noun
- plural of heder; Jewish elementary schools, traditionally focused on teaching Hebrew, Torah, and religious texts to young children.
Usage: Yiddish origin; historical and cultural term; primarily used in Jewish educational contexts
Examples
- In Eastern European Jewish communities, hedarim were the primary institutions where children learned to read Hebrew.
- The hedarim system emphasized religious instruction and traditional Jewish texts.
- Many Jewish immigrants brought the hedarim educational model with them to America.
- Hedarim typically served boys from ages five to thirteen.
- The curriculum in hedarim focused heavily on Torah and Talmudic study.