History

An appreciation for the roots of Talpiot provides insight into the role that the college has forged for itself within the Toronto community.

The Jewish community was established in Toronto prior to Confederation in 1867, with the post Second World War era witnessing the flourishing of a new thriving community based on the influx of orthodox Jewry. During the 1950’s, Jewish elementary schools were firmly established within the community. In 1960, Beth Jacob High School was started as the first Jewish High School for girls in Ontario.

Graduates of the Beth Jacob education receive comprehensive schooling in Jewish and secular studies. In 1969, a post-graduate institute, Beth Jacob Teachers’ Seminary, was brought into existence to meet the expanding educational needs within the orthodox Jewish community. Further expansion occurred in 1996, when Beth Jacob Academy/Maalot Toronto, through association with Maalot Yerushalayim, was founded as an affiliate to the existing Beth Jacob institutions. Maalot Toronto provided a post-high school, college level, education for Jewish women. The student body consisted primarily of young Jewish women with substantial prior Judaic and secular education. The focus, perspective and student body of Maalot Toronto was unique to not only Toronto and Ontario, but also the whole of Canada.

In order to further the goals of the Beth Jacob ideal and to provide orthodox Jewish women with a suitable, rigorous continuing education, a charter application was made, in March 1997, to the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training, Universities Branch. The charter application centred on the creation of a new educational entity – Talpiot College – from the combination of the existing Beth Jacob Teachers’ Seminary and Beth Jacob Academy, that would receive degree-granting authority from the Ontario legislature. The Ministry issued their approval of Talpiot College on December 16, 1999, and the Talpiot College Act subsequently received Royal Assent on June 23, 2000.