Melton School offers online classes

High-level Judaic studies is now available to everyone, regardless of whether they live in a large or tiny Jewish community. Melton Online is making it possible to learn over a laptop with Jews across North America.

The Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning, a program of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is the largest pluralistic adult Jewish education network in the world. With over fifty locations in North America, Great Britain, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Hong Kong, the Melton School uses high-quality, text-based, interactive Jewish study and offers world-class curriculum that informs and inspires adult learners from all knowledge-levels and backgrounds.

Until last year, Melton classes were available only in specific communities in partnership with a local Jewish education agency, such as New Orleans. Last year, the Hebrew University launched Melton Online, a program that allows learners to take classes using an interactive learning platform. All students can see and hear each other in real time via the internet.

Melton Online is the first Jewish education program to be designed with Jewish pluralism as a central value. Although affiliated with Hebrew University, this program is not degree granting. It is designed for a lay learner but provides comprehensive, sequential learning on a high level. The program is especially designed to offer Jewish communities without access to high quality Jewish education the chance to be engaged with other Jews across North America and the world.

Last year Melton Online was piloted with learners across North America. Each Sunday participants from places as far apart as New Hampshire, Alexandria, La., and the Wine Country of Northern California met weekly to explore the “big ideas” of Jewish life and the daily and yearly practices of Jewish living. Adults who had never had the opportunity to explore key ideas in Jewish thought, such as Judaism’s thinking on why bad things happen to good people, engaged in series learning across cyberspace.

Melton Online is set to offer four courses beginning in mid-October. To learn more about the program visit here. Information about the program can be found under “Courses.” In addition, Jonathan Fass, the Melton Online Program Director, can be emailed here.