The Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies is a Toronto academic institution, the academic arm of Kollel Toronto, focused on Talmud and Halacha.
The Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies (IAJS) is the academic arm of Kollel Toronto, originally called Kollel Avreichim. Its address is 515 Coldstream Ave., Toronto, Ontario M6B 2K7. Rabbi Shlomo Eliyahu Miller is the Rosh Kollel and head of its Beis Din.
In 1970, a group of ten families from the BMG Institute for Advanced Learning of Lakewood, NJ moved to Toronto and founded the Toronto Kollel. Kollel Toronto was the first of the Community Kollels, an idea of Rabbi Kotler developed by Beth Medrash Govoha.
Under the authority of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Bill Pr95, the Institute may grant diplomas and certificates and the degrees of Bachelor of Judaics, Bachelor of Talmudic Law, Master of Judaics, Master of Talmudic Law, Doctor of Philosophy in Judaics and Doctor of Philosophy in Talmudic Law. The Institute places the study of the Talmud at the core of its curriculum. A major focus is the study of contemporary issues in the practical implementation of Halacha within the context of Canadian society. Each student is paired with a chavrusa, a compatible peer, to discuss and analyze the text.
The main campus building is located at 515 Coldstream Avenue in Toronto. Its main study hall, the Bais Medrash, is 3,000 square feet. The Institute owns five apartment complexes near its scholars' residences. The facilities include the Yehuda & Pesa Rivkah Weinstock Memorial Library, the Eli Moshe Gross Memorial Otzar HaSeforim (Library), the Kol Halashon Audio Library, and the Weitz Memorial CD and Audio Library, and the Kol Halashon online lecture library contains over 50,000 lectures.
Applicants from other countries with British system certificates are among those considered for admission.