Yarchei Kallah — December 2026

Three Days in Yeshiva

Not simply a visit to the yeshiva. Three days as part of it.

Tuesday 29 – Thursday 31 December · Old City of Jerusalem

Three days inside a living yeshiva

At the end of December the Bircas beis medrash opens to men who want to learn in it. Not to visit. Not to observe. To sit down and learn.

Morning seder is the heart of it — the regular seder, at the regular time, alongside the talmidim and avreichim who are there every day. One sugya across all three mornings, with a chavrusa of your own.

This is not a conference and not a lecture series. The Old City is outside the door. But the yeshiva is the point.

Who it’s for

A chavrusa pair mid-sugya, hands moving over an open Gemara, shelves of seforim behind them
Alumni
Come back to Bircas — not for a reunion, but for three genuine days learning in the beis medrash.
A young man and an older man side by side at their shtenders, each following his own open Gemara, the beis medrash busy around them
Fathers of talmidim
Not seeing where your son learns. Learning beside him, with the talmidim and the Rebbeim.
Two men arguing a sugya across their shtenders in the beis medrash, one pointing to make his case
Professionals
Step out of the pace of work and back into sustained Torah learning, inside a working yeshiva.

You do not need to be an advanced learner. You do need to want to learn.

You should have some previous experience of serious learning, and a willingness to sit seder properly and work through the sources.

The three days

Every morning is the same, and that is the point.

One sugya, opened on Tuesday and carried through to Thursday. You work it through with your chavrusa first; the shiur comes after.

9:15
Welcome and mussar shiur
9:45
Kollel chavrusa
10:30
Chavrusa — working the sugya through, in preparation for the shiur
12:30
Shiur on the sugya
1:30
Mincha

What changes is the afternoon.

The Old City*

A shorter afternoon seder, then a curated walk through the Torah history of the Old City — the batei midrash, the personalities, and the yeshiva’s own place in it.

A full afternoon seder

A second full seder, on material that runs alongside the morning’s sugya.

The Rooftop*

A barbecue on an Old City rooftop, together with the yeshiva.

The Semicha Dinner

The yeshiva’s Semicha Dinner falls on one of the evenings. It is a separate registration — you can join one without the other.

* Subject to change. Depending on the group, the afternoon and evening may take a different form or destination.

Which day carries which is still being confirmed. Thursday ends with the concluding shiur, Mincha at 1:30 and light refreshments.

How the learning works

  • One sugya, across three mornings. Not three unconnected shiurim — a single topic, developed further each day.
  • Two tracks. Guided — more structure and support working through the Gemara and the sources. Iyun — more independent preparation, and deeper work through the Rishonim and the questions the sugya raises. Both learn the same sugya and come together for the shiur. Not sure which is right for you? We will talk it through when you register and place you.
  • A chavrusa. You are matched with one — in many cases a current talmid or avreich. Fathers who want to learn with their sons can say so.
  • The Rebbeim. Shiurim from the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Tagger, and the Bircas Rebbeim — who are in the beis medrash through seder, not only at the shiur.
An older man and a young talmid learning together from one open Gemara, the older man mid-explanation

You are not in this picture yet

The beis medrash will be full that morning regardless. The invitation is to be in it.

Practical

Dates
Tuesday 29 to Thursday 31 December 2026
Begins
9:15am Tuesday, with a welcome and mussar shiur
Ends
Thursday, after Mincha at 1:30 and light refreshments
Accommodation
The yeshiva is not arranging accommodation. Participants make their own arrangements.
Meals
Breakfast (for those davening Shacharis in the yeshiva), lunch, the rooftop barbecue. The Semicha Dinner is an optional extra.
Contribution
$400, excluding the Semicha Dinner. If that is difficult, say so — it should not be the reason you do not come.

Two ways in

If you already know you want to come, register. If you want to know more first, ask.

Register

You know you want to be there. Register now and we will send you everything as it is confirmed.

Register

Ask a question

Not sure whether it is for you, or want to talk it through first? Contact Rabbi Jacobs directly and he’ll be in touch.

Email Rabbi Jacobs