Gratz Academy Summer 2020

Gratz College is a pioneer in online Jewish education, and is proud to offer a variety of outstanding and challenging courses for teens in grades 8-12. Students from anywhere can join our worldwide classroom. All you need is an internet connection and a time commitment of 1-3 hours per week.

Virtual Israel Tour (July 6 – July 16, 2020):  Israel is one of the smallest countries in the world, but it is overflowing in natural beauty, culture, and politics. While physically traveling to Israel may not be possible this summer, teens still have the opportunity to “visit” the different regions of Israel and learn more about the various cultures and customs that can be found in this vibrant land. Gratz Academy and Bonim B’Yachad have teamed up to guide you on this journey. Twice a day for ten days we will tour specific regions, visit important locations and landmarks, and meet with representatives of Israel’s booming tech industry, sports teams and the Israel Defense Forces. Each day will also feature a “hands on” activity that can be kept as a souvenir.

Madrichim Training Course (Tuesdays, July 7 - August 25): Planning to be a teacher’s assistant in your religious school’s online or in-person classrooms this fall? Looking for ideas and strategies to help you be as effective as possible? Then this is the course for you! Some of the topics which will be covered include: the culture of a school, child development, classroom management and communication. Live instructor will facilitate the class in real time using the Zoom platform. Students will earn a Certificate of Participation.

Jewish in Medieval Christendom and the Orbit of Islam (Thursdays, July 9, 2020 - August 27, 2020):  This course begins with the rabbinic period and runs to the early modern era. Topics include the formation of rabbinic literature, including the Talmud, the crystallization of Jewish culture in exile and the moving of the center of the Jewish world to Babylon, and eventually to Europe. Students will trace the Jewish community’s interaction with Christianity and Islam, and study the survival of Judaism under the influence of these two other cultures. Students will also explore the rise of Zionism and the development of the different denominational movements (Reform, Conservative and neo-Orthodox) as varied responses to the modern world.