THE MODERN FAMILY IN TRANSNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE (ONLINE)

This course explores the transformative impact of modernity on Jewish marriage and family institutions from the late 18th century to the present, adopting a transnational perspective. In addition to examining the private lives of Jewish men and women, the course highlights the public significance of the Jewish family in broader communal and national debates. These debates include questions of Jewish citizenship in non-Jewish states, concerns of both lay leaders and rabbis about the future of the Jewish people and religion, and the role of the family in the formation of a Jewish state in Israel.

The interdisciplinary nature of the course—drawing from women’s and Jewish history, legal studies, ethnography, and sociology—will introduce participants to the various models of Jewish marriage and family life that have developed over the past two and a half centuries.

Major themes include:

  • the evolving transformation of the status of women and gender roles
  • changing attitudes toward love and sexuality
  • intercommunal conflicts over conversion and intermarriage
  • Jewish family life and nation-building (both in the diaspora and in Israel)
  • international mobility
  • the continued influence of religious law on Jewish families.

The course is given in collaboration with Paideia – The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden. 

 

Course structure

The course contains a mixture of lectures and group discussions. The course will involve critical reading of primary historical sources during each session. 

Prior knowledge

The course is given in English.

No prior knowledge about the subject is needed.

To apply for this course, you need basic computer skills and knowledge of how to use the digital platform Zoom. The school offers Zoom manuals and a training opportunity before the start of the course.

Course material

Course material is included in the cost for this course.

About the teacher

Geraldine Gudefin is a French-born modern Jewish historian researching Jewish migrations, family life and legal pluralism. She holds an MA in History from Yale University, and a PhD in History from Brandeis University. Dr. Gudefin has received numerous fellowships, including from the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture; the Posen Foundation; and the Center for Jewish History. Her work has been published in American Jewish History and Nashim: A Journal of Jewish Women’s Studies & Gender Issues, among other publications.

Dr. Gudefin’s previous research explored various aspects of Jewish immigrant family life, especially the complex encounters between civil and rabbinical marriage laws in France and the United States. Shifting the focus to Southeast Asia, where she is now based, she is currently at work on a new project titled “The Penhas case: Interethnic Marriage and Legal Pluralism in Late Colonial Singapore”.

Photo:

Frequently Asked Questions

In this course participants will learn to play the frame drum Tof Miryam. It’s a frame drum that is very ancient, and belongs to Jewish and Israeli culture. Together we will develop vocal skills and sing while drumming within an ensemble. 

The course topics are: 

  • The history of the Tof Miryam
  • The evolution of rhythm and its cultural significance
  • Basic frame drum techniques
  • The language of drumming and beat interpretation
  • Rhythms of the Mediterranean and the Balkans
  • Developing vocal skills
  • Learning traditional songs from Israel, the Mediterranean, and the Balkans
  • Synchronizing rhythm and voice
  • The dynamics of drumming in an ensemble
  • Performing within an ensemble and in front of an audience

 

Course structure

The methods used in the course sessions are teacher lead lectures/introductions and explanations. A large part of the sessions consist of exercise and repetition.

Prior knowledge

The course is given in English.

No prior knowledge about the subject is needed. 

Course material

All course material is not included in the cost for this course. Participants organise the frame drum on their own.

About the teacher 

Yinon Muallem is a composer and multi-instrumentalist of Iraqi-Jewish origin, specializing in Ethnic Mediterranean and world music. His work fuses traditional sounds with jazz, classical, and contemporary styles. To date, he has released 12 albums.

Yinon plays the Oud (Arabic lute) and various string instruments, as well as a range of hand percussion instruments from different musical traditions, including Darbuka, frame drums, Spanish Cajón, bongos, and more. Over the years, he has led and participated in numerous intercultural music projects, fostering creative collaboration between musicians from diverse backgrounds. He has given masterclasses and workshops at institutions such as the Royal Academy of Music, Stockholm (2023) and Sibelius Academy, Helsinki (2022). 

Photo: Anselm Feuerbach, Wikimedia

Frequently Asked Questions

This course explores the evolution, stereotypes, and pluralism of Jewish identity in 20th and 21st-century American and European popular cinema. We will examine how Judaism is represented in these films and how this representation has shaped a sense of American and European Jewish identity.

The questions guiding our analysis include:

  • What does it mean to be Jewish? Is Judaism a religious, ethnic, and/or cultural identity?
  • How are gender and sexuality related to Jewish identity, and how do these aspects shift or become subverted over the decades?
  • How do Jews navigate their dual Jewish and national identities?
  • What is the relationship between Jews and other minority groups?
  • What are the ethics and anxieties surrounding assimilation, particularly in relation to intermarriage or ethnically/religiously mixed romantic relationships?
  • How are American Jewish identities depicted differently from European Jewish identities in these films?

The American film material will consist of, but not be limited to, early Hollywood classics addressing the complexities of Jewish identity, such as “The Jazz Singer” (1927), “Gentleman’s Agreement” (1948), and more. It is hard to overstate the role of Woody Allen and Mel Brooks in questioning and constructing Jewish identity for both American and global audiences. Therefore, we will dedicate extra time to their works from the 1970s and ’80s. Allen’s and Brooks’ films will be supplemented by a look at other essential Jewish films of the era. Moving into the 1980s and ’90s, we will study “The Chosen“ (1981) and Jewish romantic comedies. The American section of the course will conclude with a look at films by the Coen Brothers, as well as by Spike Lee. Some films will be shown in full, while others will be excerpted.

We will then turn our attention to Europe, where we will analyze a selection of films that explore the nature of European Jewish identity, including films by Jean Renoir, Aleksandr Askoldov, Hugh Hudson, Mike Leigh, István Szabó, Karin Albou, Elie Wajeman, Pawel Pawlikowski, and Nadav Lapid. We will explore how these European films reframe the question of Jewish identity in the diaspora and examine their continuity and divergence from their American counterparts. Finally, we will discuss not only the identities of the characters in these films but also the identities of the films themselves. Can we read these works as Jewish films, and if so, in what way?

The course is given in collaboration with Paideia – The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden.

 

Course structure

The teaching consists of screenings, lectures and class discussions.

Prior knowledge

The course is given in English.

No prior knowledge about the subject is needed.

To apply for this course, you need basic computer skills and knowledge of how to use the digital platform Zoom. The school offers Zoom manuals and a training opportunity before the start of the course.

Course material

Extra costs for material is applicable for this course. Some films need to be rented on streaming platforms. Digital articles sent via email are included in the cost. Hard copies of the readings (same material as the digital articles) are not included. Participants will get information about this, if accepted to the course.

About the teacher

Zoe Kelly-Nacht holds a Ph.D. in religious thought from Boston University, an M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School, and a B.A. from Barnard College, Columbia University. She specializes in the intersections of religion, literature, and film. Her dissertation “Nathaniel Dorsky: Religion, Buddhism, and Film” examines the life, films, and manuscript “Devotional Cinema” of American Jewish Buddhist experimental filmmaker Nathaniel Dorsky.

Zoe grew up in New York City and, before moving to Sweden, taught religious studies courses at Hunter College, City University of New York, and Marymount Manhattan College. She now lives in Stockholm with her partner and two young children.

Photo: Canva.

Frequently Asked Questions

JEWISH REPRESENTATION IN POPULAR TELEVISION SHOWS (ONLINE)
“The Tribe” on “Prime Time”: Jewish Representation in Popular Television Shows

This course explores the portrayal of Jewish identity and culture in some of the most popular TV shows of the past few decades. Each session focuses on a different show, analyzing how Jewish characters and themes are presented and their impact on broader cultural perceptions.

Shows include Seinfeld, Friends, Transparent, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Schitt’s Creek, Sex and the City, The Simpsons, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The X-Files. Through clips, discussions, and readings, we will explore themes such as Jewish humor, family dynamics, identity, and faith, as well as the intersection of Jewish representation with other identities. This course is ideal for TV lovers, pop culture enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the evolution of Jewish representation in mainstream media.

The course is given in collaboration with Paideia – the European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden. 

 

Prior knowledge

The course is given in English.

No prior knowledge about the subject is needed.

To apply for this course, you need basic computer skills and knowledge of how to use the digital platform Zoom. The school offers Zoom manuals and a training opportunity before the start of the course.

Course material

All course material is not included in the cost for this course. You will receive information regarding which course books to purchase on your own, if you get accepted to the course.

About the teacher

Stav Meishar is an award-winning queer performance maker, multidisciplinary stage artist, academic researcher, and educator. Their work explores the intersection of history and current affairs using tools from the worlds of theater, circus, and contemporary performance. Stav majored in Musical Theater with double minors in Jewish Culture and Gender Studies.  

Photo: Collage by Stav Meishar. 

Frequently Asked Questions

In this course, we will explore female figures in the Bible who acted against norms of their time, defied social and religious expectations and left their mark on the biblical narrative. 

Participants will be introduced to 12 women in the Bible who in their lives acted against the norms as ideology or to save or change their lives. Through these women, we will explore the role of women in the biblical world and the ways in which they expressed resistance, courage and a desire for change.

The course is given in collaboration with Paideia – the European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden.

 

Course structure 

Together, we combine the reading of biblical texts with traditional and modern interpretations and comparisons with other cultures. By analyzing different female characters, we can better understand the forces that influenced women in the Bible and how they managed to make their voices heard despite societal constraints. 

Each session will also include a personal reflection: What can we learn about ourselves through these figures? At the end of the course, we will analyze whether there are similarities between these women and us today.

 

Prior knowledge 

The course is given in English.

No prior knowledge about the subject is needed.

To apply for this course, you need basic computer skills and knowledge of how to use the digital platform Zoom. The school offers Zoom manuals and a training opportunity before the start of the course.

Course material

Course material is included in the cost for this course.

About the teacher

Tally (Revital) Batami Zahor has over 20 years of experience teaching Bible studies. She has also served as a principal. Tally holds a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Management from Haifa University and a BA in Biblical Studies and Education from Oranim Seminary. She also has a Swedish anthroposophical teacher training from the 90s and has been living in Sweden again for some time. 

Photo: Canva.

Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to a series of meetings dedicated to Klezmer music!

We will explore the fantastic and rich repertoire of Eastern-European and American Jewish instrumental folk music: its joyful and melancholic melodies, how to interpret and embellish them with traditional ornamentations, discovering the structure of the melodies and their modes, as well as how to accompany the various dance forms with their diverse and characteristic rhythmical patterns.

The course is taught by ear. Participants must have intermediate knowledge of their instruments (no beginners), meaning knowing the names of notes and corresponding positions on their instruments. Music scores are made accessible at the end of the lessons, but we will not be reading from them in class. Participants are expected to learn the melodies by heart to proceed with learning how to embellish and accompany them.

Participants will have access to EDU Soundtrap, an online platform for recording multi-track, to be used as a tool for practising at home and creating their own arrangements, and will be introduced to MuseScore, an open-source and free music notation software, to be used as a tool for analysis of the tunes learned in the class. The course combines in-person and online meetings and will conclude with a concert.

This course is given in collaboration with Svenska Klezmerföreningen.

 

Course structure

The teaching takes place partly through physical meetings at the school’s premises and partly through digital meetings remotely. It is not possible to only participate in the course remotely.

  • 12 meet-ups at the school on Thursday evenings. Some meet-ups online via Zoom.
  • 2 meet-ups at the school daytime on Sundays.
  • A concluding concert (date and time to be set during the course).

More information will be sent in the admission letter, if you are accepted to the course.

Group division

Participants are divided into groups based on their instrument skills and experience of learning to play by ear without sheet music. Depending on the number of groups and applicants, each group meets for between 1-2 hours.

Participants are expected to learn the melodies by heart, and practice at home, to proceed with learning how to embellish and accompany them.

Prior knowledge 

The course is given in English.

The course welcomes new as well as previous participants, who have passed the beginner level on their instrument by a good margin. The course is not suitable for guitar players due to its focus on melodies and ornaments. Participants bring their own instruments.

To apply for this course, basic computer skills and knowledge of using the digital platform Zoom are required. The school offers Zoom manuals and a training opportunity before the course starts.

Course material

Course material is included in the cost for this course.

Participants bring their own instruments. 

About the teacher

Valeria Conte is a multi-talented Italian clarinettist who has studied and performed klezmer music since 2006 (www.valeriaclarinetta.com), exploring the music’s connection to Jewish culture and society. She has participated in various seminars and workshops on klezmer music and Yiddish song & culture in and outside Europe. Valeria holds a BA in classical clarinet and an MA in global music. She has performed internationally in various multicultural environments and world music styles. She currently performs with her band, Valeria’s Klezmer Chariot, and is the leader and organiser of the OAKJS – Klezmer Sessions.

Photo: Aaro Keipi.

Frequently Asked Questions

MODERN STANDARD ARABIC FOR BEGINNERS (ONLINE)

This course introduces Arabic for learners with no prior experience, combining Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) with spoken varieties, primarily Levantine and Egyptian dialects. MSA is the formal version of Arabic used in news, literature, and official communication, while the dialects are used in everyday conversation across the Arab world.

The course develops basic skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, and introduces key elements of the Arabic alphabet. Participants will learn essential vocabulary and phrases to help them engage in daily conversations and comprehend simple texts.

The aim of the course is to provide learners with a solid foundation in both formal and spoken Arabic, enabling them to communicate effectively at a beginner level. By the end of the course, participants will be able to greet people, introduce themselves, ask and answer simple questions, and handle basic interactions in Arabic-speaking contexts. In addition, students will gain insight into Arab and Islamic culture and history.

This course is ideal for anyone interested in learning Arabic for travel, work, or personal development. It also serves as a steppingstone for further studies, opening the door to the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the Arab world.

The course is given in collaboration with Paideia – the European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden.

 

Course structure 

This Arabic course employs an interactive, participant-centered approach. Learners prepare independently at home, using the online LMS (Learning Management System, a digital resource linked to the course book where exercises are provided and the teacher can follow the learners’ progress) website.

For every class hour estimate to work two hours at home.

Class time focuses on activating knowledge through pair work, group activities, conversation practice, and dictation exercises. The course encourages self-correction and peer assistance, minimizing lectures in favor of active language use and continuous practice.

Prior knowledge

The course is given in English.

No prior knowledge of Arabic is required for this course. It is designed for complete beginners and will start with the fundamentals of Modern Standard Arabic.

Participants with some existing knowledge of Arabic are welcome to join but they should be aware that the course content and pace is tailored to complete beginners.

To apply, you need basic computer skills and knowledge of how to use the digital platform Zoom. The school offers Zoom manuals and a training opportunity before the start of the course.

Course material

All course material is not included in the cost for this course and participants need purchase the course book on their own.

Course book:

  • “Alif baa: introduction to Arabic letters and sounds”, 3rd edition. 

The book is available in both digital and printed version. Together with the printed version you get a code that gives you access to the website that accompanies the course. Participants are welcome to use either printed version and website or digital version and website.

Participants need to have access to the book for the first class. The digital version is recommended in order to facilitate delivery in time.

More information regarding the book and purchasing it is sent in the admission letter if you are accepted to the course. 

About the teacher 

Michael has been studying and researching Arabic for over 20 years, with a particular interest in the similarities and differences between Hebrew and Arabic. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies and a master’s degree in Hebrew Language from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, giving him a strong foundation in Semitic languages. In Israel, Michael taught Hebrew as a second language at leading academic institutions. Recently, he relocated to Sweden with his family, where he now teaches online Hebrew to Arabic speakers and Arabic to Hebrew speakers. He also delivers lectures on the history, culture, and evolution of the Arabic language, and the religion of Islam.

Photo: Canva.

Frequently Asked Questions

SPIRITUAL RESILIENCE IN THE EYES OF THE JEWISH HASIDIC SPIRITUAL TRADITION (ONLINE)

Life is often filled with great highs and lows. In Jewish community and our communities more broadly in the last few years we have faced difficulty and struggle. What does the Jewish Hasidic spiritual tradition have to say about resilience and emerging through pain, strife and grief. 

This course will look at Torah text, bible teachings and Hasidic teachings on the Parsha, Jewish weekly reading and the festivals which connect to ideas of spiritual resilience.

We will explore Hasidic insight on the ‘world to come’, ‘Messiah’, focus for life, understanding of the role of mitzvot, commandments and a spiritual understanding of making an impression on the world, the spiritual trace of doing a good deed. 

We will examine Hasidic day-to-day traditional language of interpretation and learn new coping mechanisms and spiritual insight. Join us for this adventure in learning. 

The course is given in collaboration with Paideia – The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden.

 

Course structure

To study text in guided chevruta (learning pairs) for various exercises and processing is part of the course structure. 

Prior knowledge

The course is given in English.

No prior knowledge about the subject is needed. The course design and the teacher encourage questions. Participants’ curiosity and critical questions offer the opportunity to dig deeper into the Hasidic and Jewish traditions.

To apply for this course, you need basic computer skills and knowledge of how to use the digital platform Zoom. The school offers Zoom manuals and a training opportunity before the start of the course.

Course material

Course material is included in the cost for this course.

About the teacher

Oliver Spike Joseph is a rabbi working for community organisations and higher education institutes. His passion is outreach, breaking community boundaries to connect people to Jewish life. Oliver teaches on spiritual care, capacity building and resilience. Oliver is a prison chaplain working with young prisoners. 

Oliver works for the European Masorti Bet Din, a rabbinic council which supports communities from Ukraine to the United Kingdom. Oliver studied in Jerusalem at the Fuchsberg Centre and at the Hartman Institute. He studied Jewish philosophy at the Tel Aviv University. Oliver was ordained as a rabbi at the Ziegler School for Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles in 2015. Oliver is a cancer survivor and a BRCA gene carrier who has worked with national charities as a health advocate for greater awareness of the cancer-causing BRCA gene mutation. He is passionate about cooking, gardening, hiking, running and cycling.

Photo: Pixabay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most of us find reading the Torah, the five books of Moses, an exceptionally challenging task. We are most often reading a translation, large portions of it seem to deal with topics that are of little relevance to a modern reader, and perhaps most challenging of all, we come to it with so many preconceptions that we cannot even begin to really listen to it.

In this course, we will systematically un-learn the ways in which we habitually read text, allowing us to encounter the Torah on its own terms. We will learn specific tools for reading and unpacking the multilayered text of the Torah with a view to discovering our own insights into it.

 

Prior knowledge

The course is given in English.

No prior knowledge about the subject is needed. 

Course material

Course material is included in the cost for this course.

About the teacher

Eiran Davies is a rabbi with roots in London, England. He has studied at Montefiori endowment in London, Midrash sepharadi in Jerusalem and Yeshivat hamivtar in Efrat. He is also an artist, beekeeper and trained goldsmith. 

Photo: Paideia folkhögskola.

Frequently Asked Questions

CELEBRATING THE BALAGAN 3: ISRAEL’S SOCIETY REFLECTED IN FEATURE FILMS (ONLINE)

The Hebrew word balagan can be translated into mess, chaos.

This course will discuss the texture of contemporary Israeli society, based on an analysis of Israeli movies. Until the 1980s, Israeli society pursued a social ideal that derived from European-Socialist-Zionist dominance and the (real or virtual) experience of the Holocaust. Social unity and uniformity were forged by different institutions and organizations (army, kibbutz-movement, trade unions).

Recent cultural multiplicity and the ideological-political diversity emerged after the Zionist, European and socialist ideal, whether together or separately, have ceased to serve as a basis for national consensus.

After a general presentation of historical facts, the course will explore the different ethnic, cultural, ideological, and religious sectors in Israeli society. Starting out with the identity of second-generation Holocaust survivors, the course will introduce the students to the fascinating, yet problematic reality of a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society that needs to negotiate its national consensus anew.

The course is given in collaboration with the Center for Jewish Cultural History, Paris Lodron University, Salzburg and Paideia – The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden.

 

Course structure

Each lesson consists of an introduction, watching a movie (90-120 minutes) and discussion. 

Prior knowledge

The course is given in English.

No prior knowledge about the subject is needed. Both participants that have taken the courses Celebrating the Balagan 1 and Celebrating the Balagan 2 and those new to the topic are welcome to apply. 

To apply for this course, you need basic computer skills and knowledge of how to use the digital platform Zoom. The school offers Zoom manuals and a training opportunity before the start of the course.

Course material

Course material is included. Additional reading may be recommended by the teacher and is to be acquired by the participants. The teacher will inform you of this, if you get accepted to the course.

About the teacher

Louise Hecht was recently the Lilli and Michael Sommerfreund guest professor at the Hochschule für Jüdische Studien in Heidelberg, Germany. She studied Judaic Studies, German and Spanish literature at the University Vienna, Austria. She holds a PhD in Jewish History from The Hebrew University, Jerusalem (summa cum laude) and a habilitation in Jewish Cultural History from the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg. Her teaching and research focus on cultural and intellectual history, gender studies, printing culture and popular culture in Israel.

Photo: from the movie “Children of the Sun”

Frequently Asked Questions