Always interested in new academic programs (especially those overseas), I recently sat down to talk with Dr. Janet F. Alperstein, Director, Office of Academic Affairs, Rothberg International School, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.  Located in Jerusalem, the Rothberg International School has a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs, and has been providing global education to students from all over the world for over 50 years!  We'll profile some of the Rothberg International School's academic programs over the next few days - they are extraordinary!

WE: Please tell us about your Jewish Education program...

JA:  The program in Jewish Education is conducted by the Melton Centre for Jewish Education at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the largest research and teaching centre for Jewish Education in the world today. The program allows students to benefit from the expertise of its academic faculty in varied academic fields, including psychology, sociology, history, curriculum design, Jewish values, Jewish identity, formal and informal education.

WE: How long has this academic program been running?

JA:  The program has been running for a number of years. 
 

WE:  What are your graduates from this program doing?

JA:  Graduates of the program have gone on to fulfill significant communal and educational roles on their return to the Diaspora. 

WE:   How do your students get practical experience in this area, while learning?

JA:  Studying in Israel allows students to experience Israel as an on-site educational resource that creates a new perspective on the content of Jewish education. Situated in Jerusalem, the heart of the Jewish world, the program aspires to create a supportive community of learning where students, educators and faculty can work together and develop professional and personal relationships.

WE: Who are your faculty?

JA:  The faculty is comprised of members of the Melton Centre for Jewish Education.

WE:  Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

JA:  Students have access to Melton's library and pedagogic centre that houses a comprehensive collection of publications and multi-media sources in Jewish education, representing the entire spectrum of Jewish ideologies and affiliations with materials in Hebrew, English, Spanish, French, and Russian. The library also contains a large collection of monographs and dissertations in the field of Jewish Education.

WE: Thanks so much, Janet! What a fantastic program!

For more information on the Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, please see: http://overseas.huji.ac.il

#StudyAbroadBecause

To read our other interviews about academic programs at the Rothberg International School, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, please see:
Community Leadership and Philanthropy Studies