חָכְ מֹות בָנְתָ ה בֵיתָ ּה חָצְבָה עַּמּודֶיהָָ שִׁבְ עָהָ

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Course Descriptions

Amudim and Yesodot – Problems and Methods in Judaic Studies Dr. Julie Goldstein OneָofָtheָcornerstonesָofָAmudim’sָeducationalָphilosophyָisָthatָstudentsָshouldָbecomeָ independent learners and that the year in should introduce them to the tools that they will need to engage in a lifetime of study, long after they have leftָtheָwallsָofָAmudim’sָBeitָ . This class is designed to venture into the realm of sophisticated Torah by directly presenting the variegated methods and approaches available to the modern lamdanit. Looking at case studies in Gemara, Tanakh and Jewish philosophical and historical texts, this class models and analyzes theָapproachesָofָacademia,ָ“lumdus”ָ(specificallyָBrisk),ָNechamaָ Leibowitz,ָ“TheָGush,”ָtheָphenomenonָoftenָcalledָ“ToratָEretzָYisrael,”ָRashi’s innovations and more, each of which students encounter and are taught to apply in their other classes at Amudim.

Theories of God - Epistemology of Religion Dr. Julie Goldstein Does God exist? Is it epistemologically justified to believe that God exists? These two questions are addressed in this class through analyses of teleological, cosmological and ontological approaches to the existence of God. Examining Jewish and non-Jewish philosophical approaches to the topic, students are introduced to arguments based on evidence, the absence of evidence, practicality, rationality and faith.

Jewish-Christian Polemics Dr. Julie Goldstein This class focuses on the historical split between and Christianity, early Christian approaches to and Judaism, and arguments harnessed by Jews, mostly in the Middle Ages, against fundamental Christian doctrines and Christological readings of Tanakh.

All the Rav’s Men Dr. Julie Goldstein

This philosophy and fine arts course was inspired by the phenomenon (mostly in the Haredi community)ָofָhangingָ“gedolimָpictures”ָinָtheָhome,ָaָbehaviorָthatָemphasizesָtheָphysicalָ presence of revered thinkers and leaders of the Torah world. With an eye on orienting the focus ontoָtheָgadol’sָthoughtָandָphilosophyָ(rather than physique), this course examines the typologies of mankind as they are presented in the writings of R. J.B. Soloveitchik. After each study session, students are asked to pictorially represent the philosophies discussed, either on ָ”.canvas or paper, withָtheָgoalָofָcreatingָanָartָexhibitָentitledָ“AllָtheָRav’sָMen

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Theories and Theorists Dr. Julie Goldstein

This course introduces students to the thought and philosophies of major Jewish thinkers of the twentieth century, including Franz Rosensweig, Martin Buber, Walter Benjamin, Yeshayahu Leibowitz, Emmanual Levinas, Jacques Derrida, Abraham Joshua Heschel, the Lubavitcher and more, and examines the intersection between their theories and religion, specifically Judaism. The goal of this course is to see as a guide to life.

The Contemporary Jewish Short Story Dr. Julie Goldstein

In this class, students read, analyze and reflect upon Jewish short stories, from Kafka to Nathan Englander. Stories are chosen based on the following criteria: Variety, substance, intellectual level, Jewish content, relatability, readability and manageability.

Holocaust in Film Dr. Julie Goldstein

The overwhelming tragedy of the Shoah is almost unspeakable and perhaps un-representable in its magnitude, having impacted not only the very fabric of Jewish life, existence and consciousness but also the way in which the broader western world thinks about such concepts as civilization,”ָ“ethics,”ָ“technology”ָandָ“progress.ָDueָtoָitsָmagnitudeָandָ“ incomprehensibility, some have chosen to approach knowledge of the Holocaust, to convey something about it through visual media. With an eye towards the responsibilities involved in Holocaust film-making and the limits of representation when it comes to the Holocaust, this course examines the representation of the Holocaust in 1) primary source film: original images, created before or during the period of the Shoah, providing documentary evidence for life during this period and insight into the mentality of those who produced them, 2) educational film: secondary material produced in the aftermath of the Shoah and meant to objectively report, instruct or enlighten students about the Shoah, and 3) “representational”ָfilm: Historical fiction meant to convey a specific image, relay a message, evoke emotion, and/or entertain. Along the way, students gain facility in critical film analysis and film theory.

Jewish Ethics Dr. Julie Goldstein

This course traces the development of a Jewish ethical attitude from the bible onward. It also examines the concepts of repentance, virtue and free choice in Jewish thought and asks two major questions with regard to religion and morality in Jewish Thought: a) Does Jewish tradition recognize an ethic independent of Halakhah and b) Is ethical reasoning operative in the determination of ? Finally. It examines principles of , including the concepts of imitatio dei and love of neighbor.

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Great Schisms Dr. Julie Goldstein

Through an examination of the foundational writings of great Jewish movements, this course aims to understand the philosophies behind the debates between Pharisees and Sadducees, Karaites and Rabbinites, Maimonideans and Anti-Maimonideans, Hassidim and Mitnagedim, Reform and Orthodoxy and Zionists and Anti-Zionists, and the underpinnings of messianic movements such as Sabbateanism and Frankism.

Talmud 101 and 102- Tractate Baba Batra Channa Lockshin Bob, R”am and R. Darrell Ginsberg, R”am

This class involves in-depth study of the first chapter of Tractate Baba Batra from the Babylonian Talmud. All texts are studied in the original and we will complete the chapter by the end of the semester. Every class includes a seminar and an independent study session with a partner. Concepts addressed in the class include: the development of Jewish law from Bible to Talmud and onwards, the fundamentals of Talmudic logic, and basic Aramaic vocabulary and terminology.

Logic R. Darrell Ginsberg

This course is an introduction to the study of Logic. Drawing on various texts dedicated to Socratic Logic, students begin to learn the basics in constructing and dissecting arguments and issues. Students cover terms, propositions, syllogisms, fallacies, along with application to both Jewish texts and general information.

Museum Mondays: Texts in Context Rab. Leah Herzog This particularly exciting and innovative Tanakh class will be held each Monday, off-campus, at the Bible Lands Museum, where the latest archaeological discoveries will bring Tanakh to life as we stand in front of the actual objects described in the text, giving us new perspective and fodder for analyzing it. From the Tower of Babel to Megillat Esther, items on display will spark deep discussion about some of our most intriguing texts and concepts, for example, the origins of written language, the development of the Hebrew script, the evolving nature of idol worship in the Near East and Egypt, notions of the afterlife, the nature of warfare in ancient Israel and its environs, royal life in Persia, and much more. By looking at the Torah within its cultural context, we will come to understand the depth of the stories we know and love (and some we are less familiar with) and that we frequently take for granted.

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Safrut Seminar R. Dov Laimon In what is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, our students study the halakhot, art of, and midrashim associated with safrut (Jewish calligraphy) with a professional stam. This is a hands-on course, for which the provides basic materials, including quills, ink, and practice parchment.

Contemporary Halakhah R. Jonathan Ziring

This class aims to understand the basic factors of any halakhic decision, classify the ways in which modernity has challenged the halakhic system to respond, and explore specific topics that illustrate the process of halakha and the ways in which it can adapt in changing circumstances. Topics discussed include: Lab grown meat, self-driving cars, genetic engineering, cloning, artificial intelligence, minhag hamakom in a borderless world, space travel, time travel and chip implants. To reach our goals, we focus on: a) Texts that present methodological statements about halacha, such as the introduction to the Beit Yosef, b) Halachic texts, from the classic sources through the modern ones, that speak to the issues, and c) Analysis of the changing realities we face to determine which areas of halacha are most likely to need to adapt to modernity.

Intellectual Jewish History R. Jonathan Duker

This class looks at essential Jewish thinkers and texts from the Second Temple until the Modern period, with an emphasis on their religious and pedagogical goals, impact on subsequent Jewish thought, and the influence of surrounding cultures on their formation. Units include Tanakh and its canonization, Tanaim and the Oral Law, of Bavel and Eretz Yisrael, North African philosophers and poets, Medieval Ashkenaz and the Tosafists, and Zoharic and Lurianic . Classes consist of guided independent study (seder) of primary texts followed by discussions of the material and larger ideas and concepts.

The Book of Shemot: Birth of a Nation Rab. Yafit Clymer

The Book of Shemot takes us on a transformative journey from slavery in Egypt to an encounter with God at Har Sinai to the building of a House for God. Along the way, we witness the ups and downs, twists and turns, intrigues, rivalries and epiphanies that contribute to the emergence of Am Yisrael as an independent entity with a newfound identity. At the helm stands, of course, Moshe Rabbeinu, whose own process of maturation develops alongside his people. In this class, we delve into the text and centuries of commentary to follow the parallel trajectories of a nation and its leader. Using Sefer Shemot as a springboard to develop and deepen our knowledge of trends in Medieval and modern exegesis, we will explore the major ideas, characters, motifs and

5 patterns in this foundational sefer and learn valuable lessons about the Torah's notions of leadership, law, society, freedom and, ultimately, how it all ties into our relationship with God.

Halakhic Methodology R. Yonatan Rosensweig

This course tackles the different elements which make up the halakhic process. We examine how historical, analytical, judicial and social components make their way into the great works of our sages, and come together to form what we know as an halakhic decision.

Big Ideas R. Yoni Rosensweig

The thinking Jewish person who exists in a modern milieu is compelled to confront cultural, political and intellectual trends that challenge her system of beliefs and values. This course draws upon sources from the Talmud through twenty-first century thinkers to explore some major issues facing the modern Jew, including Sanctifying the Mundane, Belief in God, Definitions of Modern Orthodoxy, Kavod Hatzibbur and Women, Universalism and Particularism, and more. By the conclusion of this course, students will appreciate the multifaceted nature of these issues and the complexity of the Jewish approach to them.

Body, Beauty, Gender and Dress Rab. Anne Gordon From the time Adam and Eve became aware of their own nakedness, the body has been on the human mind. To what extent do we find and craft our identities through our physicality? What do we mean when we dress as we do? How does Jewish tradition (and even our pushback against ָ,it)ָshapeָourָethos?ָAndָwhatָhappensָtoָourָownָperceptionָandָuseָofָ“body,ָbeauty,ָgender ָ?andָdress”ָwhenָweָareָconsciousָofָtheָrolesָplayedָtheseָelementsָofָtheָhumanָexperience In this class, we consider the historical, psychological, social, political and halakhic ramifications of beauty, gender identity and dress. Study materials will include primary Jewish texts, classical sources from literature and the arts, contemporary theory of fashion and identity, and more.

Tanakh for Thinkers Sarah Moser

This course approaches Tanakh from a literary-theological perspective, using the tools of literary analysis to uncover the theological underpinnings of the verses. Drawing on the teachings of R. Menachem Liebtag, R. Elhanan Samet, R. Amnon Bazak, R. Yitzhak Etshalom, R. Jonathan Sacks , other modern day parshanim of Tanakh alongside traditional parshanim, we examine the overall structure of the perekim as well as key words, perspective, focus and meaning to understand the message of the Torah and how to make it meaningful to us in our lives.

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Israel and the Middle East Conflict Matthew Lipman This course, provided through Jerusalem U, offers an in-depth understanding of the Zionist narrative and how it conflicts with the Palestinian narrative. Topics covered throughout the course include Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, settlements, border disputes, security concerns and the struggle for peace. By addressing these complex issues head on, students will gain the knowledge to effectively articulate an informed position regarding one of the longest running post WW2 conflicts.

Unusual Biblical Stories Dr. Chana Tanenbaum This course examines sections of Torah that leave the reader with a quandary. We study how commentators throughout the ages viewed each dilemma, looking to extract contemporary life lessons. Emphasis is placed on developing skills while at the same time understanding the depth and beauty of the Torah text.

Hilutz Atzamot Liraz Cohen

As part of Amudim’sָgoalָtoָfosterָhealthyָmind,ָbody and spirit, Tuesday morning Hilutz Atzamot sessions will take you out of the BeiMidrash and into the studio to work on toning, cardio, strength, and agility training, and offer boot camps and classes in Zumba, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and other combinations of exercise of your choice. With her friendly, energetic, encouraging, and goal-oriented style of training, the instructor will push you to discover and work to your potential without going past your maximum limits of exertion and will .helpָyouָtoָ“ThinkָHigher”ָinָeveryָaspectָofָtheirָAmudimָexperience

Homiletics and Hermeneutics Aviva Sterman For hundreds of years, Jews around the world have read the parshat hashavua every week together, making the parsha an essential piece of Jewish learning. While commentaries on the –ָ”Humash have existed for centuries,ָtheָcontemporaryָeraָhasָexplodedָwithָ“parshaָstudies books, articles, blogs, and divrei Torah dedicated to studying the parsha as a unit and focused on finding a message to make the parsha relevant to the modern reader. In this class, we explore the schools of thought and prominent writers uniqueָtoָcontemporaryָ“parshaָstudies”ָandָopenָ them for critical analysis. Are the messages being derived from the parsha really theָ“pshat”ָofָ the text? Does it matter? How far are we allowed to take our homiletical imagination? What hashkafot do contemporary thinkers extract from, or project onto, the text of the parsha? We will see how the parsha has become a place for exploring the ideological questions being debated across Orthodoxy today. We will always leave class with food for thought on both the text of the parsha and contemporary Orthodoxy.

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The Laws of R. Aaron Buechler

This course is devoted to the intricate network of legal theories, principles, and practices that permeate Jewish life and infuse it with meaning. We will look specifically at the laws of (dietary laws), exploring and making sense of the highly technical details associated with these laws and which render them a centerpiece of the Jewish day-to-day experience. We will focus on tracing the halakhah from its Talmudic origin through the , achronim and modern poskim.

Groundbreaking Halakhic Sugyot R. Aaron Buechler

Rabbinic responsa provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of the Jewish people throughout history. Drawing upon centuries of precedent, this corpus of case law demonstrates the flexibility and creativity of the Halachic mind, as rabbis across the span of ages and geographic location have been called upon to address the major developments of their days. Whether it was a pandemic with potentially devastating medical and sociological implications, revolutionary advances in medical technology, the implications of social revolutions or enhanced standards of food production, new developments in the human experience have inevitably led to the question of how to apply Jewish law. This course will explore some of the most significant response written in the 20th and 21st centuries and will reveal how ancient Talmudic categories can shed light upon the most challenging of contemporary questions.

Philosophies of Prayer R. Aryeh Sklar

What is the goal of prayer? Does God change His mind based on our prayers? What are the psychological effects of prayer? Do we really need to use a fixed text in order to speak to our Creator? What are the advantages and disadvantages of praying with a group? This class will explore different philosophies of prayer, including those of the Rambam, R. JB Soloveitchik, R. SR Hirsch, R. AJ Heschel, mystical and hasidic masters, and postmodern thinkers, placing special emphasis on the connection between prayer and mindfulness. We will also focus on the practices surrounding prayer and understanding Jewish prayer in particular -- the structure and history of the siddur, why Hazal instituted the recitation of the daily amida, the use of music and danceָinָprayer,ָprayerָgroups/tefilahָb’tzibur,ָdressָandָaccessoriesָduringָprayerָ-- and discuss practical tips for cultivating focus during daily Tefillah.

Advanced Talmud: Tractate Sota Mrs. Naomi Schrager

This advanced level Gemara class involves in-depth study of Masekhet Sota from the Babylonian Talmud. All texts are studied in the original and we will complete the chapter by the end of the semester. Every class includes a seminar and an independent study session with a

8 partner. Concepts addressed in the class include: the development of Jewish law from Bible to Talmud and onwards, the fundamentals of Talmudic logic, and basic Aramaic vocabulary and terminology.

Imagining Women in the Talmud Rab. Pesha Fischer

In this course we explore both Agaddic and Halakhik material relating to how women were viewed by the rabbis in the time of the Talmud. We study the topics of: 1) Women and with a spotlight on , 2) Women and Mitzvot with a spotlight on Yalta, 3) Women and Magic-Witches in the Talmud, 4) Women and Leadership, 5) Creation of Women and the story of Lilith, and 6) Women and Kfira with a spotlight on conversations with the Matrona. This course is texted-based and examines various sugyot and articles, but also includes movie clips.

Mahshavah from the Moreh R. Aaron Buechler

The Rambam is possibly the most foundational and controversial Jewish thinker in history. This class surveys theָRambam’sָmostָimportantָphilosophical and theosophical contributions ָ.through study of excerpts from the Moreh Nevukhim,ָtheָRambam’sָphilosophicalָmasterpiece Various approaches to the full comprehension of Rambam, adopted by the medieval and more modern Torah giants, are thoroughly analyzed. Through our study, we will develop an appreciation for the uniqueness of the Rambam’sָworldviewָandָthe debates sparked by his ideas.

History of Halakha R. Dr. Jeffrey Woolf Halakha is the means by which the Jew actualizesָGod’sָcommandments.ָHalakhaָisָaָveryָ dynamic process, unfolding over time, which strikes a careful and delicate balance between the Timeless and the Timely, Personal and the National. In this course, trace the development of Jewish law from the end of the Talmudic period until early, examining the history of halakhot of different weight, such as conversion, stam yeinam, pruzbul, kisui rosh (for men and women), from their origins in biblical and ancient sources to iterations of the halakha in texts of ahronim and contemporary rabbis. Along the way, we encounter the historical lives and major works of the great rabbinic figures of the past, both Ashkenazic and Sephardic.

What Does the Torah Really Mean? Peshat in and Rashbam R. Prof. Meir (Martin) Lockshin

This course aims: a) To understand the reasons for the development of peshat interpretation of the Bible in Middle Ages, b) To understand why Rashi was interested in peshat (contextual

9 interpretation) and what he understood peshat to be, c) ToָunderstandָwhyָRashbam,ָRashi’sָ grandson, was not satisfied with the work of his grandfather and why he developed a new way of understanding what peshat is and d) To explore how Rashi and Rashbam both understood the relationship between peshat and midrash.

Midrash Agnon R. Jeffrey Saks ָ,S.Y.ָAgnon,ָHebrewָliterature’sָonlyָNobelָwinner,ָabsorbedָtheָentiretyָofָtheָBeitָMidrash its books and ethos, distilling millennia of Jewish sources and pouring them into the mold of modern literature—whatָRavָKookָdescribedָpoeticallyָasָAgnon’sָ“authentic Jewish/Hebrew writing,ָflowingָthroughָtheָdivineָchannelsָwithָnoָbarrier.”ָInָthisָcourse, we will read a wide varietyָofָAgnon’sָshortָstoriesָ(inָEnglishָtranslation,ָwithָHebrewָtextsָavailableָforָthoseָ who will brave them), pulling apart the sources on which he drew, to explore the relationship between text and the master-texts he mined in his writing. Along the way we will consider the major themes he explored: The relationships between tradition and modernity, Eretz Yisrael and the Diaspora, and the pull that the past exerts upon the present. Also: What is the role of literature and reading in the life of a thinking, religious Jew?

Introduction to Hasidic Thought and Practice R. Dr. Eliezer Shore What is Hasidut and who are the Hasidim? How is the Hasidic movement simultaneously so radical and conservative? What are the theological and philosophical ideas of Hasidut that have inspired masses of Jews for the last 300 years and captivated the hearts of the millennial generation? This course examines the teachings, traditions and history of the Hasidic movement. Entering theָ worldָ ofָ the ָ Ba’alָ Shemָ Tov and his followers, including the radicalism of Kotz and Ishbitz, mystical spirituality of Reb Nahman of Breslov, influential world of Habad, as well as the Tanya, Kedushat Levi, Mei HaShiloach, and the Piaseczner Rebbe, his course will uncover the complex values and beliefs of Hasidut when it comes to prayer, contemplation, the role of the Tzaddik, dveykut, asceticism, joy and God, as they are conveyed in tales and Hasidic scholasticism. Approaching Hasidism through its primary texts, we look at the role of women, the Holocaust and Zionism, and music, all the while focusing on historical contexts, writing styles and theological approaches, as well as practical advice for serving HaShem.

The main course will be preceded by several sessions on basic concepts in Kabbalah which will enable us to better understand the Hasidic texts. We will always attempt to understand how we can integrate this deep and inspiring Torah into our own lives.

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Abravanel al-HaTorah Rachel Hershberg

This intensive seminar plunges into an examination of Abravanel's style, methodology, and interpretation of the Bible. Stress is placed on developing individual learning skills, while including historical background, and comparison with other commentaries.

Tur/Shulhan Arukh R. Jonathan Duker

This advanced course traces the development of the laws of Tefillah by studying sources cited in the Tur, Bet Yosef, Shulhan Arukh, Mishneh Berurah and other twentieth century commentaries. This course mainly focuses on skill-building.

Responsa-Writing Workshop R. Jonathan Ziring

In this course, students experience the process of coming to independent halachic decisions and learning how to communicate those decisions effectively. We study one topic in-depth over the course of the semester. Students are asked to process the material, take a position, and present their position orally and in writing, focusing on both content and style, understanding that good psak takes into account audience, rhetoric, as well as the obvious quality of legal argumentation.

Gemara be-Iyun R. Yoni Rosensweig

This advanced level Gemara class introduces students to some of the more difficult iyyun books, .includingָtheָShakh’sָTokpo Kohen and Shev Shmaytza of the Avnei Miluim

Gemara for Thinkers/Thinking for Gemara R. Darrell Ginsberg

Relying primarily on the text and the commentaries of Rishonim, these companion courses train studentsָtoָuncoverָtheָuniversalָtoolsָofָlogicָembeddedָinָtheָGemara’sָrhetoric,ָanalysesָandָ dialectics.ָStudentsָcomeָtoָunderstandָtheָGemara’sָmethodology,ָlearnָhowָtoָaskָtheָcorrectָ questions, organize the various arguments, derive a sevara, and ultimately approach any area of knowledge in an intelligent manner.

The Amudim Seminar This course provides students with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interface and study with some of the most creative and dynamic thinkers in the incomparable world of Jewish intellectual life in Israel. The Amudim Seminar, a series of mini-courses in Tanakh, Talmud, Jewish history, Jewish thought and culture, Jewish philosophy, ethics and art, taught by leading scholars and artists, introduces students to a realm of Jewish scholarship that exists only in Israel. This course

11 requires student to attend a weekly two-hour seminar, to engage in meaningful discussion with the speakers and, twice per year, write a response paper. Speakers bring source material from traditional Jewish texts (including Tanakh, Talmud, Rishonim and Ahronim), historical documents and artwork, as well as their original research.

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