The Bais Yaakov Journal

The Bais Yaakov Journal

The Bais Yaakov Journal was a publication of Bais Yaakov and the Agudah. It was edited by Eliezer Gershon Friedenson, from his office in Łódź, and it appeared monthly (or sometimes more often) from 1923 to 1939. A Polish supplement accompanied the Yiddish journal beginning in 1924. The Polish supplement was discontinued in 1929, when Bais Yaakov embraced Orthodox Yiddishism (see bio of Solomon Shlyome Birnbaum). Below are links to selected issues, digitized and presented here with generous permission from YIVO. (Some issues are missing from the YIVO archives.)

We have provided summaries of the highlights of each issue, but along with these were regular features, including:

  • reflections by Sarah Schenirer on the parsha, Jewish holidays, and Bais Yaakov topics in nearly every issue
  • letters to the editor
  • a column by ELiezer Gershon Friedensohn called “From Month to Month”
  • an advice column called “Sister to Sister”
  • book reviews
  • announcements about Bais Yaakov events
  • reports from local Bais Yaakovs and Bnos chapters
  • announcements of births, engagements, marriages, and deaths
  • advertisements.

Some of the regular journal topics came and went. For instance, in the late 1920s, Bais Yaakov published Yiddish translations of poetry by Rabindranath Tagore in nearly every issue, participating in the general European passion for his poetry.

As part of the ongoing nature of the Bais Yaakov Project, we will finish uploading the print runs of the Bais Yaakov Journal though 1939, and add the print runs of the Bais Yaakov Ruf (Lithuania), Bet Yaakov (Israel), and Beth Jacob (United States).

We also plan to translate the Yiddish, Polish, and Hebrew journals. If you would like to contribute your time and expertise, please contact us

Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 74 (1931)

Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 74 (1931)

  • An article by Dr. L. Niemtzewitz for the opening of the school year
  • An article by Benjamin Mintz from Palestine, in remembrance of the Jewish victims of the riots of 1929
  • Poems and short stories by Eliezer Schindler, Shmuel Nadler, and A. I. Lipmanowicz.
  • An article by Sarah Schenirer about a visit of representatives from “Keren HaTorah” (the educational foundation of the Agudath Israel) ...
Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 80 (1931)

Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 80 (1931)

  • An essay about Hanukkah and the Torah portion of the week by Sarah Schenirer, and another article about Hanukkah by Shmuel Ostarzetzer.
  • Poems and stories by Shmuel Nadler, Eliezer Schindler, A. Hameiri, Yehuda Leib Orlean, Esther Raza, and Yaakov Landa
  • An essay by Benjamin Mintz about the tragic stories of Dreyfus and Baylis. Situating the two as cautionary tales of anti-Semitism.
  • Eliezer Gershon Friedensohn ...
Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 81 (1931-1932)

Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 81 (1931-1932)

  • Announcing a fundraising campaign for Bnos Agudath-Israel for the year תרצ"ב 1931-1932 
  • An article by Sarah Schenirer about the importance of charity and soliciting donations to Bnos Agudath-Israel
  • Poems and stories by Shmuel Nadler, V. Leichter, Eliezer Schindler, P. A. Sirski, and A. Sh.
  • First chapter of the serialized novel "Mereleyke" by Sh. Shakhnovich (published in seventeen chapters in issues 81-88, 96-109)
  • A section ...
Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 82 (1932)

Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 82 (1932)

  • A short text by Yaakov Landau about the holiday of Tu B'Shvat, from a forthcoming book
  • An opinion essay by Eliezer Gershon Friedensohn about the need to fundraise for stipends for talented poor students to attend the teachers' seminary and acquire a profession
  • Sarah Schenirer on the week's Torah portion
  • An essay by Ish Levi about the importance of the youth movements, Tse’irei Agudath ...
Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 83 (1932)

Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 83 (1932)

  • Sarah Schenirer on the week's Torah portion
  • Poems by Esther Raza, Eliezer Schindler, and Samuel Nadler
  • An opinion piece on the importance of friends and peer pressure by Yehuda Leib Orlean
  • An opinion piece on the importance of Orthodox literature by Bat Ami
  • A continuation of the essay by Benjamin Mintz on the Converso community in Portugal, after a visit to their community in ...
Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 84 (1932)

Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 84 (1932)

  • An article by Bat Avihail celebrating the 6th anniversary of the Bnos movement
  • Sarah Schenirer on the week's Torah portion
  • Continuation of the report by Benjamin Mintz about the Converso community in Portugal, mentions Doña Maria Amelia Fernandez the Righteous from Quillian, who studied Judaism.
  • Poems by Eliezer Schindler and Alter Shnur. Short stories by Eliezer Schindler and Leib Feingold
  • Eliezer Gershon Friedensohn on ...
Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 85-86 (1932)

Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 85-86 (1932)

  • An article by Ish Levi on the influence of Orthodox Judaism and the tragic divides within Jewish society
  • Continuation of the report by Benjamin Mintz about the Converso community in Portugal, and on Doña Maria Amelia Fernandez
  • R. Lipa Darshan writes Jewish jokes in honor of Purim
  • Sarah Schenirer on the week's Torah portion and Shabbat Zakhor
  • An article by Rachel Bat Tovim on ...
Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 87-88 (1932)

Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 87-88 (1932)

  • Photographs of rabbis and the Seder night
  • Translations: Shlomo Birnbaum’s translation of "Had Gadya" into Yiddish; Eliezer Schindler’s translation of the Haftarah of the Last Day of Passover (Isaiah 10); and Sh. Randall's translation of a Psalm into Yiddish
  • An essay by Sarah Schenirer on Passover
  • A brief excerpt from a forthcoming book by Yaakov Landau, on Passover
  • An article by Benjamin Mintz about ...
Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 89 (1932)

Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 89 (1932)

  • An article explaining that the scaled-down issue of the journal tis a result of financial struggle and unpaid debts
  • A short text by Yaakov Landau about the time between Passover and Shavuot, from a forthcoming book
  •  A motivational article by Sarah  Schenirer about the importance of the work of Bais Yaakov and Bnos, and addressing the time between the holidays Passover and Shavuot as ...
Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 93 (1932)

Bais Yaakov Journal Issue 93 (1932)

  • An article for the beginning of a new school year by Eliezer. Gershon Friedensohn, on the need for more organized schools and education programs for Orthodox children
  • An essay by Reizl Roza on the need for leaders who will set an example for the right path
  • An advertisement encouraging readers to buy the Bais Yaakov Journal and urge their friends to buy it, which ...