Robert M. Beren Program

The Robert M. Beren Program Has Five Pillars

The Robert M. Beren Program on Jewish Classical Education aims to put Jewish ideas and the Hebraic tradition at the core of the Hamilton Center’s academic program. Working in partnership with the Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies, this initiative will offer students multiple ways to engage:

I. A special cluster of courses on Jewish thought and history, Zionism and modern Israel, and the Hebraic influence on America

Key themes include:

• The Hebrew Bible and Human Nature
• Jewish Thought and Philosophy
• Jewish Ideas and Western Civilization
• Jews and American Democracy
• Jewish and Zionist History
• Israel and the Future of the Middle East
• Anti-Semitism: The History of an Ideology
• Modern Jewish Literature and Culture

II. A unique study abroad program in Israel, allowing students to spend time in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv

Key areas of study include:

• The Land of the Hebrew Bible & the History of Jerusalem
• The Political History of Zionism and Modern Israel
• Israeli Military History
• Israeli Strategy and the Political Future of the Middle East
• The Dynamism of the Israeli Economy

III. The intensive study of modern Hebrew language, literature, and culture

Working in partnership with the Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies, our students have the opportunity to study and develop their capabilities in Modern Hebrew language. This includes introductory courses for students new to the study of Hebrew, intermediate level courses that allow students to continue the pursuit of Hebrew language mastery, and advanced courses that allow students to immerse themselves in the masterworks of modern Hebrew literature and culture.

IV. Special courses within the Hamilton Center majors and minors, bringing Jewish and Hebraic ideas into conversation with our core fields of study

The Robert M. Beren Program believes that Jewish ideas and Jewish history are central to every key field of study and academic major within the Hamiton Center:

• In the “Great Books and Ideas” major, students will have the opportunity to study key biblical texts, the major works of Jewish philosophy, and the masterpieces of Jewish literature.
• In the “Politics, Philosophy, Economics, and Law” major, students will explore the influence of rabbinic ideas on the development of legal thought, the role of Jewish philosophy in sharing the Western mind, and the influence of Jewish leaders and entrepreneurs on the economic dynamism of the Western world.
• In the (forthcoming) “War, Statecraft, and Strategy” major, students will explore Jewish ideas on the morality of war, the remarkable survival of the Jewish people through history, and the strategic achievements and challenges of modern Israel.
• In the (forthcoming) “American Government, History, Literature, and Law” major, students will explore how Hebraic ideas shaped the American founding and how Jews have influenced every aspect of American culture and society.

V. A wide array of extracurricular and campus leadership opportunities focused on advancing Jewish culture

The Robert M. Beren Program will help support a flourishing culture of Jewish ideas on campus. This includes student-led reading groups, study groups, and publications; a wide array of visiting speakers and conferences discussing all aspects of Jewish Civilization; and extracurricular leadership opportunities.

Our Strategic Partners

The Robert M. Beren Program on Jewish Classical Education at the Hamilton Center works in close partnership with two key strategic partners:

1. The Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies: Since 1973, the Center fosters engagement with Jewish culture, history, and politics through its comprehensive academic programs and public programming. Through the Bud Shorstein Center, students can earn Majors and Minors in both Jewish Studies and Modern Hebrew Language as well as Certificates in Israel Studies, European Jewish Studies, and Holocaust Studies.
   • To learn more click here.
2. The Rosenthal-Levy Scholars Program: The Rosenthal-Levy Scholars Program is for exceptional undergraduates interested in studying the great ideas of Jewish and Western civilization and preparing for lives of American civic leadership. While scholars must complete both a Hamilton Center major and the Robert M. Beren Program sequence of courses, they are also encouraged to expand their academic horizons by pursuing additional Majors, Minors, and Certificates across any discipline at the University.
   • To learn more click here.