Tikvah Seminars for Post High School Students in Israel
In coordination with many yeshivas, seminaries, and gap-year programs in Israel, the Tikvah Fund is pleased to sponsor a year-long seminar to promote serious thinking about the nexus of Jewish values and enduring human questions. Through monthly presentations and retreats, the program brings together some of the finest rabbis and thinkers of Israeli society with curious and motivated students. The program, directed by Rabbi Shlomo Brody, intends to supplement Israel program curriculums by providing a forum for interdisciplinary study, dialogue, and camaraderie amongst a select group of students. By exposing our participants to a range of perspectives from public intellectuals and thinkers, we hope to help develop the next generation of thoughtful and learned Jewish leaders. Participants are encouraged to engage in independent research projects toward the end of the year, with the best of the essays receiving monetary prizes and publication opportunities.
How to Apply / Program Details
Applications will be accepted until Rosh Hashanah (September 28th, 2011), and interviews will be conducted in October, including the period of the extended Sukkot vacation.
The first seminar will take place on Friday, November 4th, 2011, at the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem, with subsequent seminars every 3-4 weeks until mid-June. The format of each seminar varies, including debates, panel discussions, and lectures. Regular sessions take place on Friday mornings or Saturday evenings, depending on the time of the year, to avoid conflicting with program schedules. One or two weekend retreats will take place over the course of the year. When necessary, transportation is provided to prevent conflicts with program schedules. Lunch or dinner will be served at each meeting. Students must commit to constant attendance, prepare one or two readings before each seminar, and actively participate in discussions.
The simple application can be downloaded by clicking this link. 
Application.
Curriculum
The curriculum includes lectures and readings based around a central theme, with a balance between sessions that focus on theoretical questions and other meetings that discuss real-world dilemmas. The tentative 2011-2012 (5772) curriculum will center on the theme of Jewish Law and contemporary ethics.
2010-2011 (5771) Curriculum: Zionism - The Nexus of Torah, Jewish Values, and the Modern State of Israel
Dr. Micah Goodman - Zionism, Ben Gurion and the Bible: Progress or Return?
Rabbi Yitzchak Blau - Military Ethics and Jewish Law
Rabbis Seth Farber and David Stav - The Chief Rabbinate: Problems and Solutions
Dr. Daniel Gordis - Zionism and Jewish Identity in the Diaspora
Dr. Aviad Hacohen - Religion and State in the Supreme Court
Rabbi Ari Berman - Minorities in the State of Israel (Shabbaton Retreat in Ein Gedi)
Rabbi Shlomo Brody - Does Ideology Impact Law? The Case of Religious Zionist Halakha
Dr. Meirav Jones - The Bible in Early Modern Western Democratic Thought and its Contemporary Implications
Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Fischer - Democracy & Halakha: Theoretical and Educational Challenges
For more information, or to apply, please contact Rabbi Shlomo Brody at brody@tikvahfund.org
