evelina de Rothschild High School and at Machon Gold
and Bible, and Jewish Law at Shappell College of Jewish Studies. She was the co-director and
taught Talmud and Bible at Michlelet Bruria.
In 2002 Rabbanit Bina received the Hadassah Women's prize along with Shoshana Damari and
Orah Namir in recognition of her important work in advanced Jewish studies for women. In
2006 she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University for her lifetime
achievement in teaching Torah to women, aliyah, education and social services and in 2008 she
was chosen as woman of the year by Emunah.
Dr. Erica Brown is a writer and educator and serves as the Scholar-in- Residence for The
Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. Erica is the author of a number of books; her latest
book is In the Narrow Places: Daily Inspiration for the Three Weeks. She was a Jerusalem Fellow,
is a faculty member of the Wexner Foundation, an Avi Chai Fellow, winner of the Ted Farber
Professional Excellence Award, and the recipient of the 2009 Covenant Award for her work in
education. Erica has degrees from Yeshiva University, University of London, Harvard University
and Baltimore Hebrew University. Erica lectures and writes widely on subjects of Jewish interest
and leadership and writes an internet essay called “Weekly Jewish Wisdom” that used to appear
on the Newsweek/Washington Post’s “On Faith” website. She resides with her husband and four
children in Silver Spring, Maryland. Many of her articles, workshop titles and classes appear on
her website: leadingwithmeaning.com
Rabbanit Shani Taragin is one of the first graduates of Matan’s Beit Midrash, a
prominent educator and Bible lecturer in Israel and worldwide. She has completed a B.A. and
M.A. in Tanach and Talmud at Bar-Ilan University. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D in Tanach
while serving as Ram for Tanach in Midreshet Lindenbaum. She also teaches collegiate's and
adults at Matan, Migdal Oz, Sha'alvim for Women, Lander's College, and the Womens' Beit
Midrash in Efrat and Ramat Shilo. Shani is a serves a as a halachic advisor in issues of family
purity law. She lectures and leads Tanach tours throughout Israel and serves on the local
religious council dealing with issues of Jewish law and education. She resides with her husband
and six children in Alon Shvut and they serve as leaders in the Katamon community of Eretz
Chemdah and the Beit Midrash Program in Camp Moshava.
Matan
is one of the world's leading centers for advanced women’s Torah study and
leadership training. Through its visionary philosophy and teaching, Matan empowers its
students with knowledge of Jewish text and tradition and helps to shape the future of the
Jewish people in Israel and worldwide. Through a wide variety of programs, Matan’s major goal
is to advance women’s Torah scholarship and to redefine the status of women in Judaism.
www.matan.org.il