Summer Program 2008

Summer Program 2008

Session 1 - Full Neve Program including Mechina and Pre-Shalhevet
Starts	Thurs. July 3 -- 30 Sivan
Shivah Asar B’Tamuz (half-day classes)	Sun. July 20 -- 17 Tammuz
Ends Tisha B’Av	Sun. August 10 -- 9 Av

Summer Holiday Seminar
Starts	Tues. August 12 -- 11 Av
Ends	Thurs. August 28 -- 27 Av

Session 2 (Elul) - Full Neve Program including Mechina
Starts	Wed. September 3 -- 3 Elul
Regular Neve Ends	Thurs. September 25 -- 25 Elul
Mechina Ends	Thurs. October 7 -- 8 Tishrei

Start of Ac. Year 2008/2009, 5769	Tues. October 28 -- 29 Tishrei

Classes meet in the morning, early afternoon, and evening. Each class is in session for a full 60 minutes and may include lecture, recitation, discussion, or a combination of these instructional methods. In addition, each student has the opportunity to spend between one to three hours a day in a tutorial preparing for her classes. Those on the highest levels do the preparation individually or jointly with a classmate.

Classes take place on Sunday through Thursday from 8:30 A.M. - 12:45 P.M., 1:30 P.M. - 2:30 P.M., and 7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. No classes are held on Monday afternoon.

Tutorials - A tutor is assigned to help each student prepare for her classes. One to three hours of tutorials are available each school day.

Summer Holiday Seminar

Two levels are available: a level for beginners and a level for those with a Jewish studies background.

The Summer Holiday Seminar is open to those who are unable to attend Session 1 or Session 2. It is also open to those who wish to extend their period of learning at Neve. Students who attend Session 1 may continue to study in the Seminar, while students who plan to attend Session 2, may begin their studies earlier by participating in the Seminar.

Students have the option of attending both Sessions 1 and 2, as well as the Summer Holiday Seminar.

Transfer Credits and Transcripts

Students must study a minimum of four weeks in the summer program in order to be eligible for credits. Many colleges and universities accept the credits of the Neve School of General Jewish Studies. It is recommended, however, that the student consult the registrar of the home college she is attending, or plans to attend, to ascertain the college's policy. Upon request, a transcript for courses successfully completed at Neve will be issued if the student is in good academic and financial standing. The fee for each transcript is U. S. $6.00.

Curriculum

Classes cover a wide range of Jewish studies and include these highlights:

Special programs and guest lectures on current social, ideological, and political issues in Israel
Hebrew Ulpan (if demand is sufficient)
Shabbat programs including home hospitality in different communities, group programs on campus, and home hospitality by faculty members

The following is a sample of topics that have been covered in past summer programs. Please note that not every topic listed is taught every summer, nor on every level.

JEWISH PHILOSOPHY:

Jewish Laws and Customs and The Meaning Behind Them; Role of Women in Judaism; Free Will vs. Determinism; Jews and Non-Jews; Human Potential in Judaism; Jewish Mysticism; Existence of G-d; Judaism and Science; Philosophy of Jewish Prayer; Sources in Jewish Law; Classical Texts in Jewish Thought

BIBLICAL and RABBINIC TEXTS:

Language and Concepts of Biblical Texts; Parshat HaShavua (weekly Torah portion); Rabbinic texts such as Ethics of the Fathers; Midrash and Commentaries.

PRACTICAL JUDAISM:

Kashrut and Its Spiritual Relevance; Shabbat and Holiday Observances; Jewish Law in Relation to Contemporary Issues; The Soul of Jewish Law; Transmission of the Oral Tradition.

HEBREW LANGUAGE:

Modern Hebrew (multi-level ulpan); Classical Hebrew Texts; Meaning and Mechanics of the Prayerbook.

JEWISH HISTORY:

The Holocaust; Meaning of Jewish Nationhood and Its History in the Land of Israel; Historical Verification of the Torah.