Great news for the Yeshiva World
Learn Torah in a Virtual Bais Medrash anytime and anywhere.
Hi, I’m Yehuda Biala Founder of ZoomTorah and we are updating the definition of a Virtual Bais Medrash. Before the development of my App, a virtual bais medrash meant a few (hopefully live) video shiurim, notably the five towns virtual bais medrash. Let’s face it, people do listen to Shiurim in a Bais Medrash.
Um . . .
What is the most common activity in a Bais Medrash?
I think most people would answer, to learn. With a Chavrusa. In a Bais Medrash with others learning as well. With the ability to ask others for Pshat, when you can’t figure it out himself. With people to share a Chiddush or a Diyuk with.
Well, our Virtual Bais Medrash offers all of those things and more. Learn Torah Any Time and anywhere in a Virtual Bais medrash.
Click on a seat, start video learning with a chavrusa. It feels like a Bais Medrash because you can see others learning inside, by way of their avatars or small pictures of themselves.
Need to speak to someone else?
Just click on a seat on their table to join their video. If you don’t want others to join for a while, you can lock your table or room by clicking on the table or on the name of the room.
Prefer audio?
You can do all the same things with Audio only.
What if I want to share something with a lot of people?
Our Digital Bais Medrash has chat as well, so you can start a Channel where members can send questions or chiddushim to all in the Channel. If you’d rather give a shiur, just click start shiur and everyone will be invited.
You can also create a supportive atmosphere with the taskמראה מקומות\ function. Assign מראה מקומות to someone and when he’s done everyone will be given an option to cheer for him.
Need to announce something?
There is an announcement function.
Need to share a sefer?
There are three options! You can click on a table and share a link, or Screen share during your Video-Learn. With the chrome plugin, you can share a tab as well.
Compare
| Bais Medresh | Virtual Bais Medresh | |||
| Learn with a chavrusa | ✔ | In person | ✔ | Video learn |
| Learn with a chabura | ✔ | In person | ✔ | See their avatar & click on a seat to join their video |
| Block people from coming to your table | x | Setup a barricade? | ✔ | Click on your table, then “lock” |
| Start Shuir seamlessly | ✔ | Go to the front and start talking | ✔ | Click “Start shiur” or “Start presentation” |
| Talk with many people simultaneously | x | If two talk at once, you can’t hear any of them | ✔ | Via chat |
| Make an announcement | ✔ | Go to the Bimah and talk very loudly | ✔ | Click “Announcement” and type what you want to say |
| Cheer someone’s accomplishment | x | Talking about something else interrupts your flow | ✔ | Cheer with just a click |
| Share a sefer with many at once | x | There is a limit to how many guys can look over one guy’s shoulder | ✔ | Share a link or a tab on your screen |
No Shtik Mode!
So your talmidim learn, instead of playing with the program.
Privacy when needed.
Lock your room or table, so no one can come in.
Audio mode
For those with really bad internet connections. There is even a telephone integration for those with out internet, although that doesn’t have full functionality.