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2007–2008 Courses of Instruction [PDF - 600k]
Student Guide: Academic Year 2007–2008 [PDF - 240k]
All courses are for three graduate credits, except where noted. Campus-based students need permission to register for online sections of Framework and Gateway courses.
Framework Courses
Gateway Courses
Hebrew College Online
Courses offered through Hebrew College Online during the 2007–2008 academic year are available to campus-based students. Unless otherwise noted, Hebrew College Online courses may be taken for three graduate credits or noncredit. View the
Hebrew College Online course listings.
Me’ah Graduate Institute
Courses offered through the Me’ah Graduate Institute (MGI) during the 2007–2008 academic year are available to Hebrew College students. These courses may be taken for credit or for noncredit and are offered on a pass/fail basis only. Matriculated students in degree programs may take up to two MGI courses for credit toward their degree.
View courses by discipline:
Bible
Cantorial
Education
Hebrew
History
Interdisciplinary
Jewish Thought
Liturgy
Music
Rabbinics
Online
BIBLE
Holiness and Danger: Studies in the Book of Leviticus
Polen
Wednesday, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
BIBLE 522
Standing at the very center of the Pentateuch, Leviticus reveals the priestly view of the relationship between God and Israel and the interconnected dimensions of sacred time, space and person. The class will cover major themes of Leviticus, including the sacrificial system, the awesome power of the divine presence, purity and impurity, the relationship between personal and social embodiment, the interplay of the ritual and the ethical, and Leviticus's theory of the priesthood. The main emphasis will be a close reading of the text, with additional insights from anthropology, comparative theology and other contemporary disciplines.
The Book of Samuel
Schimmel
Friday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
BIBLE 525
Prerequisite: Completion of Hebrew V
and VI
.
The Book of Samuel (I and II), a literary masterpiece of ancient Israel, recounts the lives of the prophet Samuel, of Saul and Jonathan, and of David and his family. Its stories are suffused with passion and psychological insight, describing sublime love and brutal sex, adultery and murder, guilt and repentance, courage and friendship, dynastic rivalry, and internecine and dysfunctional family conflict. The interweaving of theology, history, psychology, politics and legend, expressed in magnificent prose and poetry, make the Book of Samuel a delight to read and intriguing to study. Students will examine the book from a variety of disciplinary perspectives and scholarly approaches.
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CANTORIAL
Nusah for Sabbath: Theory
Ness
Wednesday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
CANTR 515
Note: Enrollment is limited to CEP students or by permission of the dean.
This course examines the modal, motivic and harmonic bases for the
nusah of the Sabbath, according to Ashkenazic tradition. A comparison of sources from a variety of eastern and western European communities will inform an attempt to determine the proper range of
nusah. Students will also consider how more contemporary approaches to Sabbath prayer-leading (e.g., that of Shlomo Carlebach) succeed or fail when considered through the window of received tradition.
Nusah for Sabbath: Practicum
Osborne
Wednesday, 2:15–4:15 p.m.
CANTR 516
Note: Enrollment is limited to CEP students or by permission of the dean.
This course provides students with the skills necessary to lead services on the Sabbath. Like the
Nusah for Daily Services practicum, the approach here will emphasize modal and motivic improvisation within the established framework of received Ashkenazic tradition.
Nusah for High Holidays: Theory
Mayer
Wednesday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
CANTR 524
Note: Enrollment is limited to CEP students or by permission of the dean.
This course represents the final sequence of Ashkenazic
nusah theory, presenting both the unique and the shared modes and motifs of High Holiday liturgical chant. Through investigation of primary sources of
nusah, students will gain a thorough overview of the range of melodic tools available to the cantor in rendering these texts.
Nusah for High Holidays: Practicum
Mayer
Wednesday, 2:15–4:15 p.m.
CANTR 525
Note: Enrollment is limited to CEP students or by permission of the dean.
Students will gain facility with the musical rendering of the High Holiday liturgy through in-class demonstration and guided practice. Students will also have an opportunity to hone their skills through learning partnerships (
hevrutot). Emphasis is on improving basic davening skills within the seasonal modes.
Advanced High Holiday Practicum: Contemporary
Salzman
Monday, 2:15–4:15 p.m.
CANTR 543
Note: Enrollment is limited to CEP students and designed for those planning to serve liberal congregations.
This is a practicum class identical to the traditional High Holiday course, with the exception that the focus is on contemporary High Holiday repertoire.
Basic Cantillation for Jewish Professionals
Buhr
Friday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
CANTR 519
Prerequisite: Proficiency in reading Hebrew.
Jewish educators and others are often called upon to teach Torah and haftarah reading skills (e.g., for
b’nai mitzvah training). Although many educators are familiar with the basic skills involved, fewer are aware of the underlying structure for the system of
ta’amei hamikrah, or how this system can aid in the teaching and elucidation of biblical texts. This course explores the biblical cantillation system and provides students with the pedagogical tools they will need to impart these skills to others.
Cantorial Coaching
Staff
Day and time TBA
CANTR 579
Note: Enrollment is limited to CEP students.
See
fall listings for complete course description.
Cantor-Educator Proseminar
Buhr and Staff
2 semesters
Wednesday, 2:15–4:15 p.m.
CANTR 996
Continuation from fall semester. See
fall listings for complete course description. Students may register for this course only in the fall.
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EDUCATION
Needs Assessment in Jewish Education
Israel
5 sessions; 1 credit
Tuesday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
Dates: Jan. 29; Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26
EDUC 807
Designed for Jewish family education practitioners, this course gives an introduction to the use of needs assessment as a planning tool for Jewish communal work, in general, and Jewish family education, in particular. Students will discuss what needs assessment is (and what it isn’t), as well as when and how to use it. The course is case-based, taking examples from students’ current settings to explore the issues, illustrate the concepts and develop the basic skills of needs assessment.
Evaluation in Jewish Education
Shevitz
5 sessions; 1 credit
Tuesday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
Dates: Apr. 8, 15, 29; May 6
EDUC 803
This course provides an opportunity for students to consider the principles, possibilities, politics and pitfalls of evaluation research in Jewish education. It examines models of evaluation, the concept of stakeholders, a sample work plan for an evaluation study and standards of practice. Students will develop an evaluation study for a particular program with which they are involved.
Strategic Planning in Jewish Education
Gribetz
4 sessions; 1 credit
Tuesday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
Dates: Mar. 4, 11, 18, 25; Apr. 1
EDUC 806
What kind of information is needed to plan for education? What are the best ways to assess that information and make good decisions? Using literature from education, students will gain insight into planning processes, as well as learn from the private sector about issues in strategic planning. Participants will work on case studies from their own professional settings to begin to experiment in strategic planning.
Behavioral Management in the Inclusive Classroom
Miller-Jacobs
Wednesday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
EDUC 555
Note: Offered to Pardes Educators via videoconference.
This course prepares students to develop a variety of behavior-change strategies within educational settings. Emphasis is placed on the development of supportive classroom structures that lead to positive interactions among students with and without special needs, and between students and teachers. Students will consider the Jewish dimension of behavioral management, specifically how values, such as
dereh eretz (desirable behavior), can be reflected in general learning experiences.
Lifespan Development and Case Studies in Jewish Education
Kegan and Lahey
Tuesday 9:00–11:00 a.m.
EDUC 802
This course will provide a framework for educators to better understand adults, adolescents and children in any multigenerational approach to Jewish education. Discussions will center on questions such as how Jewish educators can fashion meaningful learning experiences for all family members. Focusing on adolescent and adult development, the course will consider issues such as how parents can become partners with synagogues in deepening connections between family members and Jewish life. Students will also consider the complexities of the institutions in which they work and deliberate on what helps or impedes achieving goals. Alternative ways of framing organizational and educational issues in Jewish educational institutions will be explored. Students will analyze existing written cases, as well as construct new cases based on their own experiences. The course is especially appropriate for youth educators, family educators and "renaissance" educators.
The Land and State of Israel in Jewish Education
Shapiro
EDUC 620
Note: This course will be offered in a hybrid fashion, incorporating classes both online and on campus.
Campus dates: Sundays, 2:00–4:00 p.m. on Jan. 27, Feb. 10, Mar. 9, Mar. 23, Apr. 6, May 4.
Online sessions alternate weekly with on-campus classes through the week of May 16.
Jewish education, while celebrating and embracing the Land and State of Israel (
Eretz Yisrael and
Medinat Yisrael), has often been in a quandary in searching for these subjects’ meaningful place across the curriculum. Exhilarating and memorable Israel experiences are often followed by struggles to reconnect, to sustain relationships and to integrate Israel into Jewish life. In this course, students will consider the ideational and practical challenges of developing an enduring place for Israel in Jewish education as they consider the role of Israel in traditional Judaism, Hebrew literature, Zionism, Jewish thought, educational discourse, curricula and teaching approaches. In addition, students will reflect on their relationships to Israel and the tensions that emerge as these relationships are expressed in educational practice. Finally, students will develop a plan to authentically connect Israel and Israel experience to other dimensions of Jewish life.
Theory and Practice of Jewish Education
Shapiro
Thursday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
EDUC 570
A sound, dynamic conceptual foundation in the theory and practice of Jewish education is a
sine qua non for Jewish leaders and teachers. This course will explore how modern educational theory, traditional Hebrew texts, and philosophies of Judaism can inform Jewish education’s policies and practices. Students will consider how some of the best practices in Jewish education are examples of applications of different Jewish educational theories and how these theories illuminate, guide, and are influenced by these very practices. The course will include readings and interpretations of Hebrew sources while developing our own educational theories and practices through reflection, research, writing, and oral presentation.
Seminar in Educational Leadership and Supervision
Regosin
Thursday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
EDUC 710
Note: For advanced students and supervisors only.
This seminar explores the process of educational supervision and instructional and organizational leadership in Jewish education. Students will consider and practice varied models of supervision and staff development and examine issues of change in Jewish education. In addition, students will practice Jewish educational leadership skills, including public speaking, homiletics, and educational planning and problem solving.
Seminar in Informal Jewish Education
Mencow
Monday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
EDUC 825
In this course, students will consider the models of Jewish education characterized as “informal.” Among the most vital educational experiences are those that place a high value on social interaction, varieties of learning settings, life experiences, community building, free play, multisensory engagement, incidental learning, outdoor education, youth work, leadership and group travel. Informal education has been a central dimension of Jewish education for nearly a century. While exploring the history of Jewish informal education, students will consider the range of skills and educational opportunities presented by informal contexts such as camps, youth movements, Israel programs, social action projects, extracurricular learning and varieties of social networks within schools and beyond formal schooling.
Bet Midrash for Jewish Educators CANCELLED
Potok
Tuesday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
EDUC 725
See
fall listings for complete course description.
Student Teaching
2 semesters; 1 credit
EDUC 900A
Required of all students in the MJEd program. Continuation from fall semester. Students may register for this course only in the fall.
Master of Jewish Education: Final Project Seminar
Staff
EDUC 707
Required of all students in the MJEd program. Continuation from fall semester. See
fall listings for complete course description. Students may register for this course only in the fall.
Pedagogy of B’nai Mitzvah
Treitman
Thursday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
EDUC 595
This course is designed to enable educators working with pre–bar- and bat-mitzvah-age students to develop a curriculum to prepare them for this important life-cycle event and to develop a ceremony that reflects the individual child. Topics will include lesson planning, dealing with different learning styles, group teaching, homiletics and problem solving. The course will examine the process of this life-cycle event from a variety of viewpoints including religious, psychological, social and historical. Participants in the course will be expected to develop a portfolio that includes lesson plans and strategies for their students. Students who are currently tutoring are encouraged to develop materials for their pupils. A working understanding of cantillation is a prerequisite; cantillation skills will not be taught in this course. Ability to read music is helpful, but not required.
Early Childhood Institute: Family, School and Community
Rossman
Monday, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
EDUC 503
Note: Offered in conjunction with the Bureau of Jewish Education.
See
fall listings for complete course description.
Early Childhood Institute: Hebrew for Early Childhood Education
Davis
EDUC 534
Note: Offered online.
See
fall listings for complete course description.
Early Childhood Institute: Teaching Jewish Values to Young Children
Rodenstein
EDUC 501
Note: Offered to the community of western Massachusetts through a special distance-learning program made possible by a grant from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.
See
fall listings for complete course description.
Early Childhood Directors Institute Seminar
Regosin
2 semesters; 1 credit
Wednesday, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
(3 sessions: dates TBA)
EDUC 526
Note: Offered in conjunction with the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Boston.
Continuation from fall semester. See
fall listings for complete course description. Students may register for this course only in the fall.
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HEBREW
Updated Curriculum Offers Flexibility
The campus-based and online Hebrew language programs have been realigned so that they now cover the same sections of the Ivrit Min Hahatchala textbook. Courses include the online Hebrew Mekhina and Hebrew I–IV. Like their campus-based counterparts, online Hebrew I–IV can now be taken for 4 undergraduate credits or for noncredit.
This realignment enables students to choose between a campus-based or online course from one semester to the next, based on schedule, location, or preferred mode of study. |
Mekhina (Preparation) for Hebrew Language
Staff
noncredit
HEBRW 010
Note: Offered online for both online and campus-based students. No prior knowledge of Hebrew is required.
See
fall listings for complete course description.
Hebrew II
Barone
4 undergraduate credits
Monday and Thursday, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
HEBRW 202
A continuation of
Hebrew I, this course enables students to recognize and use some new structures of Hebrew grammar, morphology and vocabulary for reading of modern and classical texts, as well as conversation. Sessions include readings from modern and classical texts and dialogues with and without vowels. Students will listen to stories and recorded dialogues and participate in guided and open conversation. Based on topics introduced in class, students will write dialogues and passages. All language skills are mastered through more advanced syntactic and grammatical structures. Students will learn the past tense of verbs in the groups introduced in
Hebrew I.
Hebrew IV
Veissid
4 undergraduate credits
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
HEBRW 204
Building on the language skills students have developed in
Hebrew I through
III, this course continues to strengthen students’ reading comprehension, grammar, written and oral language skills in modern Hebrew. Attention is paid to the grammatical forms and structures, as well as vocabulary expansion. Particular focus is paid to reading and comprehension of rabbinic texts.
Hebrew VI
Davis
4 graduate credits
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
HEBRW 206
Building on
Hebrew III and
Hebrew IV, the two-semester sequence of
Hebrew V and
Hebrew VI focuses on more advanced modern Hebrew language structures and prose writings. Students will deepen their understanding of the Hebrew language with emphasis on skill acquisition and development through the extensive use of both classical and modern texts. There is also a systematic presentation of grammatical and syntactic principles of both biblical and rabbinical Hebrew (including vocabulary). Texts of different styles, such as narrative, poetry, prophecy and wisdom literature, are all examined with an emphasis on literary analysis. Hebrew texts are used, and some English translations may be available to students.
Hebrew VIII
Bock
3 graduate credits
Thursday, 2:15–4:15 p.m.
HEBRW 208
Building on the language skills developed in Hebrew language levels I through VI, the
Hebrew VII and
VIII sequence focuses on Hebrew grammar, reading and writing skills, and vocabulary development. In these advanced courses, Hebrew language texts from biblical through medieval and modern periods are studied.
Ulpan
For information,
click here.
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HISTORY
Jewish History and Memory: The Modern Period
Starr
Framework
Monday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
HIST 537
This course is the last in a three-course sequence. While it offers an introduction to the key events of modern Jewish history, its critical focus involves the character of memory. Thus, while the study's structure—its scaffolding—traverses its course according to the “what” of history, its pressing concern involves the “why,” the “wherefore” and the “whereto from here.” What might we learn from history? This question necessarily ushers us into the realms of literature, philosophy, music and the other arts, including film—a more modern art form—that even involves some sacred modes of knowing, feeling and acting. A vital concern throughout the course—as it attempts to approach the European Emancipation, the Holocaust and the Zionist project, as well as the American Jewish community's development—entails the experience of
difference, in its threat as well as in its possibility.
Medieval Jewish History and Culture
Decter
Tuesday, 2:15–4:15 p.m.
HIST 201
This course is an exploration of Jewish history from the tenth to the eighteenth century. Major social, political and cultural developments are examined as seen through a reading of selected primary and secondary sources.
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INTERDISCIPLINARY
Jewish Life and Practice
Anisfeld
2 semesters; 6 credits
Monday, 2:15–4:15 p.m.
INTD 017
Continuation from fall semester. See
fall listings for complete course description. Students may register for this course only in the fall.
The Place of Nature in the Bible
E. Bernstein
MGI
Wednesday, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
15 sessions; begins January 30
INTD-GC 107
In light of climate change and a host of environmental problems, many are turning to religious traditions in search of a spiritual and ethical framework by which to view the natural world and address these and other related issues. This course addresses such questions as: What is our place in nature—are we lords, servants, stewards, co-creatures? What is the meaning of “dominion” (Genesis 1:28)? Does human “sin” yield environmental consequences? Does the Bible offer an inherent ecological theology? If so, why are many Jews unaware of it? By closely reading selections of biblical texts, including the Creation stories, Noah, other tales from Genesis, Job, Song of Songs, Psalms and Prophets, students will determine how asking new questions of the text can reveal new readings.
The Struggle for Israel's Identity CANCELLED
Karlinsky
MGI
Monday, 7:00–9:45 p.m.
10 sessions; begins January 28
INTD-GC 150
This course will explore and analyze Israel’s ongoing attempts to define and redefine its identity in the face of fundamental changes that have transformed Israeli society since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Since that time, Israel's statesmanship and culture have been shaped by the country's search for its identity. The course will have three main areas of focus: a) The struggle between the universalistic-humanistic ideals, such as equality or self-determination, and the particular ideals, such as Jewish peoplehood; b) Israel’s security within a volatile Middle Eastern region; and c) Ethnic and national tensions within the multicultural fabric of Israeli society. In addition to current historical texts, students will have the opportunity to explore a broad array of genres and modes of expression, including literature, visual art, film and television documentaries relating to the topic.
Introduction to Contemporary Islam
Esack
INTD 521
Wednesday, 4:15–6:15 p.m.
Note: This course is open to students at Hebrew College and Andover Newton Theological School. Enrollment is limited to 15 students from each school.
This course is intended to provide students with knowledge of and insight into developments and debates in the contemporary Muslim world. These issues are shaped by local and global sociohistorical developments that are often lived out in tension with other communities, nations or business interests. Students will examine some of the critical issues that arise from the Islamic encounter with modernity and post-modernity as Muslims struggle to remain faithful to tradition as well as to their awareness of the inalienability of human rights and the interrelatedness of the destiny of humankind. Issues are covered under the following sub-themes: (a) Introducing Islam: Tradition and Authority; (b) Democracy, Pluralism and Human Rights; (c) Jihad and Nonviolence; (d) Gender, Sexual Identity and HIV/AIDS and (e) Spiritual Life.
War and Peace in Jewish Jurisprudence CANCELLED
Stern
Thursday, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
INTD 572
Prerequisite: Hebrew V
and VI
.
Analysis of biblical, rabbinical and modern Jewish thought on the subject of war and peace. The class will focus on the rules of warfare in defensive wars, on civic mobilization and national draft, the notion of national or community security, the legitimization of "defensive war," and on the checks placed on the prerogative of the commander-in-chief in national emergencies. Discussions will attempt to extrapolate the halakhic-legal principles with regard to war and the moral imperatives for the pursuit of peace from a little-known talmudic text,
Perek Hashalom. Students will also be exposed to a range of material reflecting modern responses to Jewish thought to the outstanding moral dilemmas of war and peace in our time.
Graduate Research Seminar
Mesch
Wednesday, 2:15–4:15 p.m.
INTD 601
Note: Required of all MAJS students, this course is normally taken during the spring semester prior to graduation.
Students will complete work on their master’s papers and discuss research methods and approaches to the field. At the end of the course, students will present the results of their research to the Hebrew College community in a public forum.
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JEWISH THOUGHT
Modern Jews and the Search for Meaning
Meskin
Monday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
JTHT 540
Note: Offered online and through occasional videoconference sessions to Pardes Educators in Jerusalem. Not open to others or to auditors.
Jews today face a bewildering number of different forms of Jewish life, such as denominationalism, as well as various types of Zionist, feminist and cultural Judaism, each with its own distinctive Jewish vision of God, community, personal autonomy, tradition and identity. Modern Jewish thought provides an invaluable guide for this exploration. Through careful study of the writings of major modern Jewish thinkers—such as Martin Buber, Joseph Baer Soloveitchik, Abraham Isaac Kook, Emmanuel Levinas, as well as contemporary feminist thinkers such as Judith Plaskow, Rachel Adler and Tamar Ross—students will be encouraged both to grapple with many of the basic questions facing Jews today and to develop their own coherent visions of Judaism and Jewish life. The course will consider how such visions can be of special use to Jewish educators and professionals who confront the challenges of modern Jewish life in educational institutions.
Mordecai Kaplan and Contemporary Jewish Thought: The Pragmatic Legacy
A. Bernstein
MGI
Thursday, 9:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
10 sessions; begins March 6
JTHT–GC 107
This course goes in search of a contemporary American Jewish philosophy in the pragmatic tradition of Charles Sanders Peirce and William James. In this context, students will explore the work of influential American Jewish thinker, Mordecai Kaplan (1881–1983), and question his place within a larger post–World War II American conversation about theology, culture and politics. Key philosophers in this conversation include Richard Rorty, Jeffrey Stout and Charles Taylor. The course will focus special attention on Kaplan’s successors in Jewish thought and American philosophy, and is appropriate both for students who have taken JTHT–GC 106,
In Search of an American
Jewish Philosophy: Mordecai Kaplan and the Pragmatic Tradition, as well as those who have not. At the heart of this course are two questions: Who, among American philosophers, has continued to pursue Kaplan’s questions and what are the distinctive implications for today’s American Jews?
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LITURGY
Liturgy of the Sabbath
Stern
Monday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
LITGY 594
Prerequisite: Hebrew IV
.
This course will examine the prayer canon for the Sabbath using a multifaceted approach to the liturgy, including literary, theological, halakhic and exegetical aspects. In addition to studying the siddur as a basic text, the course will consider other sources, including rabbinic codes (Talmud, Mishnah, Torah), in order to more fully understand the content and context of Sabbath prayer.
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MUSIC
Vocal Performance
Torgove
1 credit
Tuesday, 2:15–3:15 p.m.
MUSIC 201
See
fall listings for complete course description.
Jewish Music Survey I
Jacobson
Tuesday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
MUSIC 505
Prerequisite: Ability to read and analyze music.
This course will provide a close look at the music of the Jewish people. Study will involve modal and phrase analysis (and, where relevant, harmonic analysis) of traditional materials; historical analysis through close reading of primary sources; and functional analysis of attitudes and uses of Jewish music. There will be extensive musical analysis involved in the assignments. Topics to be covered include analysis of how music is used by Jews, music in ancient Israel, traditional liturgical chant, rabbinical attitudes towards music, secular and paraliturgical folksongs and wedding music and the beginnings of Jewish polyphony in the Italian Renaissance.
Musical Composition for the Synagogue
Solomon and Osborne
Monday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
MUSIC 541
This course will guide students in conceptualizing and crafting musical compositions for use in the synagogue service. Emphasis will be on finding one's voice and style, the art of "tunesmithing," and developing tools for arranging melodies for voice and instrumental accompaniment. Participants must have a firm grounding in music theory including harmony and voice-leading (equivalent to at least one year of college-level theory and musicianship).
Song Leading CANCELLED
Klepper
Thursday, 2:15–4:15 p.m.
MUSIC 542
Note: Enrollment is limited to CEP students or by permission of the dean.
Song-leading skills have become a sine qua non for cantors, rabbis and Jewish educators alike. In this course, students will be equipped with the basic skills required to choose, teach and lead songs in a variety of Jewish worship and educational settings. Emphasis will be placed on the use of instrumental support (primarily guitar and piano) and the development of musical ear and memory.
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RABBINICS
Introduction to the Study of Talmud
Schimmel
Gateway; 4 credits
Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
RAB 520
Students in this course will learn the skills of analyzing a variety of talmudic texts, aggadic and halakhic. How are talmudic
sugyot (thematic units of a talmudic tractate) constructed? What are the recurring technical terms of a talmudic "discussion"? What are the conceptual assumptions of talmudic discourse? What are the social and cultural contexts of the
sugyot? Students will learn basic talmudic terminology, including a glossary of Hebrew and Aramaic terms and concepts, and how to use dictionaries, concordances and other reference tools to decipher and understand a talmudic
sugya. This course also includes selections from the commentaries of Rashi and the Tosafot with an examination of their interpretive concerns and methods. Students will be required to record selections from the talmudic texts in order to improve skills in reading Rabbinic Hebrew.
Advanced Talmud CANCELLED
Staff
Thursday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
RAB 525
Prerequisite: Hebrew VI.
For students with advanced standing in the area of traditional textual study, this course will concentrate on structural and thematic patterns in talmudic text, sophisticated commentary and interpretation, and the use of various methodologies in the study of Rabbinic sources.
Contemporary Issues in Jewish Medical Ethics CANCELLED
Stern
Wednesday, 11:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
RAB 572
Several major issues arise from the practice and development of modern medicine. What are the underlying premises in Jewish law and how do they influence our dealing with difficult dilemmas in modern medicine? This course will examine Jewish legal and ethical perspectives that illuminate the current public debate on health care reforms, including topics such as stem cell research, the right to health care, the rationing of scarce resources, genetic defects and abortion, reproductive technologies, the value of life and the ethical dilemmas involved in organ transplants.
Readings in Aggadic Literature
Polen
Gateway; 4 credits
Tuesday and Thursday, 2:15–4:15 p.m.
RAB 550
Note: Some previous exposure to rabbinic literature is desirable.
Students will read selections from the classic homiletical midrashim in Hebrew and will develop their skills in understanding the questions that stimulated the authors’ attention and approaches to answering them. The use of these midrashim by medieval Jewish Bible commentators is also examined.
The Passover Haggadah, Text, Context and Subtext
Cohn
MGI
Monday, 9:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
10 sessions; begins February 11
RAB-GC 702
The Passover Haggadah accompanies the most beloved of all Jewish rituals, the Seder. Yet the Haggadah text itself can seem confusing and remote. In order to gain a more meaningful understanding, students will study the text of the Haggadah both as a coherent narrative and as the sum of many subnarratives. The course will probe the multiple sources of the Haggadah and will pay particularly close attention to the narrative found in
Mishnah Pesachim, Chapter 10. To enhance understanding of the Mishnah, students will study a parallel narrative in the
Tosefta, as well as some of the modifications and enhancements of the Mishnah narrative found in both the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds. Additional topics will include the relationship of the Haggadah to early Christianity and to the ancient Greek symposium, efforts to create modern versions of the Haggadah, and the art of the Haggadah.
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ONLINE COURSES
Orientation to Online Study
Mekhina (Preparation) for Hebrew Language
Hebrew I–IV Online
Genres and Themes of Biblical Literature
Jewish Thought in the Modern Age
Jewish History and Memory: Rabbinic and Medieval Periods
History and Meaning in the Study of Jewish Texts
Theory and Practice of Jewish Education
Early Childhood Institute: Hebrew for Early Childhood Education
Early Childhood Institute: Teaching Jewish Values to Young Children
Download
2007–2008 Courses of Instruction [PDF - 600k]
Student Guide: Academic Year 2007–2008 [PDF - 240k]
