Language Courses 2023–2024
Many language courses are listed with undergraduate-level numbers but can also be taken for credit by graduate students.
CLASSICAL HEBREW
BIBL 33900-34000 (= RLST 13900-14000) Introductory Biblical Hebrew I-II
Autumn, Winter
Tyler Harris
This is a two-quarter sequence designed to introduce students to the language of biblical Hebrew, with special emphasis on the fundamentals of its morphology, syntax, and vocabulary. The course follows a standard textbook supplemented by lectures, exercises, and oral drills aimed at refining the student’s grasp of grammatically sound interpretation and translation. At the conclusion of the two-quarter sequence students will be prepared to take a biblical Hebrew reading course in the spring quarter.
HEBR 20104-20105-20106 (= JWSC 22300-22400-22500) Intermediate Classical Hebrew I-II-III.
Autumn, Winter, Spring M–F 8:30 – 9:20 am
Dennis Pardee
A continuation of Elementary Classical Hebrew (HEBR 10101-10102-10103 [JWSC 22000-22100-22200]). The first quarter consists of reviewing grammar, and of reading and analyzing further prose texts. The last two quarters are devoted to an introduction to Hebrew poetry with readings from Psalms, Proverbs, and the prophets.
MODERN HEBREW
HEBR 10501-10502-10503 (= JWSC 25000-25100-25200) Introductory Modern Hebrew I-II-III.
Autumn, Winter, Spring T/Th 11:00 am – 12:20 pm; F 11:30 am – 12:20 pm
Ari Almog
The beginner's course is the first of three sequential courses offered to students at the university. The course aims to introduce students to reading, writing and speaking Modern Hebrew. Toward that end all four-language skills are emphasized: comprehension of written and oral materials; reading of non-diacritical text; writing of directed sentences, paragraphs, and compositions; speaking. You will learn the Hebrew root pattern system, and by the end of the year you will have mastered the five (active) basic verb conjugations in both the past and present tenses (as well as simple future). This grammatical knowledge is complemented by an 800+ word vocabulary, which is presented with an eye toward the major syntactic structures, including the proper use of prepositions. At the end of the year, you will conduct short conversations in Hebrew; read materials designed to this level and write short compositions.
HEBR 20501-20502-20503 (= JWSC 25300-25400-25500) Intermediate Modern Hebrew I-II-III.
Autumn, Winter, Spring T/Th 12:30 – 1:50 pm; F 12:30 – 1:20 pm
Ehud Har Even
The course, which builds upon Introductory Modern Hebrew (first year HEB) focuses on the acquisition of proficiency and communicative skills in Modern Hebrew. The purpose of this class is to expand and strengthen beginners' Hebrew skills so that they become more self-assured, communicative, and versatile when they listen to, read, speak, and write Hebrew. It emphasizes both communicative and cultural themes and focuses on developing a rich and active vocabulary in several language domains.
HEBR 30501-30502-30503 (= JWSC 25600-25700-25800) Advanced Modern Hebrew I-II-III.
Autumn, Winter, Spring T/Th 12:30 – 1:50 pm
Ari Almog
This course, which builds upon Intermediate Modern Hebrew (second year HEB), assumes that students have full mastery of the grammatical and lexical content of the intermediate level. The focus of instruction is on further development of intermediate language skills in Modern Israeli Hebrew with special emphasis on oral and written communication. At the end of the course, all students are expected to reach the Advanced level of proficiency, as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) in speaking, reading, and listening comprehension. The acquisition of cultural literacy will be an integral part of the curriculum throughout the quarters.
HEBR 20521 (= JWSC 20521) Lower Intermediate Hebrew Through Israeli Media
Winter W/F 1:30 – 2:50 pm
Ehud Har Even
This course focuses on the development of language skills in Modern Hebrew, primarily at the intermediate level, using the Hebrew media. This course aims, primarily but not only, to meet the need of heritage students who have one-quarter of Hebrew to meet college foreign language requirements. Students should have one year of Modern Hebrew (formal studies) and/or have taken the online placement test and be placed into 205 level. The course will introduce more advanced verb and syntax structures in addition to the core lexicon for understanding and reflecting on various topics in mainstream Israeli media in Hebrew, using newspaper articles, broadcast items, and other media. Students would work on enhancing all skills: speaking, reading, comprehension, and writing skills.
HEBR 20100 (= HEBR 30100, JWSC 20720) Graphic Novels: Modern Hebrew Reading Course
Spring T/Th 11:00 am – 12:20 pm
Ehud Har-Even
The graphic novel is a relatively new genre in Hebrew literature. Books in the genre combine a story with the scope of a novel or a novella with comic strips or full illustrations. The evolution of the genre in the world, far beyond superhero comic books, and the openness of the Israeli audience, created a significant boom in the field in Israel since the early 2000s. This course is a guided reading of some of the most popular graphic novels in Modern Hebrew, which expose important aspects of contemporary Israel. Authors whose work we will read include: Rutu Modan, Ilana Zeffren, Asaf Hanukah, Etgar Keret, Michel Kichka, Yosi & Yarden Vasa and Yuval Noah Harai.
PQ: Intermediate Modern Hebrew (second year HEBR) or its equivalent (at least two years of official Modern Hebrew studies ) with a minimum grade of C.
HEBR 33300-33301 (= BIBL 38300-38301) Reading Modern Hebrew for Research Purposes I-II
Autumn, Winter T/Th 11:00 am – 12:20 pm
Ehud Har-Even
The course concentrates on the written language and aims at enabling students to use Modern Hebrew for research purposes. The course is designed to enable students to read Hebrew freely. Major grammatical & syntactical aspects will be covered, and students will acquire substantial vocabulary with attention paid to lexical collocations and semantic fields. By the end of the course, students are expected not only to be able to successfully satisfy their departmental language requirements but also to have a great set of skills that would allow them to read any given text, written in Modern Hebrew. (The tern "Modern Hebrew" covers primarily literature from the mid 20th century to current time).
HEBR 15001-15002 Elementary Modern Hebrew in Jerusalem (study abroad)
HEBR 15003-15004 Intermediate Modern Hebrew in Jerusalem (study abroad)
HEBR 15005-15006 Advanced Modern Hebrew in Jerusalem (study abroad)
YIDDISH
YDDH 10100-10200-10300 (= JWSC 20300-20400-20500) Elementary Yiddish I-II-III
Autumn, Winter, Spring 9:30 - 10:20 am M/W/F
Jessica Kirzane
The goal of this sequence is to develop proficiency in Yiddish reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Touchstones of global Yiddish culture are also introduced through song, film, and contemporary Yiddish websites.
YDDH 22323/32323 (= JWSC 27652) Advanced Yiddish: Shikage literarisher khoydesh zshurnal
Autumn M/W 10:30 – 11:20 am
Jessica Kirzane
In this course we will make our way through issues of Shikage literarisher khoydesh zshurnal, the monthly organ of Yiddish Chicago of the 1930s. Each class we will examine a different piece - poetry, prose, essay, etc. as well as exploring its historical context and drawing out linguistic nuances from the literature we read. Students will be expected to compose weekly response papers in Yiddish discussing the items they read in the journal.
YDDH 25524/35524 (= JWSC 27653). Advanced Yiddish: Miriam Karpilove. 100 Units.
Winter M/W/F 10:30 – 11:20
Jessica Kirzane
In this course, we will examine the Yiddish reportage, humor writing, short stories, and novels of pioneering popular Yiddish writer Miriam Karpilove in the context of labor politics, gender politics, literary realism, and the middlebrow. We will consider Karpilove's narrative strategies, ask questions about narratorial perspective, use of irony and pedagogical sense of judgement in Karpilove's work - published fiction and nonfiction as well as personal correspondence. Students will read Karpilove's published writing in newspapers and books and also be challenged to read some of Karpilove's work in handwritten manuscript form. The course will be conducted as a literature seminar, and students will be asked to produce three short analytical papers in Yiddish over the course of the quarter.