Israel Institute of Biblical Studies Review

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9.5
University Accredited
Officially accredited by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
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Score
9.5
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Intro

The Israel Institute of Biblical Studies, in cooperation with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, aims to make the Bible accessible to people around the world. Students connect with teachers in the Holy Land through biblical study and language courses to learn the original language of both the Old and the New Testament. Learning the original language allows them to interpret the holy texts by themselves, while discovering the ancient land where the stories took place simultaneously.

Learning Biblical Hebrew happens by means of a set of five courses – levels 1 to 5 – in which you will master the Hebrew alphabet and biblical syntax and will become familiar with translation decisions that have been made over the ages and understand how these have affected the meaning of the original biblical texts.

Israel Institute of Biblical Studies in Numbers

How it works

The Israel Institute of Biblical Studies focuses on ancient subjects, but uses a very modern approach. The lessons, which follow a premade schedule, combine extensive learning materials with live online instructions by licensed teachers. This course introduces you to Biblical Hebrew, allowing you to begin your journey of interpreting ancient holy texts together with your teacher in Israel and fellow classmates from around the world

Lessons take place on weekdays and Sundays, several times a day. Students can choose their preferred class time when they sign up. Over a period that spans nine months, you will virtually meet your classmates for a 55-minute long lesson once a week. Also included in the courses are weekly enrichment sessions for homework assistance and Q&A time with your teacher.

The first course begins with learning the Hebrew Alphabet “then and now”, the Hebrew vowels, and continues with the collective reading of the creation story (Genesis 1), the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11), the story of Jacob’s dream (Genesis 28), and many more. with the purpose of deepening your vocabulary, understanding, and ability to read for yourself.

Student Locker

Recordings – All lessons are recorded. You can re-watch a lesson at any given time.

Q&A and additional practice sessions – A weekly teacher-moderated session for Q&A and discussion.

An online forum for course-related questions and information.

Homework checks by staff members. Your checked homework will be uploaded to your personal account and may include downloads to check workbook problems.

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The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem was established in 1918 but only opened its doors officially in 1925. It is Israel ’s leading university and research institute. It’s highly respected in the world: the Hebrew University is ranked among the 100 leading universities in the world and first among Israeli universities.

The Hebrew University’s Online Biblical Hebrew Program provides students with a unique opportunity to learn the Bible in its original language, with the purpose of improving your understanding and appreciation of scriptural texts and their cultural context. The university’s courses focus strongly on reading from the Hebrew Bible during which process students vastly increase their knowledge of the grammar, syntax, vocabulary and other facets of one of the world’s most important ancient languages.

Courses that are part of the Online Biblical Hebrew Program are taught by experienced teachers and scholars – all certified instructors and experts in the field.

The program offers five separate courses which together cover the full spectrum of competencies: from beginners without experience to highly advanced students, and everything in between. In the more advanced courses, students encounter various textual and diachronic perspectives and a wider range of scriptural texts, including examples of poetry, prophecy, and wisdom literature. On top of that, they will be introduced to different historical and comparative aspects of Biblical Hebrew.

Levels

Biblical Hebrew - Beginner

Rediscover the Bible and gain a deeper and more profound understanding of the Holy Scriptures. Read the Hebrew Bible in its original language and uncover hidden secrets that have been lost for centuries.

Biblical Hebrew - Improved

Be closer than ever to the holy scriptures as they were originally written and take a closer look at the true meaning behind each word and biblical story.

Biblical Hebrew - Intermediate

Take your biblical studies to a whole new level by advancing your Biblical Hebrew skills. Study ancient texts in their original languages and learn to interpret them on your own.

Biblical Hebrew - Advanced

Get acquainted with biblical poetry, prophecies, and wisdom literature that hold ancient secrets for you to uncover together. Read the Book of Psalms, Proverbs, and more as they were written many centuries ago.

Biblical Hebrew - Expert

Learn all about the history of Biblical Hebrew and how it changed throughout different periods. Discover the Dead Sea Scrolls and extra-Biblical literature and view them in an entirely different light.

Testimonials

Kathryn Carr

“This is an excellent way to extend one’s knowledge of the Bible and it puts biblical stories in context helping us not only to imagine where these took place but also actually see possible sites and the relationship to the terrain around the stories. Jonathan is a great teacher.”

Hilary Giaccardi

“I have nothing but compliments for the eTeacher Group, learning a new language can be overwhelming at times and they are always there to assist and encourage me. For every question or difficulty that I encountered, an answer or a solution was provided rapidly.”

Babajide Adejumo

“Its an eye-opening course of insights in the Bible history and the Christian religious faith.”

Anita Tadeuszow

“Nothing is perfect in life, but many things are excellent. eTeacher offers much, including growth and understanding not only about the subject material, but different teaching styles.”

Pros
  • The courses are backed by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a highly respected institute.
  • The Israel Institute of Biblical Studies website received many positive reviews and currently has 5-star Trustpilot ranking.
  • A wide variety of available courses, customized to your experience.
  • Forums and homework checks by experts, recommended by former students.
  • Timely reception of study materials.
  • Courses are difficult but fun.
  • Opportunities for one-on-one sessions.
Cons
  • Long commitment: a course takes nine months
  • No pricing info available on the website