 |
The Galilee Academy for Teaching & Exploring Israel | |
| Homepage | Our Vision | Our Seminars | Touring Israel | Educational Products | Site stories | Jewish Lexicon | Contact Us |
Our Seminars
The Galilee Academy's educational concept is to place Biblical Israel in its broader regional context. Because of the country's location as both land bridge and bottleneck, it has always been under the influence and in the shade of powerful neighbors.
Courses at the Academy integrate the story of Israel into the history of regional developments, as every significant event in the region has affected the country and its people.
Courses include background and historical information that pertain to the region in general and to regional players that have influenced the Land of Israel and its people.
The Sources
A fine way to supplement the information provided by the Bible is to focus on archeological excavations.
For over a century now, extensive archeological digs have been conducted at numerous sites in the Middle East. Many of the discoveries at these sites have shed light on different Biblical periods. The Tablets from Mari, found in eastern Syria (the discovery of the tablets is said to have brought about a complete revision of the historical dating of the ancient Near East), teach us about Abraham's journey to Canaan. The execration texts (found in Egypt) draw a clear picture of the demographics of Canaan during the time of the patriarchs.
Then there are the Al Amarna Tablets, considered one of the best sources through which you can deepen your understanding of the geo-political situation in Canaan on the eve of the conquest by Joshua.
Documents from Nuzi, Babylon and Nineveh can teach us much about daily life, law and administration in ancient Israel. Studying these sources contributes significantly to our knowledge of Biblical times and courses offered by the Academy will demonstrate how analyses of archeological discoveries can help us to better understand the Scriptures.
Seminar Topics
To open up our academic center to the maximum number of students
we provide tailor-made programs for educational institutions according to their requirements.
Our seminars are also open to individuals who wish to increase and deepen
their knowledge of the Bible and the history of Israel.
Seminar topics include:
* The Geography of Bible Lands
* Ancient Israel – The Days of the Patriarchs
* On the Eve of Conquest – Political Changes in Canaan during the Bondage of Israel in Egypt
* The Era of the Judges
* The Days of Joshua
* The Days of the United Monarchy
* The Kingdom of Judah
* The Era of the Kingdom of Israel
* Removed and Returned – The Days of Ezra and Nehemiah
* The Greek Conquest under Alexander "The Great" and its Consequences
* The Revolt of the Hasmoneans and their Kingdom
* The Roman Conquest of Judea I
* The Roman Conquest of Judea II
* The Jewish World – Religion and People
* The Dead Sea Scrolls
* The City and Urban Life in the Biblical Era
- The seminars combine classroom lectures and tours of the regions that are studied.
Various options are available:
- A two-week seminar, in which one week is devoted to classroom study and the other to exploring the country
- A four-week seminar in which two weeks are devoted to classroom study and two more to exploring the country
- Personalized seminars that are tailored to the interests of the participants
For those who seek to increase their knowledge of the Bible and Israel, but prefer not to travel, the Galilee Academy will send its best professors and teachers from Israel to bring Biblical and historical knowledge right to their doorstep.
We also offer classes, workshops and seminars that may be provided in your home church or college.
Choose from the academy list of seminars and courses to learn more
Our Seminars
The Galilee Academy's educational concept is to place Biblical Israel in its broader regional context. Because of the country's location as both land bridge and bottleneck, it has always been under the influence and in the shade of powerful neighbors.
Courses at the Academy integrate the story of Israel into the history of regional developments, as every significant event in the region has affected the country and its people.
Courses include background and historical information that pertain to the region in general and to regional players that have influenced the Land of Israel and its people.
The Sources
A fine way to supplement the information provided by the Bible is to focus on archeological excavations.
For over a century now, extensive archeological digs have been conducted at numerous sites in the Middle East. Many of the discoveries at these sites have shed light on different Biblical periods. The Tablets from Mari, found in eastern Syria (the discovery of the tablets is said to have brought about a complete revision of the historical dating of the ancient Near East), teach us about Abraham's journey to Canaan. The execration texts (found in Egypt) draw a clear picture of the demographics of Canaan during the time of the patriarchs.
Then there are the Al Amarna Tablets, considered one of the best sources through which you can deepen your understanding of the geo-political situation in Canaan on the eve of the conquest by Joshua.
Documents from Nuzi, Babylon and Nineveh can teach us much about daily life, law and administration in ancient Israel. Studying these sources contributes significantly to our knowledge of Biblical times and courses offered by the Academy will demonstrate how analyses of archeological discoveries can help us to better understand the Scriptures.
Seminar Topics
To open up our academic center to the maximum number of students
we provide tailor-made programs for educational institutions according to their requirements.
Our seminars are also open to individuals who wish to increase and deepen
their knowledge of the Bible and the history of Israel.
Seminar topics include:
* The Geography of Bible Lands
* Ancient Israel – The Days of the Patriarchs
* On the Eve of Conquest – Political Changes in Canaan during the Bondage of Israel in Egypt
* The Era of the Judges
* The Days of Joshua
* The Days of the United Monarchy
* The Kingdom of Judah
* The Era of the Kingdom of Israel
* Removed and Returned – The Days of Ezra and Nehemiah
* The Greek Conquest under Alexander "The Great" and its Consequences
* The Revolt of the Hasmoneans and their Kingdom
* The Roman Conquest of Judea I
* The Roman Conquest of Judea II
* The Jewish World – Religion and People
* The Dead Sea Scrolls
* The City and Urban Life in the Biblical Era
- The seminars combine classroom lectures and tours of the regions that are studied.
Various options are available:
- A two-week seminar, in which one week is devoted to classroom study and the other to exploring the country
- A four-week seminar in which two weeks are devoted to classroom study and two more to exploring the country
- Personalized seminars that are tailored to the interests of the participants
For those who seek to increase their knowledge of the Bible and Israel, but prefer not to travel, the Galilee Academy will send its best professors and teachers from Israel to bring Biblical and historical knowledge right to their doorstep.
We also offer classes, workshops and seminars that may be provided in your home church or college.
Due to its strategic location on major international trade routes, throughout history the Land has been subjected to frequent invasions. During peaceful times the location was a great blessing, as in the early days of King Solomon when Israel experienced a period of great prosperity.
At the Academy we will introduce our students to the Land of Israel through both academic studies and during day trips and other excursions, when we will focus on Israel's geography and history.
Ancient Israel – the Days of the Patriarchs
In the book of Genesis, the Bible focuses on Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their extended families.
Only seldom does the Bible grant us a glimpse into the lives of the other civilizations that lived in the Land.
As they examine the lives of the Patriarchs, students will learn more about the Hebrews and their interactions with other cultures.
The Eve of the Conquest
The Book of Joshua tells the story of Israel's conquest of Canaan.
However, during the more than four hundred years when the
Israelites were absent from Canaan, much took place there.
The days of Joshua and the Judges
The conquest of Canaan ushered in a new era in Israel's history.
This was the first time that the Hebrews controlled a large part of the "Promised Land."
In this course, students will study the military campaigns that Joshua waged against the local rulers.
They will also learn about the lives of the tribes of Israel, as well as the place of Shiloh and the
Ark of the Covenant in the nation's life.
The Days of the United Monarchy
The transition from a tribal society to a united monarchy was more a matter of necessity than one of choice.
In this course, the student will explore the challenges inherent in the creation of an administration,
a standing army and the various other aspects of a monarchy.
In this course, the student will explore the challenges inherent in the creation of an administration,
a standing army and the various other aspects of a monarchy.
The Kingdom of Judah (The Southern Kingdom)
The course focuses on the more than three centuries of the Southern Kingdom's existence and its economy,
society and religious life. Students learn about the crisis that followed the monarchy's partition and the
subsequent period of slow recovery. By examining the careers of several kings such as Hezekiah, Joash,
Uzziah, Josiah and others, the type of religion and worship practiced by the Judeans will be revealed.
The Era of the Kingdom of Israel (The Northern Kingdom)
The course focuses on the Kingdom of Israel, which was bigger and more powerful than the Kingdom of Judah.
The course examines the long, ongoing conflict between the Kingdom of Israel and the Arameans (Syrians) under
King Omri and his son Ahab. Much attention is given to the rise of Assyria and the threat it presented to the whole region.
Removed and Returned – the Days of Ezra and Nehemiah
This course is crucial if one is to comprehed the foundation of Judaism.
The lesson of Exile was one of the main issues the prophet Ezekiel focused on while teaching and encouraging the exiles.
While in Babylon anticipating their return, the people adhered to their social structure, the identity of the priesthood and
other manifestations of national and religious independence.A key section of the course is devoted to the building of the altar
by Zerubabel and Joshua and the completion of the Second Temple.
The lesson of Exile was one of the main issues the prophet Ezekiel focused on while teaching and encouraging the exiles.
While in Babylon anticipating their return, the people adhered to their social structure, the identity of the priesthood and
other manifestations of national and religious independence.A key section of the course is devoted to the building of the altar
by Zerubabel and Joshua and the completion of the Second Temple.
The Greek Conquest under Alexander the Great and its Consequences
The Greek conquest of the region brought with it an unprecedented challenge.
This was the first time that a nation had set out to conquer the world with the intention of
changing the nature and lifestyle of the people who were to be conquered. "Hellenizing" the world also
meant introducing another religion to the occupied nations. That was a moment of truth for the Jews in Israel.
The course focuses on some of the Greek principles and their contradictions of the Jewish discipline.
The Revolt of the Hasmoneans and their Kingdom
More than a century of war and conflict on Israel's soil ended with a decisive victory by the
King of Syria, Antiochus III over the King of Egypt. Only a few years later the Roman army entered Asia.
The Syrian army, defeated by the Romans in their first engagement, focused all its attention on stopping Rome.
The finances required for the war effort were taken from temples across the Syrian kingdom, including the Temple in Jerusalem.
That was the main reason for the Jewish uprising against the Selucids, the Syrian- Greek regime.
The Roman conquest of Judea - Part I
The course focuses on the aftermath of the Roman conquest by Pompeii. Twenty years of bitter struggle had wiped out the elite of Jewish society. The Hasmonean Kingdom was lost and the former masters of the land were now subjects of the Roman Empire. Rome's choice to appoint Herod, a member of an Edumean convert family, as king over the Jews was a catastrophe from a Jewish standpoint. However, his reign was also a time of prosperity and tranquility.
The Roman Conquest of Judea – Part II
In this concluding course of the program, course participants learn about the province of Judea
under Roman governors and the rapid deterioration of the Jewish-Roman relationship that led to the "Great Revolt."
Students become acquainted with the Jewish society of the time and the various groups it comprised, such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, etc.
The Jewish World – Religion & People
We believe that a basic understanding of elementary Judaism is important,
so that students can season their knowledge with the flavor of the Jewish faith.
To that end, course participants will be acquainted with the principles of the Jewish religion
and the changes it underwent over the years.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are believed by many to be the most important discovery ever made in Israel.
The scrolls shed a bright light on various aspects of Second Temple period Judaism.
The wealth of information one can obtain from the scrolls is essential to an understanding of
Jewish society in the days of Jesus.
The City and Urban Life in the Biblical Era
This course acquaints students with the city and urban life, touching on issues like the challenges of finding a location in close proximity to a water source and decent roads. The course will explore the layered or "tell" approach to building a town. A town's gatehouse, walls, water system, high location and so forth will all be discussed in the context of Biblical references.
© All Rights Reserved to TheGate4Israel.com