Sura Academy

Sura Academy was a Jewish yeshiva located in Sura in what is now southern Iraq, a region known in Jewish texts as "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 Academy was founded by the Amora Abba Arikha, a disciple of Judah ha-Nasi. Among the well-known sages that headed the yeshiva were Rav Huna, Rav Chisda, Rav Ashi, Yehudai ben Nahman, Natronai ben Hilai, Saadia Gaon, and others.

History

Abba Arikha 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 and began working to establish the yeshiva that would become Sura Academy. Upon Abba Arikha's arrival, teachers from surrounding cities and towns descended upon Sura. The Academy was formally founded in 225 CE, several years after Arikha's arrival.
Sura Academy would eventually grow to include a faculty of 1,200 members and included the following features:

ˀekhseḏrā, a covered walkway leading from the street up to the house of learning
qṭon, offices for the rabbis and deans and classrooms for teachers
gannǝṯā, garden whose produce fed the academy's teachers and students
ṣeppē, flat mats placed on the floor where teachers and students could rest between classes

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

Savora era

Rav Ena

[Gaonim] era

Mar ben R. Huna – 591
R. Hanina – around 610
Rav Hunai – around 650
Rav Sheshna – around 670
Hanina of Nehar Pekkod – 689-694
Hillai of Naresh – 694–712
Jacob of Nehar Pekod – 712–730
Rav Samuel Gaon – 730–748
Mari ha-Kohen of Nehar Pekod – 748–756
Rav Aha Gaon – 756
Yehudai ben Nahman – 757–761
Ahhunai Kahana ben Papa – 761–769
Haninai Kahana ben R. Huna – 769–774
Mari ha-Levi ben R. Mesharsheya – 774–778
Bebai ha-Levi ben R. Abba of Nehar Pekod – 778–789
Hilai ben R. Mari – 789–798
Jacob ha-Kohen ben Mordecai – 798
Rav Abimai – 815
Zadok ben R. Ashi – 810–812
Hilai ben R. Hananiah – 812–816
Kimoi ben R. Ashi – 816–820
Mesharsheya Kahana ben Jacob Gaon – 820–830
Two years of an absence of a Gaon
Kohen Tzedek ben Abimai Gaon – 832–843
Sar Shalom ben Boaz – 843–853
Natronai ben R. Hilai ben R. Mari Gaon – 853–861
Amram bar Sheshna – 861–872
Nahshon ben R. Zadok – 872–879
Zemah ben R. Hayyim – 879–886
Rav Malka – 886
Hai ben R. Nahshon ben Tzadok – 886–896
Hilai ben Natronai ben Hilai Gaon – 896–904
Shalom ben R. Mishael – 904
Jacob ben R. Natronai – 911–924
Yom-Tob Kahana ben R. Jacob – 924
Saadia ben Joseph of Faym – 928–942
Joseph ben Jacob bar Satya – around 930
The academy was closed for about 45 years
Zemah Tzedek ben Paltoi ben Isaac – around 990 and around 998
Samuel ben Hofni – around 998 and around 1012
Dosa ben Saadia Gaon – 1012–1018
Israel ha-Kohen ben Samuel ben Hofni – 1018–1033

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