Want to learn more Torah but not sure where to start?
Introducing the The Judith Grunfeld Center. The JGC is Chicago’s first Torah learning center dedicated to the Bais Yaakov community. We provide frum women and girls of all ages with a vibrant space to learn Torah, connect with like-minded peers, and grow together. Through carefully designed programming, we cultivate a deep, enduring connection to Torah at every season of life.
Chicago’s Leading Mechanchot
We are a community grounded in Torah learning and lead by Chicago’s top mechanchos.
One Centralized Location
Our weekday shiurim are located near the corner of Touhy and McCormick. Shiurim are taught at different times of day and evening to accommodate diverse schedules
One-on-one Advising
Our one-on-one advising helps you find the shiurim that are right for you. The right class will depend on your schedule, interests, and skill set.
Who was Dr. Judith Grunfeld?
The JGC is inspired by the life and legacy of Dr. Judith Grunfeld, née Rosenbaum (1902 - 1998), the formidable teacher, headmistress, and right-hand woman to Sarah Schenirer during the nascent stages of the Bais Yaakov Movement in Kraków, Poland. While critical to the movement's success as an educator, administrator, and fundraiser, Grunfeld eventually went on to revolutionize Jewish education beyond Kraków. After fleeing Nazi Germany with her husband in 1934, the couple settled in England, with Dr. Grunfeld becoming headmistress of the Jewish Secondary School in London founded by Rabbi Dr. Avigdor Schonfeld. It was there that his son, Rabbi Dr. Solomon Schonfeld and Dr. Grunfeld evacuated and cared for hundreds of Jewish
children during WWII and the devastating Blitz of London. With many of the children having been rescued from the Nazi inferno in mainland Europe, the vast majority never saw their parents again. Grunfeld's dedication to klal Yisroel at its darkest hour exemplifies the power of frum women to sustain and uplift their communities through Torah. At the Judith Grunfeld Center, it is our mission to provide women and girls with the opportunity to empower themselves and others in the same way. In building our community, we aim to instill a strong sense of belonging and responsibility for one another, a deep appreciation for our past and a shared commitment to Klal Yisroel's future.
As photos of Dr. Grunfeld are unfortunately scarce, here we see one of her promising talmidos giving a shiur, while she looks on from within the crowd (not pictured)