JEWISH HISTORY

Throughout the semester, students are thoroughly acquainted with the history of the Jewish people through a comprehensive class called Israel: Land, Culture, People. Israel as the birthplace and the center of that history throughout the ages is the ideal place to teach and demonstrate the development of the people, culture, and land. By combining classroom and field study, students witness, in a hands-on manner, the flow of Jewish history.

The method employed for this course is an interdisciplinary core curriculum in which students study history during 70 class days, 25 of which are spent at sites which reflect the period of history under investigation. All classes and field trips are based on the reading of primary source material from the appropriate period and group discussions. Students are expected to take notes during hikes and are examined on the presented material. A core curriculum teacher is appointed to guide students through all of Jewish history. Classes are small, never exceeding 18 students, thus allowing for the maximum participation of all students.

The content of the class draws upon the following disciplines: Archeology, World Literature, Comparative Literature, English Composition, History, Sociology, Geography, Comparative Religion, Western Civilization, Political Science and Physical Education. As the course covers many disciplines, a student's transcript may reflect the grades and credits earned in these subjects under either a reciprocal or specific course heading.