Learning is both rigorous and alive at Midreshet Amudim. Our courses cultivate deep literacy in Tanach, Talmud, and Halacha while engaging the great questions that shape faith and life: the nature of God and revelation, the meaning of suffering, the meeting of Torah and human creativity, and the challenge of living spiritually in a modern world. Students are invited to think boldly, feel deeply, and experience Torah as a source of wisdom, wonder, and transformation.

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TANACH

Tanach Seder and Shiur

Build textual skill and independence through guided study of Tanach and its ancient contexts. Compare the Masoretic text with sources like the Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls, uncovering the values and ideas that shape our understanding of Torah.

Museum Tanach: Text in Context

Held weekly at the Bible Lands Museum, this class brings Tanach to life through ancient artifacts. Students explore the origins of written language, the development of the Hebrew script, the evolving nature of idol worship, notions of the afterlife, warfare in ancient Israel, royal life in Persia, and more, revealing new depth in the Torah’s stories.

The Book of Shemot: Birth of a Nation

Journey through Sefer Shemot and witness the ups and downs, twists and turns, intrigues, rivalries, and epiphanies that shape the birth of Am Yisrael. Follow Moshe Rabbeinu’s growth alongside his people’s emergence as a nation, uncovering timeless lessons about freedom, faith, and the forging of identity.

The Books of Trei Asar

Enter the world of the twelve prophets, voices of passion, warning, and hope. In this course, we uncover their timeless messages to Bnei Yisrael, tracing themes of teshuva, leadership, and faith through powerful language and poetic structure. Through close reading and literary analysis, students gain both historical insight and mastery of prophetic expression.

Homiletics and Hermeneutics

Explore how modern parsha studies make Torah speak to today’s world. We’ll ask: Is the message truly pshat? Does it matter? How far can we take our homiletical imagination, and what does it reveal about contemporary Orthodoxy?

Book of Samuel

Through close reading and modern literary analysis, we explore both books of Shmuel, tracing their profound themes of prophecy, politics, and moral leadership. Students uncover how the rise and fall of Israel’s early kings shape enduring questions of power and faith.

Nachmanidean Exegesis

Enter the world of Ramban--philosopher, mystic, and master commentator. Through close study of his Torah commentary, we uncover his bold engagement with Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and medieval thought, revealing a vision where faith, reason, and mystery converge.

What’s Pshat? A Study of Rashi and Rashbam

Explore how medieval interpreters redefined peshat, the plain meaning of the text. Through the eyes of Rashi and his grandson Rashbam, we uncover a fascinating debate over context, interpretation, and the delicate balance between peshat and midrash.

Tanach and Psychology

What does it mean to be human and created in God’s image? This course reads Tanach through the lens of modern psychology, from Freud and Jung to Maslow and Frankl, using psychodynamic, cognitive, and behavioral theories to uncover new layers of meaning in biblical characters, narratives, and the human soul itself.

Tanach Beit Midrash

Modeled on Google’s 80/20 philosophy, this course empowers students to pursue independent Tanach projects that link deep learning with real-world impact. Alongside self-directed study, students engage in reflection, collaboration, and symposia to share their insights.

The Midrashic Mind

Explore the vibrant world of aggadah--parables, stories, satire, and symbolism that give voice to Jewish faith and imagination. Through close study of classic midrashim, we ask two guiding questions: What’s the method, and what’s the meaning?

The Akedah Through the Ages

Examine Jewish (and occasionally Christian and Muslim) portrayals of the biblical narrative of the Binding of Isaac from antiquity to the modern period, analyzing Talmudic, midrashic and later exegetical sources, addressing the philosophical and ethical conundrums associated with the narrative and emphasizing the interplay between gender, sonship, and sacrifice within Jewish culture and inter-religious polemics.

Abravanel’s Commentary on Torah

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.

Sefer Mishlei

Discover the timeless brilliance of Shlomo HaMelech as illuminated by the Vilna Gaon. Through the Gaon’s penetrating insights, students uncover the hidden depths of Mishlei, a guide not only to wisdom, but to living with purpose, integrity, and spiritual awareness in a complex world.

Tiny Tanach Tales

Through close reading of 100-word biblical narratives, this course reveals how brevity intensifies meaning in Tanach, where every word, pause, and silence tells a story.

A Time for Everything: A Kohelet Seminr

Drawn from the third chapter of Kohelet -- “a time to be born and a time to die…”-- this course uses Torah study as a lens for living more deeply and purposefully. Through exploring life and death, laughter and tears, creation and destruction, students uncover Torah’s vision for a life of meaning.

Unusual Biblical Stories

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.

Gemara and rabbinics

Gemara Seder and Shiur

Explore the depth and drama of the Talmud through traditional yeshiva-style learning and modern literary tools. With chavruta study, analysis of Rishonim and aggadot, and comparisons across time and culture, students gain lifelong skills for questioning, debating, and thinking Jewishly.

The Talmud: A bIography

Delve into how the Oral Torah works--its mentality, methodology, and the interpretive logic of the Rabbis. Through study of rabbinic texts, students uncover the principles, creativity, and reasoning that drive the world of Torah Sheba’al Peh.

Pirkei Avot: Ethics and Ideology

Study Pirkei Avot with the rigor of a Mishna tractate, uncovering the literary, historical, and philosophical layers beneath its ethical teachings. Through close reading and analysis, students gain a deeper understanding of the rabbis’ vision for moral and spiritual life.

Talmudic Heroines

Explore the stories of the Talmud’s heroines to uncover how the Rabbis portrayed women, power, and faith. Through the language and poetics of aggadah, students examine how these narratives reflect and challenge social and spiritual realities.

From Gemara to Halacha

Trace the journey of Jewish law from its Talmudic roots to practical application. Through close study of sugyot, Rishonim, and modern poskim, students explore how halakhic principles evolve and come to shape daily Jewish life.

From Gemara to Hashkafa

Uncover the philosophical and ethical ideas that emerge from the pages of the Talmud. Through close study of aggadic and halakhic passages, students explore how the Gemara shapes Jewish thought, belief, and values across generations.

Halacha

Halacha Seder and Shiur

Trace the living flow of halacha from its Talmudic roots through rishonim, acharonim, and modern poskim. Exploring the balance between ancient text and contemporary life, students uncover the depth, beauty, and discipline of a life shaped by halakhic commitment.

Halachot of Shabbat

This course is devoted to the intricate network of legal theories, principles, and practices that permeate Jewish life and infuse it with meaning. Focusing on hilchot Shabbat, we trace the halacha from its Talmudic origins through the rishonim, acharonim, and modern poskim, uncovering its depth and design.

Halachot of Kashrut

This course is devoted to the intricate network of legal theories, principles, and practices that permeate Jewish life and infuse it with meaning. Focusing on hilchot kashrut, we trace the halacha from its Talmudic origins through the rishonim, achronim, and modern poskim, uncovering the depth and precision of Jewish dietary law.

Hotbutton Halacha: Navigating the Age of AI

Explore how halacha meets modernity through topics like lab--grown meat, AI, cloning, and space travel. By tracing classic and modern sources, students uncover the principles guiding halachic decision-making and how Jewish law adapts to an ever-changing world.

History of Halacha

Trace the unfolding story of Jewish law, from its biblical roots to modern responsa. Through case studies like conversion, pruzbul, and kisui rosh, students explore how halacha balances the timeless and the timely, revealing the dynamic process through which Torah becomes life.

Mental Health and Halacha

Explore how Jewish law confronts the complex realities of mental illness, from psychosis to depression, anorexia, and trauma. Through classical and contemporary sources, students examine the halachic, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of care, obligation, and human dignity in moments of psychological struggle.

Women and Judaism

What does it mean to serve God as a Jewish woman today? This year-long course explores the halachic, philosophical, and ethical dimensions of women’s religious life. Semester I: Women and Mitzvot probes obligation and opportunity: mitzvot aseh she-hazman grama, Talmud Torah, tefillah, kol isha, and hair covering. Semester II: Jewish Sexual Ethics turns to intimacy and responsibility: shomer negiah, niddah, yichud, dating and marriage, Peru u-Revu, birth control, and the agunah question. Students engage classic and contemporary sources to discover the depth and complexity of halachic womanhood.

Mishpat Ivri: Jewish Law in the Jewish State

Examine how Jewish and secular law intersect, and at times clash, through landmark U.S. and Israeli Supreme Court cases. Students explore how halacha has shaped, challenged, and reimagined the modern legal landscape of the State of Israel.

Practical Halacha

Bring halacha to life through the rhythms of the Jewish year. Explore the laws of Shabbat, chagim, tefillah, and kashrut in a clear, engaging way, learning not only what to do, but why it matters.

Shocking Shutim

They asked what?! Explore responsa tackling the unexpected: a missing chicken heart, a hitman hired in a brawl, or the first recorded question from the Americas about rain. See how rabbinic reasoning transforms the improbable into profound insight.

Sefer HaChinuch

Journey through the 613 Mitzvot as more than laws, as a moral, communal, and spiritual framework. Using the Sefer HaChinuch as our guide, we engage classic commentaries and focus on mitzvot unique to the Land of Israel.

Jewish Sexual Ethics

The laws of sexual practice are an area surrounded by many myths and half-truths. At the same time, these laws are of paramount An honest, text-based exploration of Torah perspectives on sexuality and relationships. Students engage classical and modern poskim to understand how Jewish law shapes ethical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of intimacy in every generation.

From Midrasha to Campus

An open and frank discussion of halachic, social and ideological issues facing Jewish students on the college campus. Topics include living with non-Jews, kashrut and Shabbat on campus, collegiate social life, inter-denominational relations and Judaic studies at university.

Methodology

Beit Midrash: Independent Learning

Three afternoons a week, the Beit Midrash comes alive with independent learning. Guided by a wide range of staff mentors, students hone textual skills, explore areas of personal interest, and learn b’chavruta or in small chaburot. Some broaden their horizons, others deepen their mastery, all growing in confidence, curiosity, and love of Torah.

Amudim and Yesodot: Your Talmud Torah Toolbox

Learn how to learn! At the heart of Amudim’s philosophy is independent, analytical Torah study. Through case studies across Gemara, Tanach, and Jewish thought, students encounter classic and modern methodologies, from Brisk to Torat Eretz Yisrael, and learn to make them their own.

Inside Halacha: Jewish Legal Theory

Step inside the inner logic of halacha, where svara, minhag, and chiddush interact to create living law. Through case studies from the Talmud to modern poskim, students uncover how halakhic reasoning weaves precision, creativity, and faith into a coherent system that bridges text and life.

Methods of Writing Responsa Literature

Step into the posek’s shoes. Students study one halachic topic in depth, form independent conclusions, and learn to express them persuasively, refining both their reasoning and their writing in the art of psak halakhah.

Original Research: Methods of Scholarship in Jewish Studies

Learn the craft of formulating compelling arguments, seeing texts and ideas from new angles, and contributing meaningfully to Torah conversations through rigorous research and writing.. Based at the National Library of Israel, this course trains students in research, organization, and clear expression using tools like Sefaria, al-HaTorah, the Bar-Ilan Responsa Database, RAMBI, and Otzar HaHochma. Each student publishes an article in Amud HaShahar, Amudim’s annual Torah journal.

The Antomy of a Shiur

Learn to teach Torah with confidence and clarity. This hands-on workshop develops skills in preparation, presentation, and mindset, guiding students through the full process of crafting and delivering a shiur. The semester culminates in student-led learning on Leil Shavuot.

Philosophy/theology

Jewish Ethics

Explore how Torah and rabbinic sources define and challenge the boundaries between law and morality. From Adam and Eve to Amalek, and from capital punishment to medical ethics, this course traces the development of Jewish ethical thought and its impact on halachic decision-making and moral philosophy.

Theories of God

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.

Pathways to God

What does it really mean to have a relationship with God? We’ll explore the many ways Jews have encountered God, as a source of trust, happiness, intimacy, struggle, longing, guidance, and even absence. Drawing on Tanach, Jewish thinkers, and our own experiences, we will ask questions that will help us understand what our relationship with God can look like. Does the relationship have guidelines? Can the relationship feel lonely? Can questioning and struggling be part of the relationship? We explore what it means to live in a relationship with God, and what our personal pathway to Him is.

Discourses of Dress

Not your standard tzniut class! This course examines the “subtexts of dress,” fashion theory, semiotics, and the philosophical underpinnings of beauty and identity, alongside Torah sources and halacha. Students learn the laws of dress and discover a modesty that transcends clothing.

Jewish-Christian Polemics

This class focuses on the historical split between Judaism and Christianity, early Christian approaches to Jews and Judaism, and arguments harnessed by Jews, mostly in the Middle Ages, against fundamental Christian doctrines and Christological readings of Tanach.

Science and Religion

Are science and religion competing ways of understanding reality, or do they ask fundamentally different questions? This course explores the relationship between scientific knowledge and religious belief, examining questions of creation and evolution, miracles and natural law, free will and determinism, and the nature and limits of human knowledge. Through classical and contemporary Jewish thought, students will consider how scientific discoveries challenge, illuminate, and enrich our understanding of Torah, faith, and the world around us.

Philosophy of Prayer

Why do we pray , and what happens when we do? This course explores the big questions of tefillah: Can prayer change God’s mind? What is its purpose and mechanism? And why did our sages fix the words we use to speak with the Divine?

Maimonidean Thought

Delve into the thought of Rambam, one of Judaism’s most brilliant and debated minds. Through his Mishneh Torah, Moreh Nevuchim, introductions, and letters, students uncover his fusion of halacha and philosophy and how generations have interpreted his complex legacy.

Introduction to Kabbalah

For millennia, Jewish mysticism was a closely guarded, orally transmitted tradition. This course introduces the core principles of Kabbalah and explores how its ideas have shaped diverse expressions of Jewish thought, spirituality, and practice, from classic texts to contemporary interpretations.

Great Ideas of Chassidut

What makes Chassidut both revolutionary and deeply traditional? This course traces the movement from the Ba’al Shem Tov to the Piaseczner Rebbe, exploring teachings from Tanya to Mei HaShiloach. Through text and story, students encounter Chassidic thought on joy, prayer, the Tzaddik, and the quest for divine connection.

Comparative Religion I: Judaism and Abrahamic Religions

Grounded in Jewish sources, this course explores how core ideas, such as the soul, prophecy, revelation, sin, covenant, and the afterlife, are understood in Judaism and considered in relation to Christianity and Islam. Through comparison, students deepen their understanding of Jewish belief and its theological foundations.

Comparative Religion II: Judaism and Eastern Religions

How does Torah differ from the spiritual paths of the East? This course examines Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism through a Jewish lens, exploring their views of God, the soul, and life’s purpose. Students consider points of contrast and resonance while deepening appreciation for Judaism’s unique spiritual vision.

Must-Reads: Survey of Contemporary Jewish Writings

This course examines some of the seminal, most profound and impactful articles on Jewish topics, primarily Jewish philosophy, written by Modern Orthodox thinkers in contemporary times. Students are required to read the articles prior to class in order to substantively facilitate discussion during class.

Philosophy of Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik

Is humanity meant to master the world or surrender before God? Can faith withstand the challenges of modernity? In this probing study of The Lonely Man of Faith, students explore the Rav’s struggle between creation and covenant, loneliness and community, and the sources on which he drew in composing one of the 20th century’s most profound works of religious philosophy and Jewish faith.

The Meaning of Shabbat

Far from a day of restriction, Shabbat is a spiritual technology for joy, focus, and divine connection. Through halachic, philosophical, and mystical sources, from the Talmud and Shulchan Arukh to the Zohar, Rambam, Rav Kook, and Rav Shagar, students uncover Shabbat’s deeper purpose as a celebration of presence and peace.

Landscapes of Jewish Thought

Become truly conversant in contemporary Jewish life. This course surveys the figures, movements, and ideas shaping today’s discourse, comparing Rav Kook and Rav Soloveitchik on Religious Zionism; Charedi, Modern Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform streams; Litvaks and Chassidim; Sephardi halachic paths (Rav Ovadia Yosef vs. Rav Mordechai Eliyahu); women’s practice (Rav Moshe Feinstein vs. Rav Yehuda Herzl Henkin); and messianic thought (Lubavitcher Rebbe vs. Religious Zionism), while examining responses to kibbutz galuyot and the State of Israel.

Israel and the Middle-East Conflict

This course provides 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 modern conflicts.

Theories of Religious Zionism

What does it mean to be a religious Zionist today? This course traces the development of Religious Zionist thought from the early Zionist movement to the present, examining the roles of messianism, statehood, and halachic authority, as well as the voices that opposed them, to uncover the depth and complexity within this cornerstone of modern Orthodoxy.

Theories and Theorists

Meet the great Jewish minds of the modern era, from Rosenzweig and Buber to Levinas, Heschel, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe. This course explores how twentieth-century Jewish philosophers wrestled with faith, ethics, and existence, revealing how their ideas can guide a life of meaning and belief.

The Holocaust in Film

Can the Shoah truly be represented on screen? This course explores how filmmakers have grappled with depicting the Holocaust, from original footage to educational documentaries and historical fiction. Students examine questions of memory, ethics, and artistic responsibility while developing tools for critical film analysis and interpretation.

The Jewish Historical Experience

Taught by three faculty members specializing in ancient, medieval, and modern periods, this course traces the evolution of Jewish thought and culture through its essential thinkers and texts. From Tanach to Kabbalah, students examine how surrounding civilizations shaped Jewish ideas, and how those ideas, in turn, transformed the world.

50 Big questions

Fifty questions. Hundreds of answers. This fast-paced course tackles the questions students most want answered about Judaism, from “Does prayer work?” to “Can a woman be a rabbi?” and “Is Judaism the only truth?” Drawing on the questions students themselves raise, the teacher explores issues of belief, practice, and meaning through lively discussion, critical thinking, and classic sources.

Mussar: Philosophy of the Self

Where philosophy meets self-refinement. This course introduces the classic writings and practices of the Mussar movement, exploring its insights into character, ethics, and spiritual growth. Students engage both textually and personally, cultivating self-awareness and applying timeless wisdom to modern life.

Philosophy of Rav Kook: A Mystical Revolution

Dive into the luminous thought of one of the 20th century’s most visionary rabbis. This course explores Rav Kook’s spiritual, philosophical, and psychological writings, his bold reconciliation of faith and science, his transformative view of Zionism, and his belief in the divine potential of the modern world.

Faith and Paradox: The World of R. Tzadok HaKohen

A bridge between Chassidut and Mussar, Reb Tzadok HaKohen’s thought combines analytic brilliance with mystical depth. This course explores his bold, text-based approach to Torah, revealing how Chassidic ideas emerge from Chazal themselves, and why his teachings remain both illuminating and provocative today.

The DEEP Hour: Drop Everything and Encounter Philosophy

In the first semester, this immersive, highly guided yet independent workshop introduces students to fundamental questions of Jewish philosophy, including free will, theodicy, faith and reason, and the criteria for religious belief. Through rigorous textual analysis and philosophical inquiry, students develop the tools to think critically and independently about complex ideas. In the second semester, the focus shifts to choosing a hashkafa, as students explore diverse Jewish worldviews, evaluate competing perspectives, and begin to articulate an informed outlook of their own.

It’s About Time: Inside the Jewish Calendar

We celebrate the same chagim year after year, but how deeply do we understand their meaning? This course explores the philosophical and spiritual foundations of the Jewish calendar, uncovering the ideas, values, and religious experiences that give each holiday its distinctive character. Students discover how the rhythms of Jewish time shape our relationship with God, our understanding of Jewish identity, and the way we live throughout the year.

Hotbutton Hashkafa

From feminism and gender roles to religious pluralism, modern culture, and the challenges of contemporary Jewish life, this course takes on the issues that spark debate in the Jewish world today. Students encounter diverse rabbinic perspectives, examine the tensions between traditional values and changing social realities, and consider how Jewish thought responds to the controversies and dilemmas of our time.

Avoda SheBalev: Understanding and Experiencing Tefillah

What are we actually saying when we daven? This course takes students on a guided journey through the siddur, focusing each session on a different tefillah to explore its language, structure, sources, and meaning. Through close textual study, students gain a deeper understanding of the prayers they recite, while also considering broader questions of why we pray, what we pray for, and how to make tefillah a more thoughtful and meaningful experience.

Jewish Medical Ethics

Explore the intersection of halacha, medicine, and ethics through some of the most challenging dilemmas in modern healthcare. Drawing on classical Jewish sources and contemporary rabbinic responsa, examine questions of life and death, abortion, organ donation, reproductive technologies, genetic testing, medical triage, end-of-life care, and patient autonomy. Discover how enduring halachic principles inform complex medical decisions in an age of rapidly advancing technology.

Art and literature

Midrash Agnon

Where the Beit Midrash meets modern literature. Through the short stories of Nobel laureate S.Y. Agnon, students trace how centuries of Jewish text and tradition are reborn in the language of modernity. Reading Agnon as both storyteller and exegete, the course explores themes of faith, exile, memory, and the sacred role of literature in a religious life.

Hebrew Letters and the Scribal Arts

Discover the mystical life of Hebrew letters through midrashic, kabbalistic, and hassidic writings, from the Zohar and Tanya to Moshe Idel. Then bring text to touch by crafting kosher letters with authentic sofer’s materials. Along the way, delve into halachic sources like the Mishnah Berurah and Keset HaSofer, and consider the role of women in the sacred scribal tradition, all while finding creative, graphic expression within the ancient art of writing holiness.

Contemporary Jewish short stories

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.

Visual Midrash: Draw Your Own Conclusions

Where Torah meets creativity. This two-part course begins with close study of biblical texts to uncover the inner worlds of Tanach’s most complex figures. Students then give visual form to these insights, creating original “Biblical Portraits,” works of visual midrash that bring ancient characters and timeless struggles vividly to life.

Visual Theology of Kabbalah

Zoharic texts lend themselves to and encourage visualization of the cosmos and divine elements. This special chaburah is for select students interested in diving deeply into Kabbalistic theology and rendering lofty concepts in visual artistic form. Assignments include diagnostic analyses of specific texts and artistic representation of the concepts therein.

Shakspeare and The Bible

This course explores how dramatic literature and performance can illuminate spiritual and moral questions at the heart of Jewish thought. Through reading, discussion, and creative expression, students examine the intersection of faith, doubt, and the human experience.

All the Rav’s Men

This philosophy and fine arts course was inspired by the phenomenon (mostly in the Charedi community) of hanging “gedolim pictures” in the home, a behavior that emphasizes the physical presence of revered thinkers and leaders of the Torah world. With an eye on orienting the focus onto the gadol’s thought and philosophy (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, with the goal of creating an art exhibit entitled “All the Rav’s Men.”

TanyArt

Bring the teachings of the Tanya to life through artistic expression! Blending deep text study with personal creativity, this course invites students to explore the soul’s journey, Divine unity, and spiritual transformation, expressing these ideas through visual form. Each artwork becomes a personal meditation on the Tanya’s timeless wisdom and the soul’s connection to God.

Literature and The Jewish Imagination

How have Jewish writers used literature to explore the complexities of Jewish identity, faith, tradition, and the human experience? Through close readings of classic and contemporary Jewish fiction, poetry, and essays, students encounter the diverse voices and perspectives that have shaped the Jewish literary imagination. The course examines how storytelling illuminates the tensions between tradition and modernity, belonging and individuality, and faith and doubt, revealing literature as a powerful lens through which to understand Jewish life and thought.

In Other Words: Creative Writing on the Parsha

Put yourself in conversation with the parsha. Each week begins with a short summary and Dvar Torah, followed by guided creative writing that invites personal reflection on the week’s themes. Through writing and dialogue, students transform Torah study into a living conversation between text and self.

Israel

Zionism: Ideas, Ideals, and Identity

In partnership with Nefesh B'Nefesh

What does it mean to believe in Zionism, and what visions of a Jewish state have shaped Israel's history? This course explores the ideological foundations of Zionism, examining the thinkers, movements, and competing visions that gave rise to the modern State of Israel. Students grapple with questions of Jewish peoplehood, nationalism, religion, and identity, and consider what Zionism means for Jews living in Israel and the Diaspora today.

Israel and the Middle East: Politics, Power, and Conflict

In partnership with MASA

This course examines the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the competing historical narratives, political claims, and national aspirations that shape it. Students confront the central questions at the heart of the conflict, including indigeneity and historical legitimacy, Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, borders, security, and Palestinian self-determination. The course also addresses contemporary controversies surrounding October 7, the war in Gaza, allegations of genocide, and international law. Through rigorous examination of these complex and often contentious issues, students develop the historical knowledge and political understanding to critically evaluate competing claims and articulate informed positions of their own.

Israel in the Public Square: Knowledge, Dialogue, and Debate

In partnership with Nitzavim

How do we engage in informed, persuasive, and meaningful conversations about Israel in an increasingly polarized world? This course equips students with the knowledge and communication skills to navigate difficult questions, respond to misinformation, and articulate Israel's history, challenges, and achievements with clarity and confidence. Through case studies, discussion, and practical exercises, students learn to engage critically, listen thoughtfully, and communicate effectively across differences.

Hebrew language

Ulpan

Weekly ulpan classes utilize a highly interactive specialized method that has proven enormously successful in the development of Hebrew language skills. Students’ Hebrew language skills are assessed at the beginning of the year for placement purposes and classes are tailored towards differing needs within each level.

Hebrew Immersion Cafe

Select classes at the midrasha are taught in Hebrew by instructors who specialize in improving the Hebrew language skills of their students via Torah study.

University Level Classes

One day each week, students may opt to study side by side with Israelis at an institute of higher learning, where classes are conducted entirely in Hebrew. Venues have included the Midrasha at Bar-Ilan, Herzog College and Matan.