Biblical Hebrew IV: Advanced Reading Seminar—The Book of Esther
Date: Feb 03, 2026 - Apr 14, 2026
Time: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Sponsor: Online Learning
Location: Online
Category: Biblical Hebrew Online Learning
Biblical Hebrew IV: Advanced Reading Seminar—The Book of Esther
An Online Course with Dr. Noam Cohen
Nine Tuesdays: February 3, 10, 17, 24; March 10, 17, 24, 31; April 14, 2026
2:00–3:30 p.m. ET
We also offer two other Advanced Reading Seminars on Thursdays, both focusing on the Visions of Daniel: a morning session from 10:00–11:30 a.m. ET and an afternoon session from 2:00–3:30 p.m. ET.
In the Book of Esther, which recounts the origins of the Festival of Purim, the heroine Esther becomes Queen of Persia and learns of an upcoming pogrom against her people, the Jews. Together we will read Esther chapters 1–5, which set the stage for Esther’s rescue mission. In nine, live online sessions, we will focus on the most difficult passages and explore multiple options for translation and interpretation. Participants are encouraged to create their own translations and research new topics about this exciting portion of Tanakh. Sessions will be recorded for use by registered participants.
Prerequisite: completion of Biblical Hebrew I, II, and III. If you have not taken these courses but believe you have the equivalent background, please schedule a conversation with the instructor prior to enrollment.
Sessions will be recorded and recordings will be shared with registered participants.
Cost: $480
Declare your candidacy for JTS’s Certificate in Biblical Hebrew and receive a 10% discount on your first course. Complete the four-course sequence and optional capstone project. By the conclusion of the program, you will be able to read and understand a book of the Bible from start to finish in the original Hebrew.
* If you have not purchased Accordance Software for a previous course, a coupon will be provided to obtain it at the discounted price of $50. The two Tanakh Cards are $15/each.
Learn about the Certificate in Biblical Hebrew
Dr. Noam Cohen is a Jewish Studies scholar with a specialization in Hebrew Bible and ancient Semitic languages. Noam’s research focuses on gender and violence in ancient West Asia (the ancient Near East), and his doctoral dissertation (NYU) explored how and why spousal violence was portrayed in the Hebrew Bible and texts from Mesopotamia, ancient Syria and Turkey. Noam is currently Visiting Assistant Professor of Modern Hebrew and Jewish Studies at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
