Me'ah

Welcome to Me'ah, a two-year intensive adult Jewish learning program of Hebrew College and Combined Jewish Philanthropies' Commission on Jewish Learning & Engagement.

Whether or not you have had a Jewish education, Me’ah will answer questions that you may have as a mature adult. How did the Jewish religion and culture develop? What multiple perspectives might help me to grasp the narrative of the Jewish people? Where might I belong in the continuum of Jewish life?

Program of Study

You will be immersed in reading core Jewish texts, grappling with concepts representing cultural and political movements from four historical periods—biblical, rabbinic, medieval and modern. For approximately 100 hours of class time (Me'ah means "100" in Hebrew) over a two-year period, you will have a chance to contemplate new (and broad minded) ideas, to acquire a scaffold upon which you can later build.

Me'ah offers not only an opportunity to grow as a literate student of Jewish life, but also a powerful means to join a growing community of learners—bringing knowledge and insight into your personal life and community as you build your understanding of what Jewish texts and ideas meant historically and what they mean for Jews today.

Over 3,500 Graduates

Starting with two Boston-based classes launched in 1994, Me'ah—a pluralistic program developed by Hebrew College in partnership with Boston’s Combined Jewish Philanthropies—has grown dramatically. More than 3,500 adults have completed the program in Boston and other U.S. cities. Many graduates have chosen to pursue their Jewish learning after Me'ah. Parents in Me'ah are often inspired to intensify their children's Jewish education and reexamine their family practices. Some are motivated to assume leadership roles in the community.

A Faculty of Scholars

The high caliber of instruction—equivalent to a university-level course—makes Me'ah the most unique Jewish adult learning program in the country. Instructors are accomplished scholars with advanced degrees. They are skilled educators of adults, able to employ their strengths and adapt their approaches both to the Me'ah curriculum and to a range of learning styles.

Join the "Conversation"

Through reading and analyzing core texts and ideas, the Me'ah program helps you develop a framework for understanding Jewish culture and civilization. Before each class, you will prepare assigned readings, including passages from both primary textual sources and supplemental scholarly materials that reveal the richness of Jewish literature. These sources are at the heart of the Jewish "conversation"—a conversation that stretches over 3,000 years as Jews have interpreted and re-interpreted the central texts that define their tradition. In Me'ah, you become part of that conversation.

Year One will enable you to delve into core Hebrew Bible and rabbinic texts, the basis of Jewish beliefs, behaviors and community. In Year Two you will focus on the medieval and modern Jewish experience, drawing from primary sources and exploring the distinguishing social and cultural themes of those eras. In studying the major works and ideas of each period, each within its unique historical context, you will also discover vital interrelationships.