Hebrew College Me’ah Classic is a comprehensive, engaging, and in-depth adult learning experience open to adults of all ages. Students take a 100-hour (“Me’ah” is Hebrew for 100), two-year journey through the narrative of the Jewish people. Classes are led by outstanding faculty who empower students to become part of the conversation. Students receive a certificate during a graduation ceremony at the end of their second year.
Delve into the Rabbinic Period — the millennium from the Second Temple to the completion of the Babylonian Talmud (500 BCE to 600 CE) — when new Jewish leaders, sages and rabbis emerged and developed rich texts of their own.
Read some of these modern primary texts representing differing ideological viewpoints that mirror the issues faced by Jews of the 17th century Age of Enlightenment and beyond.
The Jewish “conversation” stretches over 3,000 years, with each generation, including our students, interpreting and reinterpreting the core texts of Jewish life. Generous financial aid is available. Contact adultlearning@hebrewcollege.edu for more information.
Some Me’ah Classic courses will be offered online via Zoom, and others will be in-person, if safety allow. All courses will be taught by our excellent Me’ah faculty who strive to provide both a rich intellectual experience and a sense of connection among our community of learners.
Me’ah Classic welcomes students of all backgrounds. No prior formal Jewish education or knowledge of Hebrew is required.
We are delighted that you are interested in studying with Hebrew College’s Adult Learning program and look forward to your joining our learning community. Guided by our commitment to the values of derekh eretz (ethical living), shmirat halashon (guarding of language), and kavod habri’ot (respect of all people), we expect Hebrew College Adult Learning students to participate in our classes in a respectful manner, and be mindful of the time and learning needs of other students and instructors during in-person and remote learning.
Note: Me’ah Classic courses begin each fall. With special permission, it may be possible to join mid-year. Contact adultlearning@hebrewcollege.edu for more information.
The Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, is the central text of ancient Israel and the foundational text for Judaism through the ages. You’ll examine the various biblical genres, structures, concepts, theological and historical settings of the biblical world, and then explore selected topics, often integrated with rabbinic perspectives.
This sequence balances an overview of the Hebrew Bible with focused discussion of core texts, such as the Creation stories, the binding of Isaac, the Exodus story, the revelation at Sinai and the prophetic books. You’ll analyze the primary biblical texts and secondary scholarly materials through various lenses: literary, historical-comparative, and rabbinic commentary.
While you may be familiar with the Bible from childhood, this in-depth exposure to other texts and different modes of reading will challenge you — and may well lead you to reassess some long-held views.
Winter/Spring: Rabbinics
The Rabbinic Period — the millennium from the Second Temple to the completion of the Babylonian Talmud (500 BCE to 600 CE) — refers to a time when new Jewish leaders, sages and rabbis emerged and developed rich texts of their own. Some of those texts took the form of extensive commentary about the earlier world of biblical Israel. During this seminal period, rabbinic scholars created a legal system which led to a Jewish belief system that has informed and ordered Jewish community, culture, and behavior for the past millennia.
Your instructor will guide you through enduring questions:
What is the relationship between God and human beings?
How do we understand Jewish history and Jewish ethics?
What is the role of ritual, holy days and life-cycle events?
Readings illustrate the development of the rabbinic mindset and talmudic beliefs. As with the Hebrew Bible sequence, you’ll first cover selected historical, textual, and conceptual areas, then examine core concepts in conjunction with Bible study to illustrate how beliefs and practices evolved over time.
YEAR TWO
Fall: Medieval
Study the Jewish mindset and the contours of medieval Jewish civilizations under Islam and Christianity during the Middle Ages (600 to 1700 CE).
Jewish life during the Middle Ages (about the seventh century through the 17th century), built upon earlier rabbinic foundations, made manifest in form and content what the rabbis of the Talmud had only begun: the construction of a rabbinic Jewish civilization, with distinctive approaches to community life, behavioral norms, and beliefs and values. As a result, Jewish culture and its genres expanded dramatically in several areas: philosophy, mysticism, liturgy and commentaries on the Bible and talmudic texts.
Readings and discussions in this sequence focus on Jewish encounters with non-Jews, including the rise and fall of Jewish life in Spain and Eastern Europe. You will examine the modes of community that Jews constructed in the shifting diaspora, as well as the expansion of Jewish thought in the areas of philosophy, mysticism, liturgy, and biblical and talmudic commentaries.
Winter/Spring: Modern
Beginning with the 17th century Age of Enlightenment, modernity posed a significant challenge to traditional Jewish culture, community, and identity, creating new social and economic opportunities but also threatening traditional Jewish values and society. As in each of the previous eras, modern Jews remained preoccupied with sacred texts, suggesting that however great the impact of rupture and discontinuity, their passion for reading and re-reading classical Jewish texts became the creative wellspring for modern Jewish thought.
You’ll delve into some of these modern primary texts representing differing ideological viewpoints — works of Jewish philosophers such as Martin Buber and Franz Rosenzweig, and Zionist thinkers such as Ahad Ha’am and Micha Josef Berdyczewski — that mirror the issues faced by Jews of that era.
And you’ll wrestle with the subtle points of comparison and contrast between Jewish modernity and the civilization we’ve inherited. Texts will examine the emancipation of European Jewry; the rise of Hasidism; the Jewish cultural revolution of Eastern Europe; and the birth of Modern Zionism.
Suggested Readings Before Year Two:
Below are a few suggestions (not mandatory!) for reading before Me’ah Classic Year Two begins.
Historical Fiction
People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks
A Guide for the Perplexed, Dara Horn
The Coffee Trader, David Liss
The Day of Atonement, David Liss
The Weight of Ink, Rachel Kadish
We encourage students to take Year One before registering for Year Two. If, however, starting with Year Two would work better for your schedule, please contact Terri Russell, Director, Me’ah Classic at adultlearning@hebrewcollege.edu.
Do I need to have previous Judaic knowledge to take the class?
No. Me’ah participants come from diverse backgrounds. Many have no formal Jewish education, while others have formally studied Judaic subjects. Some participants are recent Jews by choice; some belong to other faith traditions.
Do I need to know Hebrew for Meah classes?
All Me’ah classes are conducted in English and texts are studied in English translation. When Hebrew words are referred to, they are translated.
How often do classes meet?
Me’ah classes meet for 11 weeks per semester; sessions are two hours long.
Who are the instructors?
Me’ah instructors are Judaic scholars or clergy with advanced degrees. They bring a high level of scholarship, teaching, and discourse typically found in University settings to our Me’ah Classic classes. Learn more about our gifted and committed instructors here.
Are there tests, papers or grades?
No. Me’ah Classic is designed for personal enrichment; there are no tests, papers or grades.
What if I have to miss a class?
Every Me’ah class is recorded and posted on our course website, Schoology. Many students take advantage of recorded classes.
Can I switch in-person locations?
Yes, you can switch locations between semesters and after the year, but we do ask that unless there are challenging circumstances, you do not switch locations during a semester. Please contact our office for a discussion about changing locations.
How do I register for the Me’ah Classic program?
Registration will be open in the spring for the next cycle of Me’ah Classic. Please email adultlearning@hebrewcollege.edu if you are interested and we will add you to the list of students for the next cycle. The Me’ah office at Hebrew College will then email you when registration is up on our website.
Do I register for both years of Me’ah at once?
You will register for Year 1 and Year 2 separately.
Where do Me’ah classes meet?
Me’ah Classic courses are offered both in-person and online. Watch for location information in the spring.
What is the cost of Me’ah Classic and is there financial aid?
Me’ah Classic is a two-year program. There are two semesters per year with four semesters over the course of the two-year program. The cost of Me’ah Classic is $490 per semester per person. There is generous financial aid available through Hebrew College. We are committed to make Me’ah available to all students, regardless of financial means. Please contact Me’ah Co-Director, Terri Swartz Russell at tsrussell@hebrewcollege.edu to have a confidential discussion and to make arrangements for financial aid..
Is there an additional cost for books?
There are a small number of required books for each class, depending on the teacher. We do ask our instructors to post as many materials as possible on our course website, so that we can minimize additional costs of purchasing materials.
Me’ah instructors are Judaic scholars or clergy with advanced degrees. They bring a high level of scholarship, teaching, and discourse typically found in University settings to our Me’ah Classic classes. In order to expose students to a range of styles and expertise, each of your four semesters will be taught by a different instructor.
Registration will be open soon for the next cycle of Me’ah Classic which will begin in the Fall. Please email adultlearning@hebrewcollege.edu if you are interested and we will add you to the list of students for the next cycle. The Me’ah office at Hebrew College will then email you when registration is up on our website.
The lectures are incredible. The love the rabbis have for their topics comes through in each lecture and their love is contagious. I leave the class eager to tackle next week’s reading assignments to further my education.”
Hebrew College Me’ah Classic is a comprehensive, engaging, and in-depth adult learning experience open to adults of all ages. Students take a 100-hour (“Me’ah” is Hebrew for 100), two-year journey through the narrative of the Jewish people. Classes are led by outstanding faculty who empower students to become part of the conversation. Students receive a certificate during a graduation ceremony at the end of their second year.
