Robert M. Beren Program on
Jewish Classical Education

I. A special cluster of courses on:

• The Hebrew Bible and Human Nature
• Jewish Thought and Philosophy
• Jewish Ideas and Western Civilization
• Jews and American Democracy
• Jewish and Zionist History
• Israel and the Future of the Middle East
• Anti-Semitism: The History of an Ideology
• Modern Jewish Literature and Culture

II. A unique study abroad program in Israel, allowing students to spend time in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Key areas of study include:

• The Land of the Hebrew Bible & the History of Jerusalem
• The Political History of Zionism and Modern Israel
• Israeli Military History
• Israeli Strategy and the Political Future of the Middle East
• The Dynamism of the Israeli Economy

III. The intensive study of modern Hebrew language, literature, and culture

Working in partnership with the Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies, our students have the opportunity to study and develop their capabilities in Modern Hebrew language and their understanding of Hebraic culture. This includes introductory courses for students new to the study of Hebrew, intermediate-level courses that allow students to continue the pursuit of Hebrew language mastery, and advanced courses that allow students to immerse themselves in the masterworks of modern Hebrew literature and culture.

IV. Special courses within the Hamilton Center majors and minors, exploring key subject areas from a uniquely Jewish and Hebraic angle of vision

The Robert M. Beren Program believes that Jewish ideas and Jewish history are central to every key field of study and academic major within the Hamilton Center:

• In the “Great Books and Ideas” major, students will have the opportunity to study key biblical texts, the major works of Jewish philosophy, and the masterpieces of Jewish literature.
• In the “Politics, Philosophy, Economics, and Law” major, students will explore the influence of rabbinic ideas on the development of legal thought, the role of Jewish philosophy in shaping the Western mind, and the influence of Jewish leaders and entrepreneurs on the economic dynamism of the Western world.
• In the “War, Statecraft, and Strategy” major, students will explore Jewish ideas on the morality of war, the remarkable survival of the Jewish people through history, and the strategic achievements and challenges of modern Israel.
• In the “American Government, History, Literature, and Law” major, students will explore how Hebraic ideas shaped the American founding and how Jews have influenced every aspect of American culture and society.

V. A wide array of extracurricular and campus leadership opportunities focused on advancing Jewish culture

The Robert M. Beren Program aims to be a model for building a flourishing culture of Jewish ideas on campus. This includes student-led reading groups, study groups, and publications; a wide array of visiting speakers and conferences discussing the big questions of modern Jewish life; and campus leadership opportunities that bring the Jewish spirit to every aspect of university culture.

To learn more about Robert M. Beren Program, click here.