Sura Academy

Sura Academy (Hebrew: ישיבת סורא) was a Jewish yeshiva in Babylonia, with Pumbedita Academy one of the two major Jewish academies from the year 225 AD at the beginning of the era of the Amora sages until 1033 AD at the end of the era of the Gaonim. Sura Yeshiva Academy was founded by the Amora Abba Arika ("Rav"), 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

Abba Arika ("Rav"), arrived at Sura city to find no lively 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 Abba Arika's arrival, teachers from surrounding cities and towns descended upon Sura. The Academy of Sura was formally founded in the year 225 AD, several years after Abba Arika's arrival.

The academy's classes were occasionally held at Matha-Mehasia (מתא מחסיא), a suburb of Sura city, and after a while a Torah center was founded there as well. Abba Arika's Sura Academy would eventually grow to include a faculty of 1200 members and included the following features: