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INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE for JEWISH GENEALOGY and PAUL JACOBI CENTER

at the National Library of Israel, Givat Ram Campus of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Teaching

Teaching Jewish Genealogy

In the course of 2008 and 2009 the Institute’s Teaching Committee elaborated detailed “Academic Guidelines” with a view to producing a conceptual framework for BA and MA courses in Jewish Genealogy and, within that, in order to offer informed recommendations regarding the syllabus and its components.

The Guidelines are now attached in all their parts, for use in various teaching formats:

  1. Teaching Notes for a 2-semester (1-year) BA Course
  2. Synoptic Outline for a 2-semester (1 year) course
  3. Guidelines for 1st Semester
  4. Guidelines for 2nd Semester
  5. Preliminary Notes for a 1-Semester BA Course
  6. Guidelines for 1-Semester BA Course
  7. Synoptic Outline for a 2- year MA course
  8. Complete Guidelines for MA Course
  9. Suggested Bibliography

The Institute hopes that the publication of these Guidelines will inspire the launching of academic courses in Jewish Genealogy at the university level and that institutions with an interest in teaching Jewish Genealogy to students of all ages will derive benefit from them as well.

It should be noted that the Academic Guidelines make no claim to be more that what they are – namely, guidelines pure and simple. Behind them is the assumption that the instructor will use them selectively as a basis to build a course, appropriate to the framework in which it is being taught and in accordance with the students’ needs and abilities.

IIJG would only request that whenever and wherever the Guidelines are used, appropriate academic attribution and credits are given. It should be noted that since the Guidelines remain under the Institute’s copyright, they cannot be reproduced in full without written permission in advance.

IIJG would also be grateful to receive an intimation of when and where the Guidelines are being used and also “feedback” on their reception, both by instructors and students.

The Institute would like to express its deep appreciation to Prof. (emeritus) Aaron Demsky of Bar Ilan University for his leadership of the Teaching Committee and for the efforts of both the members of the Committee and the expert consultants, who all contributed significantly to the preparation of the Guidelines.

Click here for a full list of the members of the Academic Committee and of the expert consultants

Click here for a background paper on this subject

Click here for the Teaching Notes for a 2-semester (1-year) BA and MA Course

Click here for the Synoptic Outline for a 2-semester (1 year) course

Click here for the Guidelines for 1st Semester

Click here for the Guidelines for 2nd Semester

Click here for Preliminary Notes for a 1-Semester BA Course

Click here for the Guidelines for 1-Semester BA Course

Click here for Synoptic Outline for a 1- or 2- year MA course

Click here for the Complete Guidelines for MA Course

Click here for a suggested Bibliography