Rabbanit Malke Bina, founder of Matan Women’s Institute for Torah Studies, received an honorary doctorate from Bar Ilan University on Sunday night at a ceremony in Tel Aviv.
Rabbanit Bina was awarded the doctorate together with seven other pioneering women. The announcement to award her the doctorate was made in March by BIU President Professor Arie Zaban marking the 67th annual session of its board of trustees
“Before returning the Torah scroll to the Ark, we recite the words ‘Renew our lives like in the past’. This is so the Torah will be critical and relevant for us today like it was based on our ancient traditions,” Rabbanit Bina said during her remarks at the ceremony. “Women’s’ entry into the Beit Midrash is one of the innovations of our generation.”
When announcing the decision to award the women, Zaban said: “Women’s pioneering work in a variety of fields impacts millions of women and men in Israel and throughout the world. Bar-Ilan University chose to celebrate the work and success of influential and inspiring women.”
Rabbanit Bina founded Matan just over 30 years ago after she began teaching a group of women around her dining room table. Today there are 10 branches in Israel, where thousands of women study every year in Hebrew and English.
Matan has launched a crowdfunding campaign in order to expand the activities of their Beit Midrash and to open up other avenues to make Torah learning accessible to women and new communities. “This is an opportunity to strengthen the Beit Midrash and help us spread the wellsprings of Torah,” the Matan spokeswoman told JewishPress.com
