What Does My Daughter Need to Pack for Seminary?

This is a list written by seminary students of a Bais Yaakov-type of seminary in Israel. As moms we’re familiar with the “We have nothing to wear” refrain and we thought the girls were very generous when listing what is a “must have.” After explaining that laundry is only done every third week, however, the list starts to make a bit more sense. -The BCP Team

UPDATED SUMMER 2023 by returning seminary students + FREE EXCEL/ GOOGLE SHEETS PACKING LIST!

Though this list can be used as a guide, it’s always best to speak to a former student of the seminary your daughter will be attending to verify what the girls in that specific seminary actually do wear. This list is as extensive as it gets and is very generous in listing the quantity of clothing. You do not need to buy everything; you can use many things that you already have in your closet (sneakers, shoes, basics, t-shirts…) and this lists very generously the amounts of clothing. If you plan on doing laundry once a week (vs. every second or third week), you can cut the list significantly. Most girls have trouble getting to laundry machines often or are simply lazy to do it weekly.

Also note: Storage space is usually limited!

By starting now, you can shop slowly, starting to look out for the products you want and get things on sale.

You can download the packing list here. However please read the invaluable notes below for more detaild info about each item and or category. You can also find a much more expansive and detailed excel document below.

UNIFORM SKIRTS:In the majority of Israel seminaries, the uniform is a dark skirt paired with a blue shirt (most Bais Yaakov type seminaries). Always confirm with former students.

Many seminaries request navy skirts, but the girls all seem to wear black anyway.If you went / are currently in a high school that wears navy or black pleated skirts (long and short) those skirts can be used. Most girls wear long pleated skirts. You can pack a shorter one for trips (use an older one; it’s not necessary to buy one special for this reason) Some suggest getting one skirt a size bigger.

UNIFORM SHIRTS:The majority of the time the girls wear sweaters or t-shirts over their button-down shirts. They wear t-shirts more often than sweaters because it’s quite hot many of the months and they don’t like to wear a plain shirt. This is also the reason why most girls wear collars, dickies, or uni-shells under the t-shirts or sweaters. If your daughter does not want to wear something over her button-down, she would need more shirts and less sweaters/t-shirts. (Editor’s Note: as moms, this sounds like a lot, but the girls wrote this much so we’re going to leave it in)

SHABBOS:

ADDITIONAL CLOTHING:

BASICS:(Editor’s note: Again, there’s a lot on the list. Laundry isn’t done often and things keep getting lost.)

SHOES:Shoes get ruined fast because you do a lot of walking

ODDS AND ENDS:

TOILETRIES:While you might like the familiarity of the hair products you’re used to, don’t stock up at home. You can buy many of the same brands in Israel, and these are formulated for use with the harder Israeli water. Also, if you’re used to using 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner or skipping conditioner altogether, that probably won’t work in Israel. The harder water will leave your hair feeling much more coarse and dry, so make sure to condition every time you wash.All toiletries are sold in Israel, but it may not be the particular brand you like (like pads). Bring along things you are particular about, and buy the rest in Israel. Things that are small and easy to pack (i.e. nail scissor), buy in the U.S. (we removed the line about q-tips)Cell phone plan – most schools specify where to buy a phone. See school rules.

EXTRAS THAT MIGHT BE APPRECIATED:

We have an amazing google sheets / excel seminary packing list for you to use and check off what you already have and then later what you packed- (Thank you Rivkie I.) Feel free to customize the list and delete or add items. In order to edit it and make it your own, you will need to ‘make a copy’ and save it!

Click here for the seminary packing list. Click here for the PDF Packing List Download.

Have a daughter or relative going away to seminary? See this great post too!Have a son going away to yeshiva? See this post!

Filed Under: International Destinations Tagged With: girls, packing, seminary, shopping, trending