The Oxford Biblical Hebrew Summer School will take place from August 23-27 and August 31-September 3 2021. This year the school is being given online (via Zoom).
The school offers nine days of intensive teaching in Biblical Hebrew. Each weekday there will be three hours of teaching, delivered in two separate 90-minute sessions, between 11.30-15.30 (UK time).
The OBHSS corresponds to two full terms of intensive teaching for a full-time university student. It is open to students with or without experience in the language. For the former, it offers an opportunity to review and consolidate what they have previously learnt. For the latter, it will provide a strong foundation from which to begin formalized or private study of Biblical Hebrew.
The cost of the school is £275 per student for 27 hours of language instruction.
The application form may be downloaded by clicking here. The application closing date is Monday 26 July 2021. Places are limited.
For queries and further information, please contact Dr Stephen L. Herring at stephen.herring@orinst.ox.ac.uk.
“As a total beginner, I found the Oxford Biblical Hebrew Summer School gave me a great overview of Hebrew grammar, without the expectation of understanding everything or the pressure of exams. Now going back through the material in ordinary study, I am able to recognise grammar that would otherwise be completely new, which aids in my comprehension. Completing the course prep material, which Steve distributes well in advance, is essential to hit the ground running as the course is fast paced – but very rewarding, and thoroughly recommended.”
Roy Bartle (OBHSS 2017)
“I highly recommend the OBHSS. Stephen’s enthusiastic and systematic approach covered all the fundamentals of Biblical Hebrew. I was impressed at how much I improved in just two weeks. Whether you are new to the study of Biblical Hebrew or have been learning for a while, this programme is sure to prove useful”.
David-Yehuda Stern (OBHSS 2018)
“As a Hebrew language neophyte, learning introductory Hebrew with Dr. Herring, through the Oxford Biblical Hebrew Summer School (OBHSS) program online (via Zoom), was a happy experience. He made the Hebrew language accessible to students so that advancing from beginning to intermediate Hebrew at Boston College for me was seamless. I highly recommend this course to other prospective students.”
Patrick Ogbonyomi Alemayo (OBHSS 2020)
“The OBHSS is a great experience. You cover a huge amount of ground in the course of two weeks – looking back at the end it is astonishing how far you have come. The teaching is excellent, attentive to the individual needs of students with different experiences of language-learning, and balanced between clear explanations of difficult topics, and realistic expectations of what’s possible in an intensive course. I’d strongly recommend this to anyone looking to make a start with Biblical Hebrew, or to accelerate rusty or beginner’s learning. “
Dr Kathryn Murphy (OBHSS 2018)
Fellow and Tutor in English, Oriel College
Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Associate Professor, English Faculty, University of Oxford
“Having learned Latin and Greek for the last seven years, I can honestly say that I have never had a teacher like Stephen, who has been able to impart information in such an accessible and stimulating way by using the fundamental building blocks of the language to make later and more difficult material deducible from first principles. The Summer School was held over Zoom for the first time but I felt that within a few sessions Stephen was able to simulate the tone of a ‘real’ classroom as closely as possible, encouraging interjections on anything and everything with his characteristic patience, clarity, and mastery of Hebrew.”
Oliver Parkes (OBHSS 2020)