Vilna Rabbinical School and Teachers' Seminary
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. The Rabbinical School was closed in 1873 and the Teachers' Seminary closed in 1914. The school taught secular studies, unlike the traditional cheders and yeshivas. This new curriculum, as well as the government control, made the school "unpopular."Curriculum
The school taught German language, Hebrew language, Hebrew Bible, Talmud, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, physics, astronomy, world history, Russian history, Russian language, geography, and handwriting and drawing.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 to Kovno, even though Rabbi Yitzchok Volozhiner encouraged him to take the position.
In 1872, a secret Narodnik study group was formed by Aaron Zundelevich. Vladimir Jochelson was a member of this group.Many prominent maskilim studied or taught in the school.
Notable faculty included:
- Leibele Antokolier
- Shmuel Yosef Feunn
- Aaron Samuel Liebermann
- Solomon Salkind, author of Shirim li-Shelomoh, Kol Shelomoh, and Shema Shelomoh.
Notable students included:
