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From Zion

Will Come

Torah

An Interview with

Rabbanit Shani Taragin

There are few teachers of Torah more popular today than Rabbanit Shani Taragin. Serving as World
Mizrachi’s Educational Director and Director of Mizrachi’s Lapidot Educator’s Training Program, she
maintains a breathtaking schedule of classes in Israel and around the world. Rabbi Aron White spoke with
Rabbanit Taragin about her childhood, the world of women’s learning, and her dreams for the future.

You have made a career and a calling of teaching Torah. learn and teach Torah, so when I registered for Stern College, I
When you were growing up, what did you want to do? majored in Judaic Studies and Biology.
From a very young age I loved learning Torah; my parents would I remember having a life-changing conversation with my father
both learn with each of us (eight children, Baruch Hashem) every about my career plan. He recommended that I choose what I
night, and over the Shabbat table we would each be asked to give wanted to specialize in. “You can’t be a great mother of a large
a dvar Torah. Shabbat afternoons I would sit and read The Midrash family, a great doctor and a great teacher,” he said. I might have
Says on the parasha from start to finish and our shul, “The White been able to be a good doctor, but I wanted to invest in affecting
Shul”, provided learning groups followed by an oneg every Shab- change in the world. I also realized that I wanted a large family.
bat afternoon. For me, the learning was also the oneg. In addition, And so as much as I love science, I was more passionate about
from the time I was 8 years old, I was fascinated by science and learning and teaching Torah, and so that is the path I chose. I feel
wanted to be a pediatric neurologist. My father is a doctor and blessed that today, in addition to teaching Tanach and Gemara, I
I would read his copy of Scientific American, particularly the am able to combine my love of science and my passion for Torah
Amateur Scientist column. I remember being fascinated reading in my role as a Yoetzet Halacha, which addresses the interaction
articles about surgeons who succeeded in connecting the right between halacha, fertility, intimacy and women’s health. My
and left hemispheres of the brain, and possible ways to enable kids still suggest that one day I should attend medical school.
people to think and enhance cognition. I think there was always Who knows?!
a connection between my medical interest in the brain and my When I reflect on my role models, they help me appreciate the
love of learning and teaching Torah. I thought I would pursue progression of women’s learning from its most traditional roots,
a career in the medical field and simultaneously continue to to growing scholarship in Tanach and then to Torah she’ba’al peh.

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