Join us for the 2008 Conservative Yeshiva Summer Program.

Session I: June 29 - July 17
Session II: July 20 - August 7


The Conservative Yeshiva Summer Program features:
The opportunity to study the classic texts of Judaism, including Rabbinic literature, Bible, and Philosophy
Intensive Ulpan to build Hebrew speaking and reading skills
Learning appropriate for students of all levels, backgrounds, and interests
Courses built on the traditional model of chevruta, learning one-on-one with a partner, and shiur, a seminar-style class

SESSION I: June 29 - July 17, 2008

Morning Session
Sunday-Thursday
9:00 am - 12:30 pm

Ulpan
Five levels of Ulpan (Aleph, Aleph Plus, Bet, Gimel and Daled) will be offered. Additional levels may be added subject to enrollment.

Introduction to Talmud and Rabbinics
What does it mean to make a blessing? How do blessings affect our orientation to life? We will learn primary sources from the rabbinic tradition with an emphasis on students acquiring study skills and familiarity with the rabbinic canon.
Rabbi Joel Levy

Advanced Talmud
We will study the third chapter of Tractate Megillah from the Babylonian Talmud with its medieval commentaries, Rashi, Tosafot, Rif, Rambam and others. We will also examine parallel rabbinic texts such as the Tosefta, Midrashim and the Yerushalmi.
Dr. Joshua Kulp/Rabbi Mordechai Silverstein

Afternoon Session
Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday
2:00 - 3:45 pm

Theomorphism – In the Divine Image.
Anthropomorphism means that we project our human image onto God. But Torah often does the reverse, viewing humans in God’s image, what might be called theomorphism. This class will examine aspects of the relationship between the human and divine images as they appear in the Bible, Rabbinic literature, Kabbalah and Jewish Philosophy.
Shaiya Rothberg

Midrash and Aggadah
Through the study of non-halakhic texts from the Talmud and classic midrashim, we will investigate some inter-connections between the Rabbi's world-view and their morality. For beginning and intermediate students, with texts in Hebrew/Aramaic originals and English translations.
Rabbi Shmuel Lewis

Tanach - The Eighth Century BCE: Time of Destruction or Time of Messiah?
At a period of great turmoil in the region, as Assyria was becoming an empire, what could the small kingdom of Judea, with its capital in Jerusalem, expect? The answer depends on whom you ask. We will examine the historical books of the Bible, as well as the words of prophets active at the time. We will be comparing them with outside sources to try to shed more light on this era of desperation and hope.
Vered Hollander-Goldfarb

Advanced Halacha
We will trace the development of some halakhot concerning the Jewish holidays, from their sources in the Torah and Talmud through their codification in the Maimonides' Mishneh Torah and R. Joseph Karo's Shulkhan Arukh. In addition to the specifics of the laws themselves, we will consider the methodologies of the post-talmudic codifiers. The course is directed at students who have some prior experience with Talmud and codes.
Dr. Joshua Kulp/Rabbi Shlomo Zacharow

Sunday, Tuesday
4:00 - 5:15 pm

Advanced Halacha
(continues)
Dr. Joshua Kulp/Rabbi Shlomo Zacharow

My Legs Were Praying: The Life and Work of Abraham Joshua Heschel
This class will explore Heschel's poetic and compelling contributions to
Jewish thought and motivation. We will consider the intersection of his
biography and his outlook on both rabbinic text and social justice. We will
also draw on the writings of Professor Edward Kaplan as we seek to
understand the thinking of this 20th century prophet.
Rabbi Elyse Winick

Skills Workshop
Students will have the opportunity to build skills for leading prayer in the synagogue.

Thursday
4:00 - 5:15 pm

Parashat Ha-Shavu'a
Rotating Faculty

Gemilut Hesed
Students will participate in group volunteer projects at locations in Jerusalem.

Afternoon Session
Monday, Wednesday
2:00 - 3:45 pm

Hasidut
This course will cover the history of Hasidism from its beginnings in the mid 18th century, the founder Rabbi Yisrael Ba'al Shem Tov, diversity within Hasidism, Hasidic Theology, Hasidic responses to destruction and redemption, Hasidic music and the relevance of Hasidic thought in our own time.
Rabbi Pesach Schindler

Tefillah (Prayerbook)
This class will explore sections and texts of the Siddur, the prayerbook. We will try to understand the meaning of the texts, their place in the service, and how they got there.
Rabbi Daniel Goldfarb

Psalms
We will study a selected group of Psalms from the liturgy. The focus will be learning to read and understand the Psalms in their original Hebrew. Students of all Hebrew levels are welcome.
Rabbi Gail Diamond

4:00 - 5:15 pm

Tanach
TBA

Skills Workshop
Students will have the opportunity to build skills in Torah reading.

Monday
Nature Walks
The Jerusalem Bird Observatory will offer a series of nature walks around Jerusalem.

Wednesday
Historic Synagogues
Students will tour and learn about historic synagogues of Jerusalem

Friday
Tiyulim on selected Friday mornings

SESSION II: July 20 - August 7, 2008

Morning Session
Sunday-Thursday
9:00 am - 12:30 pm

Ulpan
Five levels of Ulpan (Aleph, Aleph Plus, Bet, Gimel and Daled) will be offered. Additional levels may be added subject to enrollment.

Beginning Talmud

The rabbis believed that the Torah given at Mt. Sinai was divine revelation and thus unchangeable. But they proclaimed that Rabbi Akiva, the master of Oral Torah, had outdone Moses and that God himself could not change their halakhic rulings. We will get a glimpse of a variety of rabbinic topics, texts and genres as we try to understand how the rabbis accessed the divine through Oral Torah.
Dr. Ohr Margalit

Advanced Talmud
This course will be devoted to the advanced study of a Tractate Kiddushin, chapter 1. The course will make reference to Rishonim and other secondary sources. This class is for students with prior experience in Talmud study.
Rabbi Mordechai Silverstein

Afternoon Session
Sunday ,Tuesday, Thursday
2:00 - 3:45 pm

An Ancient and Modern Dialectic: The Land of Israel and the Diaspora in Jewish Sources
Using primarily Biblical and Rabbinic sources, but with occasional reference to later material, we will consider questions regarding Jewish communities in Israel and the Diaspora and their inter-relationships, Aliyah, Zionism and post-Zionism, and the challenges of building a Jewish and democratic state in Israel.
Dr. Debbie Weissman

Midrash
We will examine selections from the classic rabbinic midrashim to the Torah. Close attention will be paid to the interrelations between the Biblical text and the interpretive process. Texts will be provided in Hebrew and English.
Rabbi Mordechai Silverstein

Advanced Halakha - Halakhic Solutions for Agunot
The problem of the aguna, the woman who is "chained" into a marriage by virtue of the fact that her husband refuses to grant her a get (a Jewish divorce) has been one of the most vexing and painful issues in our day. In this course, we will explore through the lens of Jewish law some of the proposed ways to alleviate the plight of the aguna.
Rabbi Shlomo Zacharow

Sunday ,Tuesday
4:00 - 5:15 pm

Advanced Halacha
(continues)
Rabbi Shlomo Zacharow

Skills Workshop
Students will have the opportunity to build skills for leading prayer in the synagogue.

Engaging with Israel: The Challenge
This course will focus on defining what is meant by 'Israel,' identifying the challenge of Israel in the Diaspora and creating a vision for translating this into meaningful educational/congregational engagement with Israel.
Sally Klein-Katz

Thursday
4:00 - 5:15 pm

Parashat Ha-Shavu'a
Rotating Faculty

Gemilut Hesed
Students will participate in group volunteer projects at locations in Jerusalem.

Afternoon Session
Monday, Wednesday
2:00 - 3:45 pm

Tefillah (Prayerbook)
This class will explore sections and texts of the Siddur, the prayerbook. We will try to understand the meaning of the texts, their place in the service, and how they got there. This will not repeat texts studied in session I.
Rabbi Daniel Goldfarb

Tanach - Before, During and After the Destruction of Jerusalem
We will attempt to follow the people of Israel from glory to the despair at the destruction of the Temple and exile, and possibly, to a more realistic picture of future glory again. We will do this by reading Biblical historiographical texts side- by- side with prophetic (and other literary) texts of the times under discussion (Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Lamentations, Haggai), and try to understand why the destruction happened, in the eyes of the Bible.
Esther Israel

Responsa and History
In this course, we will explore a selection of 16th century responsa literature that addresses issues in the lives of Jews and conversos who left Spain and Portugal for locations where they could practice Judaism. Through study of the responsa, we'll look at the social and economic conditions of the Jews at the time, we'll learn about the leading rabbinic figures, historical background, and halakhic concepts.
Dr. Deborah Koren


4:00 - 5:15 pm

Contemporary Issues in Halakha
We will survey recent or pending decisions of the Jewish Committee for Law and Standards of the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly, such as the use of musical instruments on Shabbat, the laws of family purity, tevilat kelim (immersion of dishes) and eating cold and hot dairy foods in non-kosher restaurants.
Rabbi Shlomo Zacharow

Skills Workshop
Students will have the opportunity to build skills in Torah reading.

Monday
Nature Walks
The Jerusalem Bird Observatory will offer a series of nature walks around Jerusalem.

Wednesday
Historic Synagogues
Students will tour and learn about historic synagogues of Jerusalem

Friday
Tiyulim on selected Friday mornings

Summer Program Tuition
Cost for one session: $650
Cost for both sessions: $975
Cost for half day, one session: $450
Cost for half day, both sessions: $700

* Sessions will not be repetitive.
* You may attend either or both.
* All courses offered subject to enrollment.
* Legacy Heritage Scholarships available for Jewish Communal Professionals.

For more information about Summer
and Year Programs, please contact:

Rabbi Daniel Goldfarb or Rabbi Gail Diamond
Yeshiva@uscj.org

Apply Now