Telšiai Yeshiva is a branch of the Žemaicai Museum "Alka", established in the historic Telšiai Jewish Higher School.
It is a museum space whose vision is to protect and actualize the Jewish cultural heritage, promote community dialogue and initiate the formation of historical self-awareness. In the museum, the memories of Telšiai Jews who survived the Holocaust are told, the history of the Telšiai yeshiva and the Telšiai Jews. The scarcely preserved, but extremely significant Judaic heritage preserved in the Žemaitsi Museum "Alka" is presented: household items, religious items, documentary material.
History of the Telšiai yeshiva: It was founded in 1875, its success is associated with Rabbi Elizierus Gordon. in 1884 became the head of the Telšiai yeshiva, the first in Lithuania to apply modern teaching methods: students had to take entrance exams, after which they were divided into groups according to their level of knowledge. Until then, yeshivas had continued the practice of beit midrashas (houses of prayer), where each chose a part of the Talmud to be read at their own discretion. From now on, students divided into groups read and analyzed the same Talmud fragment throughout the semester. The Telšiai yeshiva also adopted a permanent procedure for checking knowledge, which had not been practiced in other yeshivas until then. In a short time, the Telšiai Yeshiva became one of the most significant centers of Jewish education in Eastern Europe.
Since the 19th century p. II. throughout the Jewish diaspora, the names of not only Telšiai, but also Kaunas (Viljampolė) and Panevėžys yeshivas were famous. Jews from all over the world came to study at these spiritual rabbinic seminaries operating in Lithuania. Each yeshiva, which had its own specifics of teaching or as it was called "spirit" at the time, formed a unique network of Lithuanian Jewish yeshiva. All three yeshivas were restored in Israel and America during the war, where they continue their activities to this day. Telšiai yeshiva in 1942. with the same name was restored in the USA, in Cleveland, where the training system formed in Telšiai is continued.
INFORMATION FOR VISITORS. The facility is adapted for people with disabilities.
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