HBRW 10a Beginning Hebrew

Four class hours per week with additional half an hour to practice speaking skills.

For students with no previous knowledge and those with a minimal background. Intensive training in the basics of Hebrew grammar, listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Usually offered every semester.

HBRW 19a Beginning Hebrew: Honors

Four class hours per week with additional half an hour to practice speaking skills.

A beginner course for those students with some previous exposure to Hebrew. Builds upon the initial exposure, continuing to teach the basics of grammar, vocabulary, speaking, and writing. Usually offered every fall.

HBRW 20b Intermediate Hebrew

Prerequisite: HBRW 10a or HBRW 19a or the equivalent as determined by placement examination. Four class hours per week with additional half an hour to practice speaking skills.

Continuation of HBRW 10a, employing the same methods. Intensive training in Hebrew grammar, listening, comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Several sections offered every semester.

HBRW 34a Intermediate Hebrew II: Aspects of Israeli Culture
[ fl ]

Prerequisite: Any 20-level Hebrew course or the equivalent as determined by placement examination. Four class hours per week with additional half an hour to practice speaking skills.

A continuation of HBRW 20b. A beginner-intermediate level course that helps students strengthen their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Contemporary cultural aspects will be stressed and a variety of materials will be used. Usually offered every semester.

HBRW 41a Intensive Conversations about Israeli Culture
[ fl hum ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or the equivalent.

An Advanced Intermediate Hebrew course for students who have acquired an intermediate level of Hebrew and who wish to develop greater fluency in conversation with emphasis on aspects of Israeli Culture. Four class hours per week with additional half an hour to practice speaking skills. Usually offered every second year.

HBRW 44b Advanced Intermediate Hebrew: Israeli Culture and Media
[ fl hum ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or the equivalent. Four class hours per week with additional half an hour to practice speaking skills.

Reinforces the acquired skills of speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing at the intermediate level. Contemporary cultural aspects are stressed; conversational Hebrew and reading of selections from modern literature. Usually offered every semester.

HBRW 97a Senior Essay

Usually offered every semester.

HBRW 97b Senior Essay

Usually offered every semester.

HBRW 98a Independent Study

Usually offered every year in the fall.

HBRW 98b Independent Study

Yields half-course credit. Signature of the instructor required.

Usually offered every year in the spring.

HBRW 121a Israeli Society and Post-Trauma: Family Dynamics Through a TV Series
[ dl fl oc ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

Enhances students' oral communication skills by analyzing and discussing family dynamics, fostering empathy and ethical reflection. Develops cultural awareness by examining Israeli societal values, trauma, and conflict resolution, promoting a nuanced understanding of diverse perspectives based on popular Israeli television series "In Treatment." Usually offered every year.

HBRW 121b Life Challenges of an Israeli Family through a TV Series
[ fl hum oc ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

An advanced-intermediate conversation course for students who wish to improve their speaking skills. Role playing, vocabulary building, and guided speaking activities develop conversational skills for various situations. Reading and discussion of contemporary texts, based on the popular Israeli TV series, "Yellow Peppers", assist in vocabulary building. Usually offered every second year.

HBRW 124a Hebrew for Business, Doing Business in Start-Up Nation
[ dl fl wi ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor. Does not meet the requirement in the school of humanities.

Provides students with tools and competence to deal with the Israeli business community. For advanced-intermediate Hebrew students who wish to gain cultural understanding and business language speaking skills. Usually offered every second year.

HBRW 144a Plays and Drama in Israeli Society
[ ca djw fl hum oc wi ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

Focuses on critical reading and analysis of authentic and contemporary Israeli short plays and studying the comparison between plays in Israel and those in the U.S. We will examine theories in aspects of drama and implement drama techniques including improvisation, movement, and creative expression. Readings cover topics such as social diversity and justice, as well as human rights and awareness of world identities. The course culminates in the writing of an original scene or one-act play in Hebrew.

HBRW 146a The Voices of Jerusalem
[ djw fl hum wi ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

For advanced-intermediate students who wish to enhance their language proficiency and work toward improving fluency and communication through analysis of selected materials covering literature, poetry, history, politics, and art that depict the unique tradition and culture of Jerusalem. Usually offered every fall.

HBRW 161b What’s up in Israel Today?: Diverse Perspectives in Film and Media
[ fl hum wi ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

In this course, Israeli films, media, TV shows (e.g., Srugim ), and online resources will be used to promote discussion, enhance oral communication skills, and also broaden cultural awareness and understanding of diverse societal perspectives. Usually offered every second year.

HBRW 164b Israeli Theater Within the Framework of U.S Cultures
[ ca deis-us djw fl hum oc wi ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

Promotes cultural awareness and global understanding through the reading and analysis of plays. Student creativity develops through participation in acting and creative writing assignments. Usually offered every second year.

HBRW 167b The Sleeping Beauty: The Revival of Modern Hebrew
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: Any 40-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

An advanced course that surveys the origins of the Hebrew language and its development throughout the centuries, focusing on its major stages (biblical, rabbinic, medieval, and modern). Explores the unique phenomenon of its revival as a spoken language and its adaptation to the modern world. Usually offered every second year.

HBRW 170a Take I: Israeli Cinema and American Culture
[ deis-us djw fl hum wi ]

Prerequisite: Any 40-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

Introduces students to various aspects of Israeli society as portrayed in Israeli films and television. In addition to viewing films, students will be asked to read Hebrew background materials, to participate in class discussions, and to write review and criticism about the films. The course prepares students to deepen their analytical skills in order to gain broader understanding and intercultural knowledge as well as transform their personal and global thinking. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 173a Trauma and Violence in Israeli Literature and Film
[ deis-us djw fl hum oc ]

Taught in Hebrew.

Explores trauma and violence in Israeli Literature, film, and art. Focuses on man-made disasters, war and terrorism, sexual and family violence, and murder and suicide, and examines their relation to nationalism, Zionism, gender, and sexual identity. Usually offered every second year.

HBRW 303a Readings in Assessing the Learning and Teaching of Hebrew

NEJS 173a Trauma and Violence in Israeli Literature and Film
[ deis-us djw fl hum oc ]

Taught in Hebrew.

Explores trauma and violence in Israeli Literature, film, and art. Focuses on man-made disasters, war and terrorism, sexual and family violence, and murder and suicide, and examines their relation to nationalism, Zionism, gender, and sexual identity. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 174a Minorities and Others in Israeli Literature and Culture
[ djw fl hum oc ]

Taught in Hebrew.

An exploration of poetics and identity in modern Hebrew literature. By offering a feminist and psychoanalytic reading of various Hebrew texts, this seminar explores questions of personal and national identity, otherness, visibility, and marginality in the Israeli context. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 174b Israeli Women Writers on War and Peace
[ deis-us djw fl hum oc ]

Taught in Hebrew.

An exploration of nationalism and gender in Modern Hebrew literature. By discussing various Hebrew texts and Israeli works of art and film, this course explores women's relationship to Zionism, war, peace, the state, politics, and processes of cultural production. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 178a Love, Sex, and Power in Israeli Culture
[ djw fl hum ]

Taught in Hebrew. May be repeated for credit.

Explores questions of romance, gender, marriage, and jealousy in the Israeli context by offering a feminist and psychoanalytic reading of Hebrew texts, works of art, and film. Usually offered every third year.

HBRW 146a The Voices of Jerusalem
[ djw fl hum wi ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

For advanced-intermediate students who wish to enhance their language proficiency and work toward improving fluency and communication through analysis of selected materials covering literature, poetry, history, politics, and art that depict the unique tradition and culture of Jerusalem. Usually offered every fall.

HBRW 164b Israeli Theater Within the Framework of U.S Cultures
[ ca deis-us djw fl hum oc wi ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

Promotes cultural awareness and global understanding through the reading and analysis of plays. Student creativity develops through participation in acting and creative writing assignments. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 173a Trauma and Violence in Israeli Literature and Film
[ deis-us djw fl hum oc ]

Taught in Hebrew.

Explores trauma and violence in Israeli Literature, film, and art. Focuses on man-made disasters, war and terrorism, sexual and family violence, and murder and suicide, and examines their relation to nationalism, Zionism, gender, and sexual identity. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 174a Minorities and Others in Israeli Literature and Culture
[ djw fl hum oc ]

Taught in Hebrew.

An exploration of poetics and identity in modern Hebrew literature. By offering a feminist and psychoanalytic reading of various Hebrew texts, this seminar explores questions of personal and national identity, otherness, visibility, and marginality in the Israeli context. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 174b Israeli Women Writers on War and Peace
[ deis-us djw fl hum oc ]

Taught in Hebrew.

An exploration of nationalism and gender in Modern Hebrew literature. By discussing various Hebrew texts and Israeli works of art and film, this course explores women's relationship to Zionism, war, peace, the state, politics, and processes of cultural production. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 178a Love, Sex, and Power in Israeli Culture
[ djw fl hum ]

Taught in Hebrew. May be repeated for credit.

Explores questions of romance, gender, marriage, and jealousy in the Israeli context by offering a feminist and psychoanalytic reading of Hebrew texts, works of art, and film. Usually offered every third year.

HBRW 146a The Voices of Jerusalem
[ djw fl hum wi ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

For advanced-intermediate students who wish to enhance their language proficiency and work toward improving fluency and communication through analysis of selected materials covering literature, poetry, history, politics, and art that depict the unique tradition and culture of Jerusalem. Usually offered every fall.

HBRW 164b Israeli Theater Within the Framework of U.S Cultures
[ ca deis-us djw fl hum oc wi ]

Prerequisite: Any 30-level Hebrew course or permission of the instructor.

Promotes cultural awareness and global understanding through the reading and analysis of plays. Student creativity develops through participation in acting and creative writing assignments. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 10a Biblical Hebrew Grammar and Texts
[ dl fl hum ]

Prerequisite: HBRW 20b or the equivalent as determined by placement examination.

An accelerated grammar course in Biblical Hebrew. Students engage with biblical Hebrew texts from the first class. They build from words and phrases to a literary translation and grammatical analysis of a student’s choice of biblical Hebrew narrative. Topics include: phonology and the Tiberian pronunciation tradition, syllables and stress patterns, nouns, articles, conjunctions, pronouns, adjectives, possession, prepositions, the prefix and suffix conjugations, derived stems, tense and aspect, volitives, infinitives, and irregular roots. The class uses music and digital tools to aid memorization. It builds students’ vocabularies and understanding of the unusual features of biblical grammar and syntax compared with other semitic languages and modern Hebrew.

NEJS 25a Introduction to Talmud
[ hum oc ]

Prerequisite: A 30-level Hebrew course or the equivalent is recommended.

An introduction to Treatise Bava Metzia, on the subject of labor law. Topics include: payment for commuting time, eating on the job, benefits a worker can expect from their employer. The course introduces the Babylonian Talmud. Attention is paid to modes of argument, literary form, and development of the Talmudic text. No previous study of Talmud is presupposed. Usually offered every second year.

NEJS 110b Psalms in the Hebrew Bible
[ hum ]

Prerequisites: NEJS 10a or 40-level HBRW course or permission of the instructor.

A close reading of selected Psalms in Biblical Hebrew, with study of their poetic, historical, and mythological features and contexts. Usually offered every third year.

NEJS 123b Gender, Species, and Ethnicity in Early Judaism
[ djw hum oc ]

Being "human" is defined by distinguishing between and ordering different beings according to race, gender, disability and species. This privileges some in society while diminishing the value of others. This course introduces the main texts of rabbinic literature around fundamental questions of what is a legal "person" and what is not. Usually offered every year.

NEJS 125b Midrashic Literature: Sifre Deuteronomy
[ hum ]

Prerequisite: A 40-level Hebrew course or the equivalent.

An analysis of the midrashic method of the Sifre Deuteronomy. Emphasis will be placed on a close reading of the text, with a view to developing in the students the capacity to do independent analysis. Usually offered every fourth year.

NEJS 126a Intermediate Talmud
[ hum ]

Prerequisite: A 40-level Hebrew course or the equivalent.

Tractate Sanhedrin, chapter three, which deals with the issue of voluntary and compulsory arbitration and the binding nature of gambling agreements. Usually offered every third year.

NEJS 126b Agadic Literature: The Ethics of the Fathers with Avot d'Rabbi Nathan
[ hum ]

Prerequisite: A 40-level Hebrew course or the equivalent.

A study of the Mishnah Avot and its classical commentaries. Focuses primarily on literary and historical questions. Usually offered every fourth year.

NEJS 127b The History and Literature of the Jewish Liturgy
[ hum ]

Prerequisite: A 20-level Hebrew course or the equivalent.

A study of the literature, theology, and history of the daily and Sabbath liturgy. Emphasis will be placed on the interplay between literary structure and ideational content, along with discussion of the philosophical issues involved in prayer. Usually offered every third year.

NEJS 173a Trauma and Violence in Israeli Literature and Film
[ deis-us djw fl hum oc ]

Taught in Hebrew.

Explores trauma and violence in Israeli Literature, film, and art. Focuses on man-made disasters, war and terrorism, sexual and family violence, and murder and suicide, and examines their relation to nationalism, Zionism, gender, and sexual identity. Usually offered every second year.