Center for Jewish Learning and Experience

Hillel classes are offered because the Jewish faith thrives with live, ongoing study of its texts and traditions. Hillel’s goal is to encourage students to grow and develop Jewishly while enriching their overall education at Boston University. It strives to build on what students already know, no matter what level of Jewish education they bring with them to college. Hillel’s other goal is to teach students about the Jewish world they are entering, so that they may take on leadership roles and responsibility for it.

Fall 2009 Class Schedule

MONDAYS:

Conversational Hebrew
	3:00-4:00pm	Instructor: Hila Landesman
	1st Floor Library, Hillel House (213 Bay State Road)
	Meets Mondays and Tuesdays weekly
	Join us to strengthen and enhance your Hebrew conversational skills with fellow students and friends!! These meetings are casual and fun and will weave in Israeli culture and news. You do not need to be enrolled in Hebrew Language to participate! For more information click here.


Student Talmud
	6:00-7:00pm	Instructor: Rabbi Joseph Polak
	1st Floor Rabbi's Study, Hillel House (213 Bay State Road)
	Meets weekly
	A consideration of the first chapter of tractate Kiddushin, which includes aspects of family law, slavery and real estate law. A background in Talmud is preferable but if you can follow disciplined logical arguements, the language (Hebrew-Aramaic) will not be a barrier.

Rambam
	7:00-8:00pm	Instructor: Rabbi Joseph Polak
	1st Floor Rabbi's Study, Hillel House (213 Bay State Road)
	Meets weekly
	A study of selections from the writings of Judaism's greatest philosopher and halachist, Maimonidies. The selections vary from semester

TUESDAYS:

Conversational Hebrew
	5:00-6:00pm	Instructor: Hila Landesman
	1st Floor Library, Hillel House (213 Bay State Road)
	Meets Mondays and Tuesdays weekly
	Join us to strengthen and enhance your Hebrew conversational skills with fellow students and friends!! These meetings are casual and fun and will weave in Israeli culture and news. You do not need to be enrolled in Hebrew Language to participate! For more information click here.

WEDNESDAYS:

Hebrew for Beginners
	7:30-8:00pm	Instructor: Aviva Weischgott
	1st Floor Library, Hillel House (213 Bay State Road)
	Meets weekly
	Exactly what its title says, this course is intended for people with little to no background in the language and is an interesting and enjoyable foray into reading Hebrew and conducting elementary conversations. Instructor Aviva Weischgott is an Israeli-born mother of several BU alumni and has been a master Hebrew teacher in the Boston area for over 30 years.

THURSDAYS:

Introductory Yiddish
	7:00-7:30pm	Instructor: Lillian Leavit
	1st Floor Library, Hillel House (213 Bay State Road)
	Meets weekly
	An introduction to the Yiddish language, including reading, basic conversation and idioms. Instructor Lillian Leavit is a native Yiddish speaker who has taught Yiddish for many years all over Boston, including Brandeis University and the Workmen's Circle.


Faculty Talmud
	4:00-5:00pm	Instructor: Rabbi Joseph Polak
	1st Floor Rabbi's Study, Hillel House (213 Bay State Road)
	Meets weekly
	A consideration of the first chapter of tractate Kiddushin, which includes aspects of family law, slavery and real estate law. A background in Talmud is preferable but if you can follow disciplined logical arguments, the language (Hebrew-Aramaic) will not be a barrier. (Students admitted with permission)

SHABBAT:
Rabbi's Dvar Torah (Friday night)
	at services	Instructor: Rabbi Joseph Polak
	4th floor chapels, Hillel House (213 Bay State Road)
	Short reflections on Jewish thought and practice delivered in Reform, Orthodox and Conservative services.

Philosophy and the Parasha (Saturday morning)
	8:30am-9:30am	Instructor: Rabbi Joseph Polak
	1st Rabbi's Study, Hillel House (213 Bay State Road)
	This starting point is always the scriptural reading for the week, an halachic text connected to it, and the philosophical problems posed as one text interacts with the other. No pre-requisites; anyone can understand this class.