The ten-month Michlelet Esther academic year follows the Jewish calendar. It begins approximately a month before the Rosh Hashana holiday (August/September) and ends close to the Shavuot holiday (May/June). The year is divided into fall and spring semesters of approximately 15 weeks each, excluding holiday vacations.

Michlelet Esther Academic Calendar 2008-2009
5768 - 5769 (Subject to Change)

to be posted..

Class Schedules

Classes take place Sunday through Thursday in the morning, early afternoon, and evening. On Tuesday, classes end at 12:40 P.M.

College Credits and Transcripts

A number of colleges and universities in the United States offer a Joint Program with Michlelet Esther whereby the student is accepted both at the home college and at Michlelet Esther. While attending Michlelet Esther, the student is considered a registered student of the home college and pays tuition to that college. In turn, the home college issues an official college transcript for credits taken at Michlelet Esther.

Course Descriptions

ME001 The Total Jewish Woman
Major topics covered in the course are the Jewish approach to feminity, sexuality, and homemaking. The course also provides an in-depth study of the laws of family purity.

ME002 Modern Jewish History
In the course, the following topics are studied: the Cossack pogroms and false messiahs; Reform and Enlightenment; Chassidim and Mitnagdim; the Yeshivot and the Mussar movement; Russian oppression and migration to America; Zionism, Haskala and social revolution; anti-Semitism and the Holocaust; the State of Israel; American Jewry; and biographies of major figures and rabbinic leaders.

ME003 Studies in Jewish Philosophy and Ethics
Explores selected ethical/philosophic themes from Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), a moralistic Mishnaic text. The accompanying sixteenth- century Derech HaChayim gloss of Judah Loew ben Bezalel (Maharal of Prague) is used.

ME004 Topics in Chassidic Thought
Through the examination of primary and secondary source materials, fundamental concepts of Hasidic thought are analyzed. Topics covered are the Hasidic view of worship, prayer, Torah study, ritual performance, the righteous master, and conceptions of G-d. The ideological conflict separating Hasidim and Mitnagdim is also discussed.

ME005 Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot)
Examines the ethical, moral, and theological teachings of the Mishnaic tract, Avot, utilizing various schools of interpretation. Themes discussed in the course are charity, altruism and selfishness, humility, asceticism, spirituality, judicial ethics, theodicy, and eschatology.

ME007 Contemporary Jewish Philosophy and Ethics
Presented is a general introduction to contemporary European German-Jewish ethics within its geopolitical, cultural, and historical context. Themes also examined are repentance and reconciliation; knowledge of G-d; the prophetic experience; and poetic and literary conceptions.

ME008 Philosophical and Theological Foundations of Jewish Prayer
The course surveys the texts of prayers; the setting for prayer; preparation for prayer; and devotion during prayer. Examined in depth is the Shemoneh Esreh, the silent devotion prayer -- its components, themes, and laws.

ME009 Philosophical Issues
Examines the rationalist approaches to the traditional Jewish doctrines of faith. Arguments for the belief in G-d and arguments for divine origin of Torah are presented. Students learn to analyze the case for the existence of G-d and the attendant aspects of the Jewish faith doctrine argued in rationalist terms; the substantive argumentation of opposing positions; and the problematic ramifications of a faith commitment untempered by the rationalistic dimension.

ME010 Lifestyle Issues
Explored in the course are Jewish attitudes towards alternative lifestyles in the realm of religion, sexuality, social structure, governments, and judicial systems

ME011 The Jewish Year Cycle
Provides the student with an in-depth knowledge of the Jewish holidays that occur throughout the Jewish calendar year. The laws and customs of each holiday are covered.

ME013 The Early Prophets: Samuel 1 (Shmuel Aleph)
The full narrative of the book of Samuel I is covered. The personalities of Samuel, Saul, and David, and other biblical figures are examined as well as the moral, philosophic, and halachic issues that are derived from the biblical text.

ME014 Mitzvot in Modern Day Life: Sefer Hachinuch (The Book of Education)
The course provides an in-depth study of Sefer Hachinuch -- a text which gives a brief overview of each of the 613 commandments (mitzvot) of the Torah. Each mitzvah is analyzed and its current practice is examined. Students gain an understanding of the nature of each commandment in the Torah.

ME015 Analysis of Hebrew Scriptures: Genesis (Bereishit)
A survey of Bereishit including: the creation of the world and man; Noah and the flood; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob’s sons, and the descent to Egypt.

ME016 Analysis of Hebrew Scriptures: Numbers (Bamidbar)
Major topics covered in the course are the laws of vows, tithes, and inheritance. Narrative sections are surveyed including the episodes of the spies, Korach's rebellion, and Bilam's curses/blessings.

ME017 Analysis of Jewish Thought
Provides the student with the knowledge of the writings of contemporary teachings of the school of Jewish self-awareness. Topics include self-awareness; and the skills needed to cope with negative traits, such as anger, jealousy, contempt, and revenge. Exercises are used to provide positive reinforcement of positive character traits.

ME018 The Book of Proverbs (Mishlei)
Major topics covered in the course are authorship of Mishlei, its literary form and use of metaphor, and its wisdom. Examined are Mishlei’s views of didactic influence, virtue of youth and age, and providence.

ME019, ME020, ME029 Studies in Jewish Law: Blessings (Brachot)
The course surveys the general principles of blessings; the formal structure of blessings; biblical and Talmudic sources of blessings; sequence of blessings; diverse types of blessings; and blessings for life-cycle events.

ME021, ME022, ME030 Studies in Jewish Law: Sabbath & Holidays
Examined are the general principles of Jewish laws and rituals; formal structures of Jewish law in practice; and biblical and Talmudic sources of Jewish law in regards to the Sabbath and holidays.

MEO23 Survey of Biblical Themes
The course explores selected ethical, moral, and theological themes from the books of Genesis and Exodus.

ME024 Jewish Outlook
In open class discussions, current world events are viewed from a traditional Jewish outlook and moral perspective.

ME028 Introduction to Jewish Philosophy
Examines and analyzes the major philosophical/theological issues in medieval Jewish thought from a variety of conceptual perspectives. Students learn to analyze the central questions underlying each issue and its broader conceptual implications, as well as the dialectic subtleties separating diverse positions and their identification with larger schools of opposing ideological thought. Selected readings from the Hebrew texts of medieval philosophic/ theological literature are studied.