Semester 2
Seminar 1
The Hebrew monarchy. part 1
Episode 1 – The transition from Judges to kings. The battle of Ebenezer. Saul is made king. The challenges to form a kingdom. The model of the Hebrew kingdom.
Zoom Broadcast on Friday, January 15th. 6 pm Pacific time
Episode 2 – The reign of king Saul. Operating under and with Samuel. A struggle for survival.
Zoom Broadcast on Friday, January 22nd. 6 pm Pacific time.
Episode 3 – The reign of king David. Making Israel a regional player in politics, economy & military. The conquest of neighboring enemies. Building national institutions. The "Golden Age" in Israel's history.
Zoom Broadcast on Friday, January 29th. 6 pm Pacific time.
Episode 4 - The reign of Solomon. Investing in major projects – Temple, palace, army of war chariots, navy. Growing involvement of foreigners in the kingdom. Loosing most of the kingdom.
Zoom Broadcast on - Friday, February 5th. 6 pm Pacific time.
Episode 5 – New developments in the region. The Egyptian come back. The rising power of Assyria. The Arameans and the Phoenicians.
Zoom broadcast on Friday, February 12th. 6 Pm Pacific time.
Episode 6 – The aftermath of Solomon's reign. Years of unrest. The characteristics of the two sister kingdoms.
Zoom Broadcast on Friday, February 19th. 6 pm Pacific time.
Seminar 2
The state of Israel – first 25 years. Years of struggles and success.
Episode 1 – 1947-49 – The war for Israel's independence. Part 1 – from the Partition Plan, to the proclamation of the state, May 14, 1948.
Zoom Broadcast on
Zoom Broadcast on Friday, January 15th. 7 pm Pacific time.
Episode 2 – 1947 – 49 – The war for Israel's independence. Part 2 – From the proclamation of the state to the end of the war & the armistice.
Zoom Broadcast on Friday, January 22nd. 7 pm Pacific time.
Episode 3 – 1950 – 1967. The aftermath of the war. The "Suez Operation". Mounting tension towards the "Six day war", June 1967.
Zoom Broadcast on Friday, January 29th. 7 pm Pacific time.
Episode 4 – The Israeli society and its political views. Main money makers and industries in the state. The education system. Absorbing new immigrants. Rising tension between Ashkenazi's and Sephardic's in Israel.
Zoom Broadcast on Friday, February 5th. 7 pm Pacific time.
Episode 5 – Key figures and a short biography – David Ben Gurion, Moshe Dayan, Levi Eshkol Golda Meir, Menahem Begin. Their contribution to the state. Building up international connections.
Zoom Broadcast on Friday, February 12th, 7 pm Pacific time.
Episode 6 – The "Yom Kippur" war, 1973. A turning point in the Israeli mind set. Unrest from within. A government changes. The Conservative party is voted into office.
Zoom Broadcast on Friday, February 19th, 7 pm Pacific time.
Seminar 3
Jerusalem – main events in the city's history.
Episode 1 – introduction to Jerusalem's geography: hills, valleys & water sources.
Salem, Jebus & city of David. The conquest of Jerusalem by king David.
Zoom Broadcast on Monday, January 18th, 6 pm Pacific time.
Episode 2 – Jerusalem during the reign of king Herod – the massive construction projects, above all, the Temple.
Zoom Broadcast on Monday, January 25th, 6 pm Pacific time.
Episode 3 – Christian Jerusalem – from the days of Constantine into the days of the Byzantine Empire. Jerusalem as a focal point for Christian pilgrimage.
Zoom Broadcast on Monday, February 1st. 6 pm Pacific time.
Episode 4 – the Muslim conquest and the new position of Jerusalem as a Muslim holy city.
Zoom Broadcast on Monday, February 8th. 6 pm Pacific time.
Episode 5 – The Crusaders' city – the conquest of Jerusalem, pilgrimage to the city.
Zoom Broadcast on Monday, February 15th, 6 pm Pacific time.
Episode 6 – The Ottoman city – from the Middle ages to the modern era. Changes in the city's status and the growing involvement of the Europeans in Jerusalem.
Zoom Broadcast on Monday, February 22nd. 6 pm Pacific time.
Seminar 4
The Jewish world & the Jewish people.
Episode 1 – The formation of the Jewish faith. What were the main characteristics of the Jewish religion? The two faces of Judaism – a national face & the religious one.
Zoom Broadcast on – Monday, January 18th, 7 pm Pacific time.
Episode 2 – The three main Jewish holydays – Passover, the feast of Tabernacles & the feast of Weeks. What was the nature of the holidays in the days of the Jewish Temples? The journey of a Jewish pilgrim to Jerusalem & the main traditions and customs related to the main holydays.
Zoom Broadcast on Monday, January 25th. 7 pm Pacific time.
Episode 3 – Other Jewish holydays. Some of the celebrations in the Jewish world were commanded in the Scriptures, while some are related to Jewish historical events, like Hanukkah. What were the circumstances for each of the historical celebrations and the other Biblical feasts?
Zoom Broadcast onMonday, February 1st. 7 pm Pacific time.
Episode 4 – Judaica – Jewish religious & ritual objects. The origin of "Talith" (Prayer shawl), "Tefillin" (Phylacteries). Jewish symbolic objects - "Menorah" (Candelabra) Pomegranate etc.
Zoom Broadcast on Monday, February 8th. 7 pm Pacific time.
Episode 5 - The Jewish community. The synagogue, the main institution in the Jewish community's life. When did it start, what was its purpose? The changes in the synagogue's rituals after the Temple's destruction. The rabbi & its position and authority over the ages of Jewish communal life.
Zoom Broadcast on Monday, February 15th. 7 pm Pacific time.
Episode 6 – The Jewish family. From birth to grave, the Jewish way of life follows a wide set of rules, customs, traditions and commandments. What would be the Jewish family's way of life in light of the multiple regulations? The main events in the family's life – The Circumcision (Brith), Bar - Bath Mitzvah (The Jewish boy's – girl's coming to an age ceremony). The Jewish wedding. The Jewish funeral, etc.
Zoom Broadcast on Monday, February 22nd. 7 pm Pacific time.