JTS Summer Session III

2026 Session III Classes

HEB 5101: Alef 2 (6 credits)
Instructor: TBD
MTWR 2:00–4:30 p.m. ET in person on the JTS campus
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 5101Z: Alef 2 (6 credits)
Instructor: TBD
MTWR 2:00–4:30 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 5103: Alef 3 (6 credits)
Instructor: TBD
MTWR 2:00–4:30 p.m. ET in person on the JTS campus
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). During this course, students advance from an advanced beginners’ level to the low intermediate level. The two volumes of Hebrew From Scratch (Ivrit min ha-hatḥala) are used as textbooks, supplemented by additional readings from a diversity of sources.

HEB 5103Z: Alef 3 (6 credits)
Instructor: TBD
MTWR 2:00–4:30 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). During this course, students advance from an advanced beginners’ level to the low intermediate level. The two volumes of Hebrew From Scratch (Ivrit min ha-hatḥala) are used as textbooks, supplemented by additional readings from a diversity of sources.

HEB 5203: Bet 2 (3 credits)
Instructor: TBD
MTWR 2:00-4:00 p.m. ET in person on the JTS campus
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, mishnah, midrash, tefillah, and biblical commentary). Students will complete the study of verbs in all binyanim, develop strategies for reading comprehension and word recognition, and practice conveying ideas and opinions in both speaking and writing.

HEB 5203Z: Bet 2 (3 credits)
Instructor: TBD
MTWR 2:00-4:00 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, mishnah, midrash, tefillah, and biblical commentary). Students will complete the study of verbs in all binyanim, develop strategies for reading comprehension and word recognition, and practice conveying ideas and opinions in both speaking and writing.

SS3 HEB 5300Z ADV. HEBREW SKILLS: BIBLICAL THEMES IN HEBREW LITERATURE THROUGH THE AGES (3 credits)
Instructor: Miriam Meir
MTWR 2:00pm–4:00 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. Each week will be devoted to a biblical story and its transformations in Hebrew literature throughout the ages. Grammatical topics include a systematic integrated study of the binyanim system and a variety of advanced topics in syntax.

RLC 6113 Rabbinic Texts A: Building Blocks for Talmud (6 credits)
Dr. Isaac Roszler
MTWR
9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
This course will focus on close reading and comparison of three foundational layers of early rabbinic literature—the Mishnah, Tosefta, and early Midrash Halakhah—in the original Hebrew. We will develop core comprehension skills, build familiarity with tannaitic writing, and explore the interpretive possibilities within these texts that later shaped the Talmud Bavli’s approach. Along the way, we will consider how these early sources construct law, meaning, and narrative, and reflect on the ways they continue to inform contemporary understandings of halakhah and the sacred. By the end of the course, we will begin to examine how the Bavli integrates, expands, and reframes this material within its own distinctive discourse.

RLC 6620 Rabbinic Texts B: Taking Hold of Talmud (6 credits)
Rabbi Jessica Spencer
MTWR 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
This course will focus on developing essential skills for reading the Talmud Bavli, including understanding its structure, technical terminology, key concepts of rabbinic culture, and the use of rabbinic languages. Through close study of selected passages, students will practice navigating sugyot, identifying their building blocks, and appreciating the religious and conceptual questions that animate Talmudic discourse. The course is designed to strengthen fundamental textual skills while introducing students to the interpretive world of the Bavli and the methods by which it constructs law, meaning, and narrative.

RLC 6642 Rabbinic Texts C: The Bavli and Later Rabbinic Adjudication (6 credits)
MTWR 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 
TBD
This course offers an opportunity for students with prior experience with the Talmud Bavli to deepen and expand their textual skills. Through close reading of selected sugyot, we will work to sharpen proficiency in navigating the structure and logic of Talmudic discourse. Significant attention will be given to the classical commentaries of Rashi and Tosafot, with an emphasis on developing strategies for reading, comparing, and understanding how their interpretations shape the meaning and implications of the Talmudic text. We will also investigate how medieval rabbinic authorities transformed the Talmud into a foundational source for legal adjudication.

Registration and Deadlines

For JTS Students

• Current JTS students can register online by going to MyJTS.

For All Other Students

• Complete the Application Form for Non-JTS Students along with payment. Application forms for 2026 summer sessions will be posted here in the spring.
• Submit an unofficial copy of a transcript indicating your enrollment at another college/university, acceptance letter to a college/university for incoming first-years, or proof of a bachelor’s degree.
• The application fee must be submitted in full before your application form can be processed.

Deadlines

Full payment of both tuition and fees must be made before the first day of class.

Please be sure to bring a government-issued photo ID when you visit JTS.

Note: If there is insufficient registration in any course, JTS reserves the right to cancel that course. Enrollment is limited, and we recommend that you submit the appropriate form as soon as you are able.

Tuition and Fees for Non-JTS Students

TUITION (SUMMER 2026)

FEES

Rates are subject to change.