Courses
HEBREW SEMINARY SPRING SEMESTER 2025 COURSE OFFERINGS
January 23, 2025 – May 27, 2025
No classes Feb. 17, March 13, April 14-18, or May 26
(All class times are listed in Central Time & are held online via Zoom)
Parashat Hashavua II
Instructor: Rabbi Shari Chen
9:30 – 11 AM CT
Topics in Ancient Jewish History
Instructor: Rabbi Jonah Rank
6:00 – 7:30 PM CT
Readings in the Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Pesachim
Instructor: Rabbi Lauren Tuchman
3:00 – 4:30 PM CT
Contemporary Issues in Jewish Bioethics
Instructor: Rabbi Dr. Allan Kensky
6:00 – 7:30 PM CT
Intermediate Biblical Hebrew
Instructor: Rabbi Daniel Vaisrub
9:30 – 11:00 AM CT
Survey of Jewish Mystical Texts
Instructor: Rabbi Robin Podolsky
1:30 – 3:00 PM CT
High Holiday Liturgy
Instructor: Rabbi Jonah Rank
9:00 – 10:30 AM CT
Beginning Biblical Hebrew I
Instructor: Rabbi Shari Chen
4:00 – 5:30 PM CT
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Parashat Hashavua II
Instructor: Rabbi Shari Chen
Mondays 9:30 – 11:00 AM CT
Whether you are becoming a pulpit rabbi giving sermons, or an officiant conducting life cycle events or a teacher or a student of the meaning behind Divrei Torah (the words of our Torah), it is necessary to become familiar with our weekly Torah portion. Each week we will read select passages from the Parashat Hashavua and explore the different levels of meaning of the portion as well as the Hebrew and grammar found in it, and how to incorporate its teaching into your life. Come join us as we learn, analyze and discuss Divrei Torah together. (Completion of Parashat Hashavua I is not a prerequisite for enrollment in this class.)
Topics in Ancient Jewish History
Instructor: Rabbi Jonah Rank
Mondays 6:00 – 7:30 PM CT
A survey of several topics that serve to clarify preserved narratives, and to smooth over gaps in unknown aspects of ancient Jewish history. This course, taught from an angle of historical skepticism, intends to train emerging Jewish leaders in debates about our past that can shape and reshape our present beliefs. No prior Hebrew knowledge necessary.
Readings in the Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Pesachim
Instructor: Rabbi Lauren Tuchman
Tuesdays 3:00 – 4:30 PM CT
The tenth chapter of Tractate Pesachim contains what became the foundation of the seder as we experience it today. In this course, we will use the Mishnah as our foundation for exploring how the Talmudic rabbis devised and evolved the seder. Selected sugyot from the Gemara will enrich and enhance our understanding. Students will come away from the course with both a deeper understanding of the Pesach seder as well as textual skills for learning Talmud in the original. Facility reading and writing the aleph bet (Hebrew alphabet) is a prerequisite. All materials will be provided digitally only.
Contemporary Issues in Jewish Bioethics
Instructor: Rabbi Dr. Allan Kensky
Tuesdays 6:00 – 7:30 PM CT
In this course we will study and reflect on major contemporary issues in bioethics from a Jewish lens. Topics to be studied will include pikkuach nefesh; abortion; infertility, surrogacy and reproductive technologies; genetic engineering; terminal illness, end-of-life care; and medical aid in dying. We will include a unit on Bikkur Cholim. A major focus will be the study of Halakhic sources that bear on these questions. We will also examine the differing views on these questions in the larger society and will bring a pastoral lens to our discussions of the real-life situations that lie at the heart of these questions.
Intermediate Biblical Hebrew
Instructor: Rabbi Daniel Vaisrub
Wednesdays 9:30 – 11:00 AM CT
Join us as we continue to study the language and grammar of the Torah. In this class we will continue to build on the different Hebrew grammatical principles covered in our two beginning Biblical Hebrew courses. We will also be introducing the different Hebrew verb patterns and continue to introduce key Biblical vocabulary words. We will continue to use The First Hebrew Primer Third Edition textbook by Simon, Resnikoff and Motzkin, published by EKS Publishing Company, as our textbook for this class. (Enrollment in this Zoom class is based on the completion of our Beginning Biblical Hebrew I & II classes, or by permission from the instructor to enroll in this class.)
Survey of Jewish Mystical Texts
Instructor: Rabbi Robin Podolsky
Wednesdays 1:30 – 3:00 PM CT
This will be a survey course tracing the development of Jewish mystic thought from the visions of Yeshayahu and Yechezke’el through the Medieval Kabbalists to contemporary Jewish mystical thinkers. This will be a bit of a “tasting menu,” going for breadth over depth. Some of the texts we learn will be in Hebrew or Aramaic, others will be English translations or original English texts. Students will learn key concepts in Jewish mystical thought, ways in which mystic thought show up in our mainstream liturgy, and how contemporary Jewish mysticism draws deeply from our tradition and also incorporates concepts from the outside. Translations of Hebrew/Aramaic texts will be made available to students with no prior Hebrew knowledge.
High Holiday Liturgy
Instructor: Rabbi Jonah Rank
Thursdays 9:00 – 10:30 AM CT
Although the specific observances of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur have evolved drastically over time, contemporary Jewish religious expression still marks these unique holy days with specialized liturgy. In this course, we will study and even workshop words, melodies, traditions, and rituals that merge to form profound modern reclamations of these sacred moments in the Jewish calendar. Ability to read Hebrew a prerequisite; comprehension of Hebrew a plus.
Beginning Biblical Hebrew I
Instructor: Rabbi Shari Chen
Thursdays 4:00 – 5:30 PM CT
Join us for an introductory class in the language and grammar of the Torah. Whether you are a beginning rabbinical or pararabbinical student, or someone interested in learning to read, and decipher the language of the Torah, this class is for you. This class will introduce you to the different Hebrew grammatical principles as well as introducing key Biblical vocabulary words. Our textbook will be The First Hebrew Primer Third Edition textbook by Simon, Resnikoff and Motzkin, published by EKS Publishing Company. (A basic knowledge of the Hebrew letters would be helpful to students interested in taking this class.)