Teaching Methodology

Course work will be led by Jewish and Christian professors in class presentations. They will also act as guides to students who will engage themselves with the sacred text in two's or threes, known as the havrutah method familiar to Jewish educators. The overall purpose of the program, which emphasizes ‘hands-on' pedagogy, is to provide the students with study tools and techniques that focus on the Biblical text, and also equip these educators to present any biblical texts to others in a way that reveres ancient understandings, elaborated with current scholarship, and vivified by the prayerful reflections of mystics and masters.

Besides the classes and havrutah study, the month will also include guided tours to historical and archaeological sites, emphasizing those that are part of the biblical narrative and relative to the Bat Kol study program. While these trips will not form the usual basis for a Christian pilgrimage, there will be many opportunities to visit important Christian sites like Gethsemane in Jerusalem and Nazareth in Galilee, and to celebrate weekly liturgies in these settings. The community of students and professors will also celebrate Sabbath each week, and visit local synagogues.