Heart of Dharma School

Buddhist Classics in Israel

The Heart of Dharma School was established under the auspices of Buddhist Classics in Israel and the Method and Wisdom organization, with the aim of bringing to the Israeli public teachings and practice based on authentic and profound knowledge from the classics of Asia and Tibetan Buddhism.
Currently, some 30 study groups operate throughout the country, where courses and workshops are taught according to the ancient tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
Groups are taught by teachers who have completed the ACI curriculum under the direction of Lama Dvora-hla. The program is open to all, free of charge, and is also accessible on the website of the “Buddhist Classics in Israel” (www.heart-dharma.org.il).
The program provides students with a comprehensive knowledge of the open sutric teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and prepares students for advanced studies.


The materials were translated into Hebrew and were originally transmitted directly by Lama Dvora-hla for more than 15 years in Israel, to Dharma students who prefer to study in Hebrew.

Today, students of Lama Dvora-hla continue this tradition, and carry out all the study directly, within the framework of the “Heart of Dharma School”, in study groups throughout the country.

The teachings carry content that is directly related to the students’ daily life, and is well rooted in the classical writings of Mahayana, as preserved by the ancient traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Their immediate goal is to contribute to our own happiness and to the happiness of those around us, through personal experience in the worldview of Mahayana, and their ultimate goal is to bring us to enlightenment.

The material studied in the courses is parallel to the curriculum of the Tibetan monasteries, a program which, when completed, leads to the title of “Geshe” (equivalent to the Doctor of Philosophy).

The material included in this curriculum is fully transmitted through the various courses and workshops, and is taught in Hebrew. The program gives the students a comprehensive and profound knowledge of the open teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and prepares its participants for the advanced Buddhist studies.

This program, the first of its kind in the West, was first created and presented in the U.S. by Geshe Michael Roach, a Buddhist monk of American origin who was among the first Westerners to complete the curriculum of a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in full. Inspired by his (and Lama Dvora’s) Lama, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Tharchin, Geshe Michael founded the ACI (Asian Classics Institute) program. The courses are currently taught in many places in the world by senior students of Geshe Michael.

The various courses and workshops, involved a massive effort by Lama Dvora to translate original ancient texts written or preserved in the Tibetan language. in her translations, Lama Dvora pays close attention to the accuracy and quality of the Hebrew expression. For the most part, these translations are first of their kind, and we are happy to offer them and pass them on to the students of the Dharma in Hebrew.



It is very rare in our world to meet original Dharma teachings, which come from a pure and authentic tradition and which are passed on through a spiritual lineage of teachers of a high level of realization. We are grateful for the opportunity we have received to study these teachings in our country and in our language, and for the invaluable possibilities that are inherent in them.

We are grateful to Lama Dvora-hla, who guides us continuously, wisely, with a rare talent to teach, with infinite energy and with great love. We are grateful for her excellent translations of the source materials. We will try our best to be worthy of this precious gift and to continue in Israel, faithfully and devotedly, this precious and authentic lineage.

To the Heart of Dharma School’s website, please click here.

STUDENTS SHARE:

“In a casual conversation at the gym, I was introduced to the possibility of these studies and the study groups, and for me it is a place where I realized that it is possible to do things differently. I see results in my conduct every day, and I thank you very much for that.” – Martin

“I was exposed to an area of knowledge that I had never known before. I was yearning for more and more knowledge, and I became even more interested in Buddhism, so expecting the weekly meetings became my regular schedule. I was introduced to lovely teachers; the intimate encounters became a caring ear and a loving and supportive counselor. That’s exactly what I needed in my life at this time. ” – Ronit