Talmud Pedagogy Project

Bring the magic of SVARA to your teaching

The Talmud Pedagogy Project is a partnership between SVARA and Hebrew College. This one-year program trains Hebrew College rabbinical students and rabbinical school alumni to become joyful, empathetic, inclusive, and rigorous teachers of Talmud.

The fellowship aims to create a cadre of rabbis who will bring Talmud study to the diverse range of communities they serve, whether that community be a synagogue, school, social justice organization, or senior living residence. Building on your Talmud training at Hebrew College, the fellowship is structured around study of theories of Talmud pedagogy, intensive immersion in the SVARA teaching methodology, and a mentored practicum.

The Talmud Pedagogy Project is taught jointly by Rabbi Benay Lappe and Rabbi Dr. Jane Kanarek and is made possible in part through the generous support of the Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah.

About this Learning Space

This learning space is for folks who are:

  • Hebrew College rabbinical students or alums of the Hebrew College Rabbinical School
  • relatively confident learning Talmud in its original Hebrew/Aramaic, with a solid ability to translate and parse a talmudic argument
  • invested in learning how to create transformative, empowering, compassionate, and rigorous learning experiences
  • intrigued by the idea of making Talmud teaching part of your rabbinate
  • intrigued by the idea of making Talmud in its original Hebrew/Aramaic accessible to a wider audience
  • excited by the opportunity to create a learning culture and have the opportunity to put your ideas into action

Calendar & Curriculum

This program runs from September through May and includes the following elements:

  • A semester-long course exploring Talmudic pedagogy with grounding in SVARA’s methodology
  • Week-long immersive learning experience
  • 6-week mentored Teaching Practicum drawing on SVARA’s methodology