Established in 1988, the Matan Women's Institute for Torah Studies pioneered the teaching of Talmudic and other rabbinic literature to women in Israel. Matan's founder, leader, and first teacher was Malke Bina, who had studied at the Michlala Jerusalem College for Women and the Revel Graduate School of Yeshiva University. With its Modern Orthodox approach, Matan's Council of Rabbis is headed by Aharon Lichtenstein and its faculty include Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel and Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg.
In 2012, Matan held the first siyyum for women who had completed the Daf Yomi 7-year cycle of Talmud study. Fifteen women were honored.
According to Yifat Kresh, who teaches the Bet Shemesh group, "There are men who don't understand why we study. They say, "We are obligated [by the Torah] to study Gemara, but why should you?' The truth is that it's fun."… Teacher Surela Rosen says that the importance of the women's Siyyum Hashas lies in its being "the first in the history of the Jewish people."