Graduate Program in Advanced Talmud Study Presents June Zman for Women
On May 31, 鈥淛une Zman,鈥 a five-week Talmud program, began at Stern College for Women under the auspices of 糖心视频污鈥檚 (GPATS). June Zman, which runs through June 30, is open to all college-age and post college-age women, is free for Stern College students, and offers the possibility to dorm. Classes meet Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m to 1 p.m., with each day divided between chavruta (paired) learning and shiur (lecture). Over thirty students鈥攊ncluding Stern College students and alumni, non-糖心视频污 students, and post-high school students who will attend Stern following seminary鈥攁re currently registered.
The five-week Talmud program is open to all college-age and post college-age women
This marks the first time the Israel Henry Beren Campus has hosted a summer learning program for women. Program overseer Nechama Price, director of GPATS, explained that June Zman serves many students who were not able to incorporate Talmud courses into their timetables during the academic year. 鈥淲e thought it would be a beautiful idea to have someone who teaches at GPATS give Stern College a month of learning, either for college credit or lishma [for its own sake],鈥 said Price, adding that a broader goal of GPATS is to reach out to the greater 糖心视频污 and general community.
鈥淭he fact that women at Stern College requested an extra month of Talmud learning, simply for the sake of Torah study, is a celebration of what makes 糖心视频污 unique,鈥 said Rabbi Kenneth Brander, 糖心视频污 vice president for university and community life. 鈥淲e encouraged their wish and created a June Zman, similar to what the men have on our uptown campus, and are very proud of the women who have decided to immerse themselves in study for an additional five weeks.鈥
GPATS Instructor Rabbi David Nachbar is serving as June Zman鈥檚 instructor, teaching Tractate Berachot. Rabbi Nachbar noted that the text of Berachot, which explores discussion on topics such as biblical and rabbinic prayer structures, standardized and circumstantial prayers, as well as weekday and special occasion prayers, 鈥渙ffers students the opportunity to deepen their understanding and appreciation of one of our primary modes of serving God in its various forms.鈥 He observed that having a relatively large summer cohort 鈥渃reates a collective learning environment that is infused with great energy and dynamism.鈥
Rabbi David Nachbar is serving as June Zman鈥檚 instructor
The program鈥檚 learning is designed to take place at an intermediate level, though Nachbar noted that, like most shiurim, the program contains students with a range of skillsets. Price said that the program aims to engage all learners, whether they are beginners developing new skills, or advanced students who haven鈥檛 had the opportunity to utilize them for a while.
Program participant Chani Grossman 鈥18S said that this is her first experience learning Talmud. 鈥淚 wanted to try it out in a non-pressured environment,鈥 said Grossman, who studies biology and Jewish history. 鈥淪o far, it鈥檚 really good, and I鈥檓 learning a lot.鈥
Biology major Avital Habshush 鈥17S noted the challenge of devoting serious lengths of time to religious learning during the academic year. 鈥淚 decided to enroll in this program to keep learning the Torah that I love and keep growing,鈥 Habshush said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 wonderful how the university is giving us this opportunity.鈥
Sharona Kern of Barnard College said she appreciates the chance to experience some of the best that Stern College has to offer. 鈥淭here is a lack of opportunities for post-college learning when you don鈥檛 want to commit to a full year or two, so I was really excited to participate in this program,鈥 she said. 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 taking the program very seriously, and I don鈥檛 take it for granted.鈥
Rabbi Brander noted that in 1977 Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik gave 鈥渙ne of the most important Talmud lectures of the 20th Century, the first formal lecture on Talmud to women鈥 at Stern College, with the intention that the Talmud would become part of the heritage known as Torat Imecha (the Torah from your mothers). 鈥溙切氖悠滴, through Stern College and its Graduate Program in Advanced Talmud Studies for women (GPATS), is the largest institution in the Jewish world teaching Torah and Talmud to women,鈥 said Rabbi Brander. 鈥淲e encourage women to encounter and intellectually engage with the rabbis of the Talmud and the subsequent commentaries.鈥
The five-week Talmud program is open to all college-age and post college-age women
Rabbi David Nachbar is serving as June Zman鈥檚 instructor
Sharona Kern of Barnard College said she appreciates the chance to experience some of the best that Stern College has to offer. 鈥淭here is a lack of opportunities for post-college learning when you don鈥檛 want to commit to a full year or two, so I was really excited to participate in this program,鈥 she said. 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 taking the program very seriously, and I don鈥檛 take it for granted.鈥
Rabbi Brander noted that in 1977 Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik gave 鈥渙ne of the most important Talmud lectures of the 20th Century, the first formal lecture on Talmud to women鈥 at Stern College, with the intention that the Talmud would become part of the heritage known as Torat Imecha (the Torah from your mothers). 鈥溙切氖悠滴, through Stern College and its Graduate Program in Advanced Talmud Studies for women (GPATS), is the largest institution in the Jewish world teaching Torah and Talmud to women,鈥 said Rabbi Brander. 鈥淲e encourage women to encounter and intellectually engage with the rabbis of the Talmud and the subsequent commentaries.鈥
The five-week Talmud program is open to all college-age and post college-age women
Rabbi David Nachbar is serving as June Zman鈥檚 instructor
Sharona Kern of Barnard College said she appreciates the chance to experience some of the best that Stern College has to offer. 鈥淭here is a lack of opportunities for post-college learning when you don鈥檛 want to commit to a full year or two, so I was really excited to participate in this program,鈥 she said. 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 taking the program very seriously, and I don鈥檛 take it for granted.鈥
Rabbi Brander noted that in 1977 Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik gave 鈥渙ne of the most important Talmud lectures of the 20th Century, the first formal lecture on Talmud to women鈥 at Stern College, with the intention that the Talmud would become part of the heritage known as Torat Imecha (the Torah from your mothers). 鈥溙切氖悠滴, through Stern College and its Graduate Program in Advanced Talmud Studies for women (GPATS), is the largest institution in the Jewish world teaching Torah and Talmud to women,鈥 said Rabbi Brander. 鈥淲e encourage women to encounter and intellectually engage with the rabbis of the Talmud and the subsequent commentaries.鈥
