Purdue to offer biblical Hebrew during fall semester
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University's Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in conjunction with the Jewish Studies Program will offer courses this fall for students and others in the community interested in reading the Bible in Hebrew.The course, Hebrew 121, Level I, will help students understand the vocabulary and grammar of the Hebrew Bible. Within the first week of class, students will begin reading the book of Genesis.
The goal of the course is to develop fluency in reading as well as to learn the meaning of what is read. The course will be taught by Stuart Robertson, pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church in West Lafayette. Robertson has a doctorate in Hellenistic Judaism and has taught biblical Hebrew for six years at Purdue.
In the course Hebrew 221, Level III, students will begin to translate passages from the books of Genesis, Exodus and I Samuel. Students will also discuss the issues of textual criticism encountered by scholars of biblical Hebrew.
In addition, students will begin to read some medieval rabbinic commentaries as well as more recent interpretations of the Bible. Hebrew 122 is a prerequisite for this course. Students may also register with permission of the instructor.
Two courses also will be offered in modern Hebrew, the language spoken in Israel today. Sonia Barash, continuing lecturer in foreign languages and literatures, will teach these courses, Hebrew 101 and Hebrew 201.
Hebrew 121, Level I, is open to Purdue students and the general public. There are no prerequisites for this course, and no previous knowledge of Hebrew is required. Anyone interested but not enrolled at Purdue should contact the Office of Admissions at (765) 494-1776.
Writer: Kiersti Kjonaas, (765) 494-2081, kkjonaas@purdue.edu
Source: Stuart Robertson, Faith Presbyterian Church, (765) 743-3683, jhansistu@yahoo.com
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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