closed, but the migrants helped Babylonian Jewish traditions become dominant throughout the Jewish world. Organization of the academies Since the academies were convened in certain months of the year, they were known as metibta (), Aramaic for "session". Under the leadership of Rav and Shmuel, the Academy of Sura was still called a sidra. Under Rav Huna, the second dean of the Academy of Sura, the yeshiva began to be called a metibta and Huna was the first to bear the title of resh metibta (rosh mesivta, corresponding to rosh yeshiva). Resh metibta remained the official designation for the head of the academy until the end of the Geonic period. The Kallah (general assembly) At the side of the rosh metibta, and second to him in rank, stood the rosh kallah (president of the general assembly). The kallah (general assembly) was a characteristic feature of Babylonian Judaism altogether unknown in Judea. Owing to the great extent of Babylonia, opportunities had to be furnished for those living far from the academies to take part in their deliberations. These meetings of outside students, at which of course the most varying ages and degrees of knowledge were represented, took place twice a year, in the months Adar and Elul. An account dating from the 10th century, describing the order of procedure and of the differences in rank at the kallah, contains details that refer only to the period of the Geonim; but much of it extends as far back as the time of the Amoraim. The description given in the following condensed rendering furnishes, at all events, a curious picture of the whole institution and of the inner life and organization of the Babylonian academies: In the kallah-months, that is, in Elul, at the close of the summer, and in Adar, at the close of the winter, the disciples journey from their various abodes to the meeting, after having prepared in the previous five months the treatise announced at the close of the preceding kallah-month by the head of the academy. In Adar and Elul they present themselves before the head, who examines them upon this treatise. They sit in the following order of rank: Immediately next to the president is the first row, consisting of ten men; seven of these are rashe kallah; three of them are called 'ḥaberim' [associates]. Each of the seven rashe kallah has under him ten men called