yeshiva

American  

[yuh-shee-vuh] / yəˈʃi və /

Or yeshivah

noun

1. an Orthodox Jewish school for the religious and secular education of children of elementary school age.

2. an Orthodox Jewish school of higher instruction in Jewish learning, chiefly for students preparing to enter the rabbinate.

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yeshiva British  

/ jəˈʃiːva, jəˈʃiːvə /

noun

1. a traditional Jewish school devoted chiefly to the study of rabbinic literature and the Talmud

2. a school run by Orthodox Jews for children of primary school age, providing both religious and secular instruction

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Etymology

Origin of yeshiva

1925–30; < Hebrew (post-Biblical) yəshībhāh literally, a sitting

Example Sentences

Since the State of Israel was declared in 1948, students enrolled full-time at a religious school, or yeshiva, have been exempted from conscription.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

When he reached New York, he enrolled in a yeshiva to resume his Talmud studies—as his parents would have desired—but soon left after finding he could no longer accept all of the doctrines.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

Yair Margolis, an army reservist who was called up from his yeshiva studies last year to fight in Gaza, said during a recent break from battle that the war had a clear spiritual dimension.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2024

Settlers said that Israeli forces in May tried to stop them from hauling heavy construction equipment to build a new yeshiva.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 13, 2023

If Reb Saunders even once heard of Danny being anywhere in my presence, he would remove him immediately from the college and send him to an out-of-town yeshiva for his rabbinic ordination.

From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok