Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies

What Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies does

Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies is a private Jerusalem-based Jewish educational institution founded in 1997 by Rabbi Shlomo Gestetner and Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov, with Rabbi Yisroel Noach Wichnin serving as Founding Rosh Yeshiva. The organization delivers immersive Chabad-affiliated Jewish education to English-speaking young adults aged 18-30, structured around a proprietary Eight-Step Talmud Program and the SQAP (Statement-Question-Answer-Proof) analytical method. Core product lines include the Men's Program, Women's Program, Post High School Program (ages 18-19), and Executive Learning Program (adults 31+), all delivered on-site in Jerusalem.

The operating stack is residential and content-led: students travel to Jerusalem to attend, housed at the newly opened Mayanot World Center (a five-story, 3,500 sq. meter facility with 220 dormitory beds opened in 2025). Adjacent product lines include Taglit-Birthright Israel trips (free 10-day programs, an accredited provider since 2000 with 40,000+ participants), a Lone Soldier Residential Center, an online learning arm distributed via Zoom and podcast platforms, and Mayanot Connects (a Shidduch matchmaking service for alumni launched in 2022 with Chabadmatch). Distribution relies on direct-to-consumer applications, Chabad rabbinic referrals, alumni word-of-mouth, and Birthright's funding channel.

Mayanot is funded by a mix of tuition and program fees, donations (including a US Friends-of entity and the #ROCMayanot $1.8M capital campaign), and ancillary fees (Kiddush sponsorship, matchmaking registration). The organization reports 5,500+ program graduates operating in 190 communities, 500+ alumni who made aliyah, and ~150-student record enrollment at the new campus in 2025. It is privately held with no institutional investment, no public listing, and no disclosed financial statements.

Name

Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies

Legal name

Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies

Website

https://mayanot.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies is a Jerusalem-based private Jewish educational institution founded in 1997, delivering Chabad-affiliated immersive learning programs (Talmud, Halacha, Chassidut) to young Jewish adults aged 18-30, plus Birthright Israel trips, lone-soldier support, and alumni matchmaking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Jewish Higher Education and Seminary Programs

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Jewish Theological Seminaries & Rabbinical Colleges (EDAHAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAA), Jewish Heritage & Israel Pilgrimage Travel Agencies (THAKAHAC)

Keywords

• Jewish studies education
• Talmud learning programs
• Chabad seminary programs
• Birthright Israel tours
• Gap year education

Headquarters

HQ city

Jerusalem

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Students pay tuition for semester, year, and short-term programs. The application requires a $75 application fee. Dormitory accommodations are available for an additional cost. Birthright Israel participants receive free trips funded by Taglit-Birthright Israel.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Mayanot raises funds through donation campaigns including the #ROCMayanot capital campaign targeting $1,800,000. The organization has a US-based Friends of Mayanot entity and accepts donations through its website.
3. Ancillary Fees and Sponsorships: The Mayanot Synagogue offers Kiddush sponsorship opportunities at 350 NIS. Mayanot Connects charges a one-time $25 registration fee for alumni dating network access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies is a Jerusalem-based yeshiva/seminary offering immersive Jewish education programs (men's, women's, post-high school, executive, short-term, and online) taught through a Chabad Chassidic methodology, including its signature Eight-Step Talmud Program and SQAP analytical method. It also delivers free Taglit-Birthright Israel educational trips and operates the Mayanot Synagogue and Mayanot Connects alumni matchmaking service. The newly opened 3,500 square-meter Mayanot World Center with 220 dormitory beds supports year-abroad, semester, and gap-year study in Talmud, Halacha, Chassidut, Chumash, Hebrew, and Jewish philosophy.

Product overview

Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies is an educational organization offering a portfolio of Jewish learning programs for young adults. The core offerings include the Men's Program and Women's Program (for ages 19-30), the Post High School Learning Program (for 18-19 year olds), and the Executive Learning Program (for adults 31+). These programs are complemented by Birthright Israel Mayanot trips (free 10-day Israel experiences), Mayanot Connects (dating/matchmaking service), and the Mayanot Synagogue. The institution operates the Mayanot World Center, a 3,500 sq. ft. facility with 220 beds housing multiple programs including the Beit Midrash, Birthright Extension Center, and Lone Soldier Residential Center. Additional offerings include Short Term Programs, Start Up Idea Lab, Israel Advocacy Training, and Online Learning delivered via Zoom and podcast platforms. The programs focus on Talmud, Halacha, Chassidut, Chumash, Hebrew language, and Jewish philosophy, with a Chabad Chassidic approach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mayanot World Center: The main campus facility in Jerusalem featuring classrooms, dormitories, and community spaces for Jewish educational programs.
• Mayanot Birthright Israel
• Mayanot Connects

Products and services

• Mayanot Men's Program Year-abroad and semester program for Jewish men offering advanced study of Talmud, Halacha, and Chassidut using Mayanot's proprietary skill-building methodology (Eight-Step Talmud Program and SQAP method), developing students as leaders and community ambassadors.
• Mayanot Women's Program Jewish women's education program delivering advanced study of Talmud, Halacha, and Chassidut in an academically rigorous setting, building analytical skills and Jewish literacy for women from diverse backgrounds.
• Post High School Learning Program Year-long Jewish learning program for 18-19 year-olds providing Torah study, textual skill building, hands-on workshops in Talmud, Halacha and Chassidut, one-on-one study sessions, experiential trips, Shabbatons, and spiritual mentorship.
• Executive Learning Program Short-term Jewish learning program for adults aged 31+, offering a personalized program (up to three weeks) or yeshiva study program (up to four weeks) in Jerusalem for intensive Torah study.
• Birthright Israel Mayanot Free 10-day educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults aged 18-26, fully funded by Taglit-Birthright Israel and operated by Mayanot since 2000 with over 40,000 participants.
• Mayanot Connects (Alumni Matchmaking) Alumni matchmaking and dating service helping Mayanot graduates find prospective spouses through the Shidduch system, with networking tools, profile templates, matchmaker connections, and a partnership with Chabadmatch; one-time $25 registration fee.
• Mayanot Synagogue (Shul) Synagogue in Jerusalem's Nachlaot neighborhood offering daily prayer, Shabbat and Holiday services, lectures, classes, community projects, and social events; offers Kiddush sponsorship opportunities priced at 350 NIS.
• Taste of Mayanot Online Learning Program Eight-day online Jewish learning program priced at $18, providing college students access to Mayanot's courses in Talmud, Chassidut, Philosophy, and Chumash via live online classes with no prior Hebrew background required.
• Short-Term Educational Programs Immersive Israel experiences including 3-week experiential programs, winter break workshops, six-week summer learning seminars, short-term trip extensions, and 'Tiyulim' group trips around Israel.
• Lone Soldier Residential Center Residential support program for lone IDF soldiers who have made aliyah, offering Shabbat meals, holiday programs, care packages, spiritual mentorship, 'Adopt a Lone Soldier' community pairing, social support, and post-army education integration.
• Mayanot Online Zoom Classes Virtual Torah learning delivered via Zoom during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, offering recorded Chassidus, Gemara, and other Jewish educational classes for remote students worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• 58,000+ total participants brought to Israel for transformative experiences
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ChabadmatchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMayanot Connects partners with Chabadmatch to provide additional channels and opportunities for Mayanot alumni to meet prospective spouses through the traditional Shidduch matchmaking system. The partnership creates a shared database accessible to both Mayanot alumni and the broader Chabadmatch network of matchmakers (shadchanim). Mayanot alumni profiles are visible to Chabadmatch shadchanim, and Mayanot Connects receives access to Chabadmatch's professional matchmaking infrastructure.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Taglit-Birthright Israel: Core funder and ecosystem enabler for Mayanot's Birthright Israel programming — not a direct competitor but the principal distribution and acquisition partner that defines Mayanot's top-of-funnel.
• Chabadmatch: Strategic partner integrated with Mayanot Connects for alumni matchmaking services — adjacent ecosystem participant rather than competitor, but directly coupled to Mayanot's alumni lifecycle offering.

Direct peers

• Neve Yerushalayim: Established Jerusalem women's seminary offering year, semester, and summer programs in Torah, Jewish philosophy, and Chassidut — directly competes for the same female gap-year and seminary student segment.
• Aish HaTorah: Jerusalem-based Jewish educational organization offering immersive yeshiva-style programs, beginner-to-advanced Talmud and Jewish philosophy curricula, and outreach to English-speaking young Jewish adults — closely mirrors Mayanot's core mission and Chabad-adjacent methodology.
• Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies: Co-ed Jewish studies seminary in Jerusalem offering year-long, semester, and summer programs in Talmud, Tanakh, and Jewish thought — directly competes for the same gap-year and semester English-speaking student cohort.
• BINA (formerly Michlelet Bruria): Jerusalem-based women's seminary providing rigorous textual Jewish studies for post-high school and adult learners — direct overlap with Mayanot's Women's Program and similar mission and pedagogical approach.
• Midreshet Moriah: Jerusalem women's seminary with a Chassidic focus providing post-high school, semester, and summer programs — closely comparable mission and student demographic to Mayanot Women's Program.
• Ohr Somayach: Jerusalem yeshiva and kiruv organization providing English-language Talmud study programs, beginner tracks, and outreach to Jewish young adults — directly comparable target market, product mix, and instructional approach.

Broad incumbents

• Yeshiva University: Large, established Orthodox Jewish university in New York offering undergraduate, graduate, and rabbinical programs — broader Jewish higher education portfolio but overlapping in mission to develop Jewishly literate leadership.
• Migdal Ohr: Large Israeli educational institution providing yeshiva, Torah study, and youth educational programs at scale — broader Israeli footprint with overlapping religious educational mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6e3LLoM-1ZplB
• Facebookfacebook.com/Mayanot.shul
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mayanot-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies