Sura Academy


Sura Academy was a Jewish yeshiva located in Sura, Babylonia. With Pumbedita Academy, it was one of the two major Jewish academies from the year 225 CE at the beginning of the era of the Amora sages until 1033 CE at the end of the era of the Gaonim. Sura Yeshiva Academy was founded by the Amora Abba Arika, a disciple of Judah ha-Nasi. Among the well-known sages that headed the yeshiva were Rav Huna, Rav Chisda, Rav Ashi, Yehudai Gaon, Natronai Gaon, Saadia Gaon, and others.

History

Rav arrived at Sura city to find no lively Jewish religious public life, and since he was worried about the continuity of the Jewish community in Babylonia, he left his colleague Samuel of Nehardea in Nehardea and began working to establish the yeshiva that would become Sura Academy. Upon Rav's arrival, teachers from surrounding cities and towns descended upon Sura. The Academy of Sura was formally founded in the year 225 CE, several years after Rav's arrival.
Sura Academy would eventually grow to include a faculty of 1200 members and included the following features:
Sura Academy soon became the most influential yeshiva in its region, besting the Nehardea Academy.
The academy's classes were occasionally held at Matha-Mehasia, a suburb of Sura city, and after a while a Torah center was founded there as well.

List of Sura academy's Deans

Amora era