Vilna Rabbinical School and Teachers' Seminary
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The Vilna Rabbinical School and Teachers' Seminary was a controversial Russian state-sponsored institution to train Jewish teachers and rabbis, located in Vilna, Russian Empire. The school opened in 1847 with two divisions: a rabbinical school and a teachers' seminary.[1] The Rabbinical School was closed in 1873 and the Teachers' Seminary closed in 1914.[1] The school taught secular studies, unlike the traditional cheders and yeshivas. This new curriculum, as well as the government control, made the school "unpopular."[1]
Curriculum
The school taught German language, Hebrew language, Hebrew Bible, Talmud,[2] algebra, geometry, trigonometry, physics, astronomy, world history, Russian history, Russian language, geography, and handwriting and drawing.[3]
History
Rabbi Yisroel Salanter, a major figure of the Mussar movement who then lived in Vilna, was pressured to lead the seminary. Rather than accept the position, Salanter fled[4] to Kovno, even though Rabbi Yitzhak of Volozhin encouraged him to take the position.[5]
In 1872, a secret Narodnik[6] study group was formed[7] by Aaron Zundelevich. Vladimir Jochelson was a member of this group.[8]
Faculty and students
Many prominent[2] maskilim studied or taught in the school.[9]
Notable faculty included:
- Leibele Antokolier (a.k.a. Arieh-Leib b. Akiba Luria, "The Keidan Genius")[10]
- Shmuel Yosef Feunn (author, maskil, and educator)[11]
- Aaron Samuel Liebermann[12]
- Solomon Salkind (1806 – March 14, 1868), author of Shirim li-Shelomoh, Kol Shelomoh, and Shema Shelomoh.[13]
Notable students included:
- Vladimir Jochelson, Russian ethnographer[8]
