Many of the creators of early German cinema (1918 – 1933) were Jewish immigrants to Berlin from Eastern Europe. German Expressionist cinema, a revolutionary innovation, found Jews both in front of or behind the camera. The class features cinematic masterpieces…
For over half a century Jewish intermarriage was understood as the next step before assimilation. Using the new Pew 2020 survey, Bruce Phillips will argue that the current discourses about Jewish intermarriage are outdated. For example, asking why Jewish intermarry…
The course will address the eternal question, “Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?” If God is a compassionate and loving God, why do people suffer? In an attempt to answer these questions, we will look at the Biblical…
In partnership with KlezCalifornia 10 sessions. Learn this rich and colorful language in a relaxed, irreverent and heimishe atmosphere. Emphasis will be placed on interactive conversation among students (almost) entirely in Yiddish in order to develop the ability to form…
In partnership with KlezCalifornia Learn this rich and colorful language in a relaxed, irreverent and heimishe atmosphere. Emphasis will be placed on interactive conversation among students (almost) entirely in Yiddish in order to develop the ability to form sentences for…
In partnership with KlezCalifornia During the 1950s, as Yiddish culture was fading from public view, Mickey Katz (1909-1985) gave it a second wind. A clarinetist, bandleader, and comedian, he performed his “Yinglish” musical parodies to sold-out crowds across North America…
This class introduces students to all the basic elements of Prayerbook Hebrew: the alphabet, vowels, vocabulary, sight-reading skills, and basic grammar. You’ll learn some of the key prayerbook melodies and discuss the meaning of the prayers. It provides a strong…
This course will complete our study of basic prayerbook Hebrew using the text Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way, then begin to introduce the more complex verb patterns of classical Biblical Hebrew and the irregular verb system, while building Hebrew vocabulary….
Genesis 24 is a classic tale about finding a wife and also a revealing presentation of the protocols and practices that lead to marriage in the ancient Near East. Isaac has just lost his mother Sarah and his father, Abraham,…
We will examine how Israeli men are portrayed in such popular Israeli TV series as Fauda, Shtisel, and When Heroes Fly, and explore how these portrayals could serve as a lens through which we explore Israeli society and the Zionist…