2012 SHORT COURSES - TERM ONE

The Jewish Museum is committed to developing and delivering an annual series of talks, short courses, workshops, guided tours, special events and activities focussed around the Museum's permanent and temporary exhibition program, to complement and extend the exhibition themes. The Museum's permanent exhibitions are

• Timeline of Jewish History - 4000 years of Jewish History
• The Jewish Year - Celebrating the annual cycle of festivals and holy days that give rhythm and form to Jewish life
• Belief and Ritual - examines the foundations of Judaism, the enduring religious beliefs and traditions that have bound Jews together throughout the years
• The Zelman Cowen Australian History Gallery - the unique contribution of Jews in Australia over the last 200 years
• and temporary exhibitions.

Until March 2012 Mameloshn - How Yiddish made a Home in Melbourne

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Amazing Adventures of the Jewish People: Part 3
Jews in the Modern World
Paul Forgasz

In this third and final part of the highly popular course on the Amazing Adventures of the Jewish People we will examine the development of Jewish society from the eighteenth century through to the opening decades of the twentieth century. The aim of this course is to analyse the Jewish encounter with the modern world and with gentile society - the impact of the encounter on Jews, Jewish life and Judaism as well as the variety of social ideological and cultural forms in which that encounter was expressed. Timeline of Jewish History exhibition

Paul's acknowledged mastery of Jewish history is again showcased here in this narrative that traces the often fraught, sometime golden but always fascinating journey of the Jewish people.

No prerequisites necessary. Paul's courses fill quickly so early enrolment is advised

MM1/PF Monday morning: 9:30 - 11: 45 | Feb 6, 13, 20, 27, March 5, 19, 26, April 2
MA1/PF Monday afternoon: 12:45 - 3:00 | Feb 6, 13, 20, 27, March 5, 19, 26, April 2 FULL
TE1/PF Tuesday evening: 7:45 - 10:00 | Feb 7, 14, 21, 28, March 6, 13, 20, 27 FULL

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The haftarot - The Book of Prophets:
Their function and meaning in Jewish tradition
Rabbi Fred Morgan

Every Shabbat in synagogue, alongside the Torah portion we read the 'haftarah' - a short selection from the 'Nevi'im', the Prophetic books of the Bible.Chanting the haftarah has become an essential feature of a bar-mitzvah? Why are these readings included in the Shabbat and festival services? Above all, what is their 'message' and how do they communicate it? By looking at several examples of haftarot in detail, we intend to respond to some of these questions and so enrich our appreciation for the role of the haftarot in Jewish liturgy and life. Belief and Ritual exhibition

Rabbi Morgan's love of text, wide reading and much loved teaching qualities are revealed in this course in which he tackles a favourite topic with his characteristic erudition and flair.

MM1/FM Monday morning: 9:30 - 11: 45 | Feb 6, 13, 20, 27, March 5, 19, 26, April 2

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Being a Jew.
Between Homeland and Exile: Between Exile and Homeland
Carmela Levy Stokes

The question of exile and homeland must be posed when trying to probe the essence of the Jewish people. This course examines the Jewish experience of the reversibility of Homeland and Exile from Avraham to Yehuda Halevi in Spain (who lived in exile and in homeland and whose poetry is haunted by it), to Shai Agnon, Israel's Nobel Laureate (who brought his exile with him to Israel in his writing)and the works of Bialik, Brenner and Yehuda Amichai and also includes current experiences of those who make aliyah, returning to and fro, from one homeland to another. Timeline of Jewish History exhibition

This course will be repeated later in the year.

If you love language and literature and grappling with what it means to be a Jew, this new course will appeal. Carmela's considered selection of readings will take you on a journey to see how some of our greatest thinkers and writers have grappled with that big question, whilst challenging you to think about your own Jewish identity today.

MA1/CLS Monday afternoon: 12:45 - 3:00 | Feb 6, 13, 20, 27, March 5, 19, 26, April 2

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Can we trust the Bible?
Paul Forgasz

One of the questions that arise for many contemporary readers of the Bible is whether the various events which it describes are "true." This question will be explored with a view to uncovering the highly complex nature of this issue. Also examined are the debates that divide the contemporary academic community of biblical scholars regarding the reliability of the Bible as a source of history. For example: Was Abraham a real or legendary figure? Did the Exodus really happen and did Joshua's trumpets bring down the walls of Jericho? What is the real story about David and Solomon? Did the Israelites worship one God or was there also a Mrs. God. These are just some of the questions explored in this course. Belief and Ritual exhibition

Paul's reverence for the text coupled with his informed scepticism, makes this course a fascinating one. His selection of bible stories will challenge much of what you thought you knew, as Paul interprets the texts with his winning combination of scholarship and humour.

ME1/PF Monday evening: 7:45 - 10:00 | Feb 6, 13, 20, 27, March 5, 19, 26, April 2

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Israeli Society through Popular Music
Ittay Flescher

Israeli songs have a rich blend of poetic lyrics, together with ancient and contemporary rhythms, that contain far more depth and insights into the human condition than you will ever hear on Triple M.

This course aims to offer a commentary about religion, politics, history and the future. Themes to be explored through song include Nationalism, Protest, Commemoration, Peace, Rabin Assassination, Six Day War, Love, Judaism, and Hope. Musical genres range from classic folk to contemporary hip-hop. Timeline of Jewish History exhibition

A booklet with an extensive set of readings including English /Hebrew lyrics for all the songs is provided together with a video clip for each song.

Hebrew is NOT required to enjoy this course.

Ittay's relevant use of youtube footage and texts will again illustrate many complex themes including love and war, antiwar songs, music as midrash and prayers for the secular. His vast knowledge of Israeli music and Israeli society as well as his balanced and respectful approach continue to enrich this course and will definitely challenge and broaden your perspective of Modern Israel.

ME1/IF Monday evening: 7:45 - 10:00 | Feb 13, 20, 27, March 5, 19, 26, April 2

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Mameloshn: The development of Yiddish and Yiddishisms
Brad Bernstein

For centuries Yiddish was not only the spoken language of Eastern European Jews but also the cornerstone of a vibrant civilization. In this course we will look at the development of Yiddish language and culture from the Middle Ages to the present, focusing on major turning points in literature, society, and politics. We will pay particularly close attention to the role of Yiddish and Yiddish culture as a source of Jewish identity Topics to be covered include the development of the Yiddish language, the use of Yiddish in the Haredi community and the status of Yiddish today. Temporary Exhibition

This course will be repeated during the DAY in Term Two

Brad Bernstein is an American Yiddish scholar whose buba spoke Yiddish and who himself only started to learn Yiddish in his twenties. Since then he has studied it extensively and offers a rich and detailed look at this wonderful mameloshn in what he considers to be one of the best centres of Yiddish in the world...Melbourne.

This course accompanies the Jewish Museum's Mameloshn exhibition which runs until March 2012 and will include a visit to the exhibition.

TE1/BB Tuesday evening: 7:45 - 10:00 | Feb 21, 28, March 6, 13, 20, 27

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Who is teaching in Term One?

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Bradley Bernstein A native of Long Island, New York, Bradley Bernstein holds an M.A. in Modern Jewish Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York where he specialised on the development of Modern Yiddish culture. As a former member of the Folksbiene Trupe, the New York Yiddish Theater's traveling ensemble, he performed in Yiddish to varied audiences in the northeast United States. He has studied Yiddish at the Uriel Weinreich YIVO Summer Program in New York, at the Medem Center in Paris, and in Lithuania at the Vilnius Yiddish Institute. In addition to Yiddish and Yiddishism, he is interested in Jewish traditional texts which he studied intensively in Jerusalem for three years at the Pardes Institute. He is excited to have found Yiddish language and culture thriving in Melbourne.

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Ittay Flescher Ittay Flescher has been exploring and observing Jewish life for as long as he can remember. He is dynamic and creative educator who currently teaches Jewish Studies, Religion and Society and Jewish Music at Mount Scopus Memorial College. In 2007, Ittay lived in Jerusalem for a year as a fellow on the Hebrew University's Senior Educators Program. His other love is music and his guitar playing has enriched many of his teaching sessions.His short courses are distinguished by his impeccably researched choice of audio visual and written materials and his balanced approach.

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Paul Forgasz Paul Forgasz has been involved professionally in Jewish education for the past 30 years including a decade as Headmaster of the Secondary School at Mt. Scopus College. He presently lectures in Jewish history, Jewish education and comparative religion at Monash University of which he is also Associate Director. Paul was the head of faculty at the Florence Melton Adult Mini School in Melbourne and has also designed a great many of the most popular courses delivered in the short graduate courses with a particular emphasis and expertise in biblical history. During 2004 Paul was scholar in residence at the Pittsburgh Jewish Education Institute but had to return because his pets missed him. Paul also conducts highly successful tours to Spain, tracing the Jewish experience.

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Rabbi Fred Morgan Rabbi Fred Morgan taught the religions of India at the University of Bristol in the UK for several years before switching directions and entering the rabbinate. He received his s'michah (ordination) from Leo Baeck College in London and then served a congregation in Surrey for 12 years before migrating to Australia. Since 1997 he has been Senior Rabbi at the Temple Beth Israel community, five minutes down Alma Road from the Jewish Museum. During his time in Australia Fred has taught in many different adult education settings, including the FMAM program, Limmud Oz and the Jewish Museum. He is a very popular lecturer at Church and interfaith gatherings, loves text study (Torah, midrash, Shoah studies, Jewish theology) and his shiurim are very interactive. He was recently made an Hon. Fellow at the Australian Catholic University, and this summer he is presenting an innovative course on Biblical interpretation along with a Christian scholar. Fred's wife Sue is a pastoral care coordinator, and he has three children, one of whom has made aliyah.

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Carmela Levy-Stokes Carmela Levy-Stokes is a psychoanalyst in private practice. She has a doctorate in psychological medicine from Monash University and teaches psychoanalytic theory and practice with the Institute for Training of the Australian Centre for Psychoanalysis. She has a passion for all aspects of Jewish culture and how to maintain being Jewish in a thriving non-Jewish society. She has presented on "Jewish Identity and the Unconscious" and for the Jewish Museum exhibition Freud and Friends on "Freud's Jewish Identity". Along with being a savta, the Jewish Museum's adult education classes have prime of place in her busy life, both as a student and a teacher.