Summer Hebrew Intensive

For those who would like to take their Hebrew language skills to the next level, JTS offers a high-quality, intensive Hebrew language program during the summer. Seven-week sessions are offered on three elementary levels; five-week sessions are offered at intermediate and advanced levels. 

All incoming students take the Hebrew Placement Exam to be placed in the appropriate course.

Hebrew Courses are offered during Session II and Session III of JTS’s Summer Sessions. Students in our Nishma program may also take Hebrew.

For educators: we also offer two intensive courses for teachers of Hebrew as a second language, as well as Ivriyon, an immersion program for teaches of Judaic subjects. (Program on hiatus for 2024.)

Who It’s For

Summer Hebrew courses are for anyone who’s interested in improving their Hebrew language skills. The program is particularly useful for undergraduate and graduate students working toward fulfillment of their Hebrew language requirement, as well as for prospective Rabbinical School and Cantorial School students who are working toward achieving the prerequisite Hebrew language proficiency level for their program.

Courses

Elementary Level Alef: Summer Sessions II and III

Note: The following courses run through both Sessions II and III (seven weeks), June 17–August 8.
Enrollment Deadline: Monday, June 3

HEB 5001Z: Alef 1 (6 credits)
Cila Allon
[MTWR 2:00-4:45 p.m. ET on Zoom]
The course covers the seven Introductory Units and Lessons 1–8 of Hebrew from Scratch, Vol. 1 (Ivrit min ha-hatḥala alef). It takes the student from learning the mechanics of reading and writing unpointed Hebrew to active mastery of 500 words; knowledge of the present tense and infinitive verb forms; reading and enactment of dialogues relating to everyday life; and reading comprehension of short descriptive, narrative, and informative texts. Additional course materials, daily assignments, and unit tests will be delivered and submitted via Canvas.

Please Note:

• Enrollment Deadline: Monday, June 3
• Mandatory Online Reading Assessment: A prerequisite for enrolling is knowledge of the Hebrew alphabet, reading printed text with and without vowels, and writing in script. A mandatory online reading test that assesses these skills should be taken by each student by May 17, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. ET.
• Prerequisite Basic Reading Course June 3–6: Students who do not pass the reading test must enroll in the online Basic Reading course, which will be offered Monday through Thursday, 2:45–4:15 p.m. ET, on Zoom during the week of June 3, 2024. At the end of this course, participants will have to retake the online reading test (deadline for submission June 10, 2024, by 12:00 p.m. ET). Only students who pass the reading test will be able to participate in HEB 5001.

HEB 5101Z: Alef 2 (6 credits)
Rebeca Rydel
[MTWR 2:00–4:45 p.m. ET on Zoom]
This course, a direct continuation of Alef 1, brings students near the end of the first volume of Hebrew from Scratch A (Ivrit min ha-hatḥala alef) with the same emphasis on reading comprehension, as well as the development of communication skills. Students will continue to expand their vocabulary and learn–among other basic language forms–the past tense. Additional readings will be assigned from the folktale anthology Sipur ve-od sipur.

HEB 5103Z: Alef 3 (6 credits)
Nina Nesher
[MTWR 2:00–4:45 p.m. ET on Zoom]
This course is designed to seamlessly follow Heb 1101 by building on comprehension and oral-aural skills previously acquired, and continue to develop vocabulary and grammar skills (including the future tense of verbs). The two volumes of Hebrew From Scratch (Ivrit min ha-hatḥala) are used as textbooks, supplemented by additional readings from a diversity of sources.

Intermediate and Advanced Levels: Summer Session II

Monday, June 3–Wednesday, July 3
Enrollment Deadline: Monday, June 3

HEB 5201Z: Bet 1 (3 credits)
Ilona Ben-Moshe
[MTWR 2:00–4:45 p.m. ET on Zoom]
This course continues with the second volume of Hebrew from Scratch (Ivrit min ha-hatḥala bet). Students will continue to expand their vocabulary and advance their reading, writing, and conversational skills through reading and discussing additional texts of a variety of periods and genres (e.g., adapted stories, poems, selections from parashat hashavua, midrash, and biblical commentary). In grammar, the study of the future tense and major prepositions begun in the previous semester will be concluded, and new topics in syntax and the verb system will be introduced.

HEB 5299Z: Advanced Hebrew Skills: Shimshon in Hebrew Literature Through the Ages (3 credits)
Miriam Meir
[MTWR 2:00pm – 4:45 p.m. ET on Zoom]
This advanced-level Hebrew language course aims to further develop Hebrew comprehension, conversation, reading and writing skills. Readings include Hebrew texts of diverse genres, registers and periods, including classical texts, around the Biblical stories of Shimshon. Grammatical topics include a systematic integrated study of the binyanim system and a variety of advanced topics in syntax.

INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED LEVELS: SUMMER SESSION III

Monday, July 8–Thursday, August 8
Enrollment Deadline: Monday, June 3

HEB 5203: Bet 2 (3 credits)
TBA
[MTWR 2:00-4:30 p.m. ET in person]
This high intermediate-level course will bring students to the end of Hebrew from Scratch II (Ivrit min ha-hatḥala bet), supplementing the textbook with materials from level gimel books and other readings in Hebrew from various periods (e.g., adapted stories, poems, selections from parashat hashavua, midrash, and biblical commentary). Students will learn new grammar topics, develop strategies for reading comprehension and word recognition, and practice conveying ideas and opinions in both speech and writing.

HEB 5203Z: Bet 2 (3 credits)
Sarah Hochfeld
[MTWR 2:00-4:30 p.m. ET on Zoom]
This intermediate-level course will bring students to the end of Hebrew from Scratch II (Ivrit min ha-hatḥala bet), supplementing the textbook with materials from level gimel books and other readings in Hebrew from various periods (e.g., adapted stories, poems, selections from parashat hashavua, midrash, and biblical commentary). Students will learn new grammar topics, develop strategies for reading comprehension and word recognition, and practice conveying ideas and opinions in both speech and writing.

HEB 5300Z: Advanced Hebrew Skills: Akedat Yitshak in Hebrew Literature through the Ages (3 credits)
Miriam Meir
[MTWR 2:00pm–4:30 p.m. ET on Zoom]
This advanced-level Hebrew language course aims to further develop Hebrew comprehension, conversation, reading and writing skills. Readings include Hebrew texts of diverse genres, registers and periods, including classical texts, on the topic of Akedat Yitshak. Grammatical topics include a systematic integrated study of the binyanim system and a variety of advanced topics in syntax.

Registration and Fees

For JTS Students

• Current JTS students may register online by going to MyJTS.
• The application fee must be submitted in full before your application form can be processed.

For All Other Students

• If you intend to take the course for academic credit, submit an official copy of a transcript indicating either a degree and the year earned or your current educational status.
• The application fee must be submitted in full before your application form can be processed.

Tuition Charges

Registration Fees

Contact Us 

For more information and any questions about the summer Hebrew program, please contact us at hebrew@jtsa.edu.