The Judith Grunfeld Center is a space for frum women and girls to connect over Torah learning and explore the richness of our history and heritage. Building on the shoulders of giants, the JGC is inspired by the life and legacy of Dr. Judith Grunfeld (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 Dr. Rabbi Avigdor Schonfeld. It was there that Rabbi Schonfeld and Dr. Grunfeld evacuated and painstakingly cared for hundreds of Jewish children during WWII and the devastating Blitz of London. With many the children having already been rescued from the Nazi inferno in mainland Europe, most never saw their parents again. 

Grunfeld's dedication to Am Yisroel exemplifies the power of frum women to sustain and uplift their communities through Torah education, even in the most challenging of times. At the Judith Grunfeld Center, it is our mission to provide women and girls with the opportunity to empower themselves and their communities in the same way. Through shiurim, classes, and community events, we aim to nurture a strong sense of belonging and responsibility for one another, a deep appreciation for the past, and a shared commitment to Klal Yisroel's future.

Students of the Bais Yaakov Teacher’s Seminary in Kraków headed by Grunfeld

The cover of Grunfeld’s memoir, Shefford