In an unprecedented initiative, an Orthodox Jewish university is partnering with a Christian organization in a post-graduate program to give Christians a “deeper understanding of Jews and Judaism.”
Yeshiva University is set to launch a Hebraic studies program specifically designed for Christians in cooperation with Philos Project. The course is offered through the Bernard Revel Graduate School’s MA in Jewish Studies. Classes are available at YU’s campus (500 West 185th Street, New York, NY 10033), or live online via Zoom beginning in the Fall 2023 semester.
The course will include:
- An immersive Hebrew course
- 2 Bible courses
- 2 Jewish history courses
- 1 course on post-Biblical literature
- 1 course on Jewish-Christian relations
The program is accepting applications until March 15th, 2023. Participants must fill out both The Philos Project’s scholarship application and the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies Application available on the program’s website.
The program is available to Christians of any age within the realm of Nicene Orthodoxy. All those who have completed an undergraduate degree at an accredited institution are eligible to apply. Yeshiva University does not require the GRE or any other graduate entrance exam to apply to its programs. Applicants may reside inside or outside of the US. Participants would be enrolled as full-time students, which is 12 credits (4 courses) per semester. Classes for each course meet once a week for 2 hours.
The website states that the goal of the program is to provide Christian students with a firm grasp of the deep Jewish roots of Christianity, highlighting both shared values and real contrasts. They also aim to promote deeper understanding for Christians of Jews and Judaism, and of the unique bond between the “people of the book” and the books Christians venerate, without compromising on the particularity of our respective faiths.
The tuition for the program currently stands at $34,950, plus a $240 fee each semester. If selected, participants will receive a scholarship from Yeshiva University and The Philos Project to cover two-thirds of the program tuition ($23,300). The other 1/3rd will be the responsibility of the applicant.
Thus, the total cost of this one-year program for its participants will sit roughly at $11,650 + $480 in fees.
Participants in this program will receive a Master of Arts in Jewish Studies from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University and a certificate in Hebraic Studies from The Philos Project.
Yeshiva University is a private Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City. YU offers a dual curriculum combining academic education with the study of the Torah. It is an independent institution chartered by New York State and is accredited by several professional agencies.
The Philos Project seeks to promote positive Christian engagement in the Near East by creating leaders, building community, and taking action in the spirit of the Hebraic Tradition. Philos is a non-sectarian organization whose board, staff, and members belong to various Christian churches and hold to various schools of theological interpretation within the realm of Nicene orthodoxy.
