Beit Midrash Canberra

Jewish Studies: 2006

Hebrew Studies & Jewish Studies

Beginners Hebrew A

Designed for people with no Hebrew background, this reading course concentrates on teaching the Hebrew alphabet and reading skills. In only sixteen 1-1/2 hour weekly sessions, participants learn to read Hebrew and can move on to more advanced Hebrew Reading.

Thursday 16 Feb, 6pm – 7:30pm & Thursday 27 July, 6pm – 7:30pm 16 Sessions $160 full $120 mem. $80 mem-conc/student.

Text The Reishith Binah Hebrew Primer by Sidney M Fish

Tutor to be announced

Beginners Hebrew B

Follows on from Beginners Hebrew A, but people with some basic knowledge of Hebrew can join.

Thursday 16 Feb, 7:30pm – 9pm & Thursday 27 July, 7:30pm – 9pm 16 Sessions $160 full $120 mem. $80 mem-conc/student.

Text Hebrew A Language Course Level One by Ora Band, ISBN 0874413311

Tutor to be announced

Beginners Hebrew C

Follows on from Beginners Hebrew B, but people with some basic knowledge of Hebrew can join. To be negotiated with students and tutors: 16 Sessions $160 full $120 mem. $80 mem-conc/student.

Text Hebrew A Language Course Level One by Ora Band, ISBN 0874413311

Tutor to be announced

Intermediate Modern Hebrew

Designed for people with some knowledge of Hebrew. This course concentrates on conversational Hebrew. Currently operating and ongoing, people can join at any time, assuming their existing level of Modern Hebrew is sufficient.

Tutor Mrs Nerit Ahroni

Ongoing Thursday nights, 7.30pm-9pm $11 per night

Jewish Studies

Who were the early Israelites and where did they come from?

This course addresses one of the most timely and urgent topics in archaeology and international politics – the origins of Israel. For centuries the Western tradition has traced Israel’s beginnings back to ancient Israel, but recently some have questioned the reality of Israel as it is described in biblical literature.

Tuesdays 7 Feb, 6pm – 7:30pm 8 Sessions $100 full $80 mem. $40 mem-conc/student.

Recommended text Who were the early Israelites and where did they come from? By William Dever

Tutor Dr Paul Howles

The history of Jerusalem: from the Canaanites to the Israelites

Archaeologists are revising their understanding of the earliest days of the city of Jerusalem. Archaeologists have found evidence of people living there as early as 1800 BCE. King David conquered Jerusalem approximately 800 years later and the Kingdom of David lasted nearly 500 years.

Tuesdays 2 May, 6pm – 7:30pm 8 Sessions $100 full $80 mem. $40 mem-conc/student.

Tutor Dr Paul Howles

Beginners Aramaic: the language of the rabbis and Jesus

Why learn Aramaic? About 200 verses of the Bible are written in Aramaic. Jesus spoke Aramaic which was the common language spoken in Israel in the First Century CE. Some words in the New Testament are Aramaic. Several Dead Sea Scrolls are written in Aramaic. The Targums are Aramaic translations of the Hebrew Bible and they help us understand how the rabbis interpreted scripture. The Talmuds and other rabbinic literature were written in Aramaic. Many prayers from the siddur are in Aramaic. No knowledge of Aramaic or Hebrew is required for this course.

Primer course (no knowledge of alphabet)

Tuesdays 25 July, 6pm – 7:30pm 20 Sessions $190 full $150 mem. $100 mem-conc/student.

Dr Arto Avakian

Beginners course (must know Hebrew alphabet)

Tuesdays 22 Aug, 6pm – 7:30pm 16 Sessions $160 full $120 mem. $80 mem-conc/student.

Dr Arto Avakian

Beit Midrash Canberra & ACT Jewish Community

Cnr Canberra Ave & National Cct, Forrest

PO BOX 3105 Manuka 2603

Tel (02) 6295 1052

Fax (02) 6295 8608