Oriental Studies – Hebrew Studies

Full-time, first and second-cycle studies in Polish.

The Faculty of Oriental Studies – Hebrew Studies has a strong interdisciplinary character, although the leading discipline is the study of culture and religion. The unique didactic programme is implemented exclusively at the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the University of Warsaw, which has over 90 years of experience in teaching Oriental/African cultures and languages, including Hebrew, which was confirmed by the creation of the unique course of Oriental Studies – Hebraistics. The didactic programme is based on many years of experience and practice in teaching and researching issues related to the State of Israel and Judaism. The lecturers are specialists – in most cases the only ones in Poland – in issues related to this geographical and cultural area, and they carry out advanced research supported by numerous publications in Polish and foreign languages. Language courses are taught by native speakers. In addition, in order to improve their qualifications and language skills, students have the opportunity to apply for language or research internships in Israel.

The expected educational effects are twofold: the acquisition of a broad knowledge of various aspects of Israeli and Jewish culture and the acquisition of Hebrew language skills. The studies provide a broad knowledge of Israeli and Jewish literature, history, philosophy, religion and art, and ensure the acquisition of advanced skills and linguistic competence through intensive Hebrew language study.

The comprehensive education provided by the Oriental Studies-Hebrew Studies programme, which is also concerned with the wider humanities, enables students to go on to do interdisciplinary research, to understand the roots of contemporary world problems and to attempt to find solutions to them. It provides students with the broad horizons necessary to understand today’s problems and conflicts arising from civilisational differences. The programme also enables the training of new staff in the field of cultural and religious studies and other academic disciplines. The completion of the programme in Oriental Studies – Hebrew Studies allows for the achievement of cognitive synergy and the shaping of a new trend of thought and social awareness, which consists of understanding, openness and tolerance towards others, so necessary today, as well as the appreciation of one’s own culture and ethical attitudes stemming from European, Israeli and Jewish circles.

The knowledge acquired will enable graduates of the Faculty of Oriental-Hebrew Studies to deal with general issues of Israeli and Jewish cultural theory and practice. The graduate will understand the diversity of cultures and civilisations, which will enable him/her to participate in the process of intercultural understanding and cooperation. He/she will acquire a basis for theoretical reflection on Israeli and Jewish culture. He/she will be able to analyse basic phenomena of Israeli and Jewish culture, and a good linguistic and methodological background in cultural and religious studies, linguistics, philosophy, history, literary studies and art studies will be a tool for the graduate to analyse these phenomena.

Graduates will be prepared to work in cultural institutions, the media, editorial offices and public administration. Increasing economic contacts with Israel mean that the labour market needs experts with knowledge of the language and the cultural and social realities of the country. Political and diplomatic contacts require the employment of specialists in the field of Israeli and Jewish language and culture, which is what graduates in Oriental Studies-Hebrew Studies are. 

The Department of Hebrew Studies became a separate unit of the Institute of Oriental Studies in 1990. Until then, between 1977 and 1990, Hebrew studies used to be part of the Chair of Ancient Near Eastern and Hebrew Studies headed by Prof. Witold Tyloch. The Chair was separated into three autonomous departments in 1990, the Department of Hebrew Studies being one of them.

The Department of Hebrew Studies offers a three-year first-cycle course and a two-year second-cycle course. An intensive course of Modern Hebrew is taught for the entire duration of these studies as a compulsory subject. The Department educates specialists in Classical and Modern Hebrew, Classical and Modern Hebrew literature, classical and modern Jewish thought, and social and cultural aspects of modern Israel.

The teaching programme of the Department is unique in that Modern Hebrew is central to its educational approach. Modern Hebrew is perceived as the key which opens doors to numerous research fields, such as literature, linguistics, history, Judaism, and cultural studies, and as a practical tool useful in the modern international business environment.

Therefore, the Department puts major effort into continuously developing its language teaching methodology by means of employing innovative methods and tailor-made curricula created by experienced teachers aware of the shortcomings of traditional syllabi, who offer solutions to problems experienced by students. Thus, the Department of Hebrew Studies offers language courses which effectively use all the tools available to a modern language teacher, including mass media, social media, popular culture, literary texts, cinema, etc. Second-cycle students have the opportunity to attend more complex courses, e.g., in Hebrew literature, Israeli cinema, or translation workshops, to further develop their linguistic, cultural, and social consciousness. Due to this holistic approach, which develops language knowledge simultaneously with cultural sensitivity, the Department hopes to provide its graduates with useful, authentic knowledge and skills that are in high demand.

The Department of Hebrew Studies conducts research in the following fields:

• Classical Hebrew and Biblical studies
• Early Hebrew epigraphy
• Sociological aspects in the Hebrew Bible
• The political system of Ancient Israel
• Aramaic and Targumic studies
• Neo-Aramaic dialects
• The development of Semitic languages
• Hebrew glottodidactics
• Modern Hebrew literature
• Modern Jewish thought
• Social and cultural issues of modern Israel
• Hebrew philology

More detailed information about the programme and the major can be found at: www.hebraistyka.uw.edu.pl.