Beit Midrash for Jewish Studies: Identity and Jewish Values

The School of Basic Jewish Studies at Bar-Ilan University offers an innovative, multilingual course,  conducted by Dr. Raphael Shuchat, exploring Jewish identity and values. The course is available in Hebrew, English, Russian, and soon in French, catering to a diverse audience. The first semester focuses on key historical processes shaping Jewish identity in the 19th and early 20th centuries, including emancipation, responses of Western and Eastern European Jewry (Reform, Neo-Orthodoxy, Hibat Zion), and American Jewry up to the establishment of the State of Israel.

The second semester delves into core Jewish values such as the Written and Oral Torah, the Hebrew calendar, kosher laws, Shabbat, and prayer. The course combines group discussions, paired study sessions, and expert guidanceץ