JEWISH STUDIES AT HEBREW COLLEGE
Dr. Barry Mesch
Provost and Stone/Teplow Families' Professor of Jewish Thought

At present, there are at least three different kinds of institutions in which Jewish Studies is approached from an "academic" point of view. First, there are colleges and universities in which the academic study of Judaism is carried out parallel to the academic study of other religious traditions, ethnic groups, cultures, and civilizations. Secondly, there are seminaries whose central mission is to prepare rabbis and other Jewish professionals to take leading positions in synagogues and other institutions related to their individual movements. Some of those seminaries view the academic study of Judaism as an essential ingredient in that mission. Finally, there is The Independent Colleges of Jewish Studies (ICJS) whose central mission is the education of the Jewish community. These colleges are supported in part by their local community federation but they serve a broader constituency. They train educators, communal service professionals and other lay and professional leaders. They also provide direct educational services to the Jewish community through adult learning courses, Hebrew language programs, museums, distance learning opportunities, and various other programs.

Hebrew College is one of the ICJS. It offers its educational programs to many different kinds of populations which vary by age (high school, adult, senior citizens), by level of knowledge and interest, (Ulpan, introduction to Judaism courses, Me'ah, certificate and degree programs), and by professional aspirations (education, Jewish music, Jewish communal service, pre-rabbinical and precantorial, pre-doctoral, etc.).

The approach to Jewish studies at Hebrew College is based on the following principles:

Hebrew College is a non-denominational, specialized institution committed to a pluralist ideology.

Hebrew College is committed to serving the educational needs of the Jewish community. One of the most important roles of the college is in preparing present and future professional and lay leaders. The academic study of Judaism is a significant part of that preparation.

Hebrew College is committed to the teaching of Jewish civilization which includes the traditional categories of Jewish studies, as well as, the arts (music, film, graphic arts, etc.). Hebrew language is an essential component of Jewish education and academic Jewish studies. This emphasis on Hebrew serves both to provide access to historical texts as well as to create connections to the living culture of Judaism which continues both in the Diaspora and in Eretz Yisrael.

One of the key tools in educating the community is bringing it into contact with the important texts of the Jewish tradition. The programs at Hebrew College stress ongoing text study and strive to bring the student to a level which allows him/her direct access to the texts themselves.

The academic study of Judaism views Jewish culture and civilization in the context of the world around it. Hebrew College is committed to studying Judaism and Jewish civilization from the perspective of the interplay of the Jewish world and the worlds in which Jewish culture developed. This enterprise often seeks the distinctive aspects of Jewish culture and civilization but does not look for ways of showing how Judaism and Jewish tradition is necessarily "better" than the cultures of the world around it.

The faculty at Hebrew College approach the disciplines of Jewish history, literature, philosophy, etc. with the same recognized academic discourse as occurs in universities and other institutions of higher learning. Professors are expected to demonstrate their proficiency in that academic discourse by achieving a Ph.D. in a particular area of Jewish studies and by continuing to excel at research and publication as well as by involvement in scholarly conferences, professional societies, etc. They are well versed in Jewish studies, broadly conceived and are fluent in Hebrew. They have extensive backgrounds in the overall history and culture of the Jewish people throughout the ages. The nature of the student body presents distinctive challenges and opportunities to the faculty. They help shape the curriculum, the classroom and the overall culture of the institution. At Hebrew College, the majority of the students come to take courses with a passion for learning and a passion for their Jewishness. The faculty and administration, while trying to honor that passion also strive to bring the students into a more critical dialogue with the texts of the Jewish tradition. Even those who come with some university Jewish studies background are often not prepared for the academic approach. Sometimes there is disappointment when the student who has come on a spiritual journey finds that the subject matter required for an MA in Jewish studies is not particularly spiritual. It is our responsibility, however, not to disparage the spiritual quest but to encourage it. We try to educate the students to the different modes of discourse in Jewish life and to show them how the academic study of Judaism and its traditions is a crucial component of any attempt to build an authentic Jewish identity. Faculty members at Hebrew College must be willing to deal with these issues.

Hebrew College is committed to studying Judaism and Jewish civilization from the perspective of the interplay of the Jewish world and the worlds in which Jewish culture developed.

In recent years we have found that the academic approach has powerful appeal not only to the degree-seeking students but also to vast numbers of Jewish adults in the Boston area. We have been teaching a two-year (100 hour) program for adults which meets twenty times per year. This program, called Me'ah has enrolled over 1000 students and has expanded beyond the Boston area. Most of the sites are in synagogues. Me'ah faculty are all university professors or are university trained. The curriculum provides an academic overview of Jewish civilization taught chronologically. There is an emphasis on primary sources whenever possible, and there is a substantial amount of reading required for each class. It is often precisely the academic approach which the students find compelling along with the fact that these university professors are also committed and passionate Jews.

A useful analogy to Hebrew College (and its sister institutions) may be found by comparing the music department at Harvard (or another major general university) with the Julliard School of Music (or the New England Conservatory or similar specialized institution). Both represent outstanding institutions of learning focused on the art of music. Julliard is a participant in the community of music in the way that the music department of Harvard cannot be. Harvard's setting is the University; Julliard's is the world of music. Synergies and energies are released in each institution, which are distinctive and unique to that setting. The relationship between Hebrew College as an academic institution and with the Jewish community, maintaining its ties, both to the world of the academy and to the Jewish world, similarly generate distinctive energies and synergies, which define the environment and strongly influence the range of programs of the institution.

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