MIGDAL OZ COURSE STRUCTURE
Foundational to our study of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Messiah is Rom 10:9: "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (NIV) Therefore, the study of Jesus Christ will be the central focus of Migdal Oz, School of Biblical Studies and will permeate every aspect of the School.
The following curriculum is still being refined.
STUDENT STUDIES I
MO 101 - 1 Semester Hr.
Highlights of this course will include: - Introduction to Pastor Scott Heare and Executive Pastor and the Riverside Congregation of Bulverde Texas. Introduction to Pastor Roi Garcia and the Baruch HaShem Congregation of San Antonio Texas. Migdal Oz, School of Biblical Studies purpose, description, goals and objectives • Turn "history" into "memory" • Living in Biblical community • Speak "life" into people • Principles for open discussions • Expectations of students, student duties and responsibilities in community • Biblical conflict resolution (Mt 18:15-19) • Long term School Themes
HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST I
HIST 101 - 4 Semester Hrs.
Geographical and geological studies of the Levant • A detailed map-study of Biblical locations as well as detailed map-studies of pertinent Biblical and pertinent Historic Events • "Read the Land. Live the Book." • Biblical, extra-Biblical and contemporary textual sources • Patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac (Ishmael), Jacob (Esau) • Exile to Egypt and the Exodus • Joseph - Moses - Conquest - Judges - United Monarchy - Saul, David and Solomon • The Divided Monarchy • The influence of Egypt in the Levant • Assyrian Conquest (722 BC) • Babylonian Conquest (586 BC)
FIELD STUDIES I
HIST 101 FS - 2 Semester Hrs.
NOTE: This Field Study will be conducted in one intensive week of travel throughout Israel during the month of January after transitioning to Israel. • Examples of Archaeological Sites will include tels at Dan, Hazor, Megiddo, Shechem, Samaria, Gezer, Azekah, Lachish, Jericho, Beer-Sheba and Arad • Examples of Museum Visits will include: the Israel Museum, the Bible Land Museum, the Tower of David Museum, the Rockefeller Archeological Museum, the Ariel Center, Solomon's Quarry and private collections.
HISTORY OF JERUSALEM I
HIST 111 - 3 Semester Hrs.
History of Jerusalem from the time of Abraham until 586 BC (Babylonian Exile). Once the School transitions to its location in Israel for the Spring Semester we will conduct Field Studies to pertinent museums and archaeological locations throughout Jerusalem (to include the City of David Archaeological Park).
HISTORY OF THE JEWISH FIRST TEMPLE BY THE BABYLONIANS (586 BC)
HIST 121 - 1 Semester Hr.
Once the School transitions to its location in Israel for the Spring Semester we will conduct field Studies to pertinent museums and archaeological locations (to include visits to the Temple Mount, Rabbinic Tunnels, Davidson Center).
CULTURAL BACKGROUND OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST
CUL 101 - 2 Semester Hrs.
Study of the peoples from Abraham to the Babylonian Conquest • Lifestyle (pastural, rural, urban) • "House" (aka: physical structure of the home (4-room house)) • Literacy • Law • Family Structure • Social Structure • Marriage • Hospitality • Food production • Marking time • Religious practices • Burial Practices
HEBREW ROOTS OF OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH
CUL 111 - 1.5 Hrs.
This topic will permeate instruction within all other courses throughout both the Fall and Spring Semesters. Highlights of this course will include: Why is it important to study "Jewish Roots" • Music and movies will have an integral role in this course • Judaism 101 - The organization of the Hebrew Bible • Shabbat • Three Fall Festivals • Hanukah • Tallit
INTRODUCTION TO HEBREW
HEB 101 - 2 Semester Hrs.
Introductions to both Biblical and Conversational Hebrew • A brief history of the development, loss and recovery of the language • Memorization of the Hebrew alef-bet • Memorization of approx. 300 key Biblical and Conversational words and phrases in either Hebrew and "transliterated" forms • Memorization in Hebrew of key passages of the Bible
DISCIPLESHIP
SEMINAR 101 - 1 Semester Hr.
This will be a once per week course scheduled for Sunday afternoons. Selected highlights of this course will include: Guided, open discussion of outside readings • Guided, open discussion of the weekly Parashah (Torah Portion) • Guided, open discussion of Life Application • Memorization in English of approx. 12 key passages from both the Old (TANAKH) and the New Testaments (B'rit Hadashah) using the NASB text. - NOTE: The sponsoring congregation is Riverside Community Church (Pastor Scott Heare). The School will regularly be attending services and have access to the Pastoral Team and programs for ministerial, mentorship and discipleship services.
Total hours of the Fall Semester -15.5
For more information on our courses, rates and availability, feel free to contact us.
WELCOME TO THE SPRING SEMESTER
SPRING SEMESTER
Upon transitioning to Israel for the Spring Semester in January, the life and ministry of Jesus Christ will be studied through various methods such as sites visits, Temple Mount, Mount of Olives, Bethlehem, and Garden Tomb visits, the study of the (4) Spring Festivals, reference back into the Old Testament of selected teachings of Jesus, attending services, weekly seminar sessions, etc. Included in this study will be an introduction to the Jewish view Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph.
STUDENT STUDIES II
MO 201 - .5 Semester Hrs.
Selected highlights of this Spring Semester course will include: - Living in Biblical community in Israel - Expectations of students, student duties and responsibilities in community while in Israel. - Security Considerations - always travel in pairs (or more). - Introduction to Pastor Chad Holland and the King of Kings Congregation Jerusalem - Orientation to the Old City and New Jerusalem (city tours): trusted vendors, restaurants, coffee shops, gift shops, etc. - Orientation for using the bus and light rail systems - Orientation to local customs and courtesies in a Jewish and Moslem cultures.
HISTORY OF ANCIENT NEAR EAST II
HIST 102 - 3 Semester Hrs.
The focus will be from Nehemiah to the beginning of the Zionist Movement in the late 19th Century AD. Selected highlights of this course will include: - Israel and Near East affirms beginning with Nehemiah's return - The Greek Conquest, the Maccabean Revolt and the Early Roman Period. - Herod's Reign. - The emphasis of the course will be on the New Testament Period - The Jewish Revolts of 70 AD and 136 AD. - A brief overview of Late Ancient periods from the Late Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, Crusades and Ottoman Periods.
FIELD STUDIES II
MUSEUM AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE VISITS
HIST 102 FS - 2 Semester Hrs.
Primarily conducted during daytrips on Wednesdays with the following two (2) exceptions: - Northern Israel may include three (3) days and two (2) nights in the Galilee - 3 - 5-day Field Study to Jordan conducted in late March or early April. The sites visited will be Old Testament Sites. - Examples of Archaeological Sites (Israel) will include Bethlehem, the Garden Tomb, Caesarea Philippi, Caesarea Maritime, Chorazin, Capernaum, Arbel, Susita, Nazareth, Gamla, Bar'am, Katzrin Village (Golan) - Examples of Museum Visits will include the Israel Museum, the Bible Land Museum, the Tower of David Museum, the Rockefeller Archeological Museum, the Burnt House, the Wohl Museum, Yad HaShem Holocaust Museum and private collections. - Examples of Archaeological Sites (Jordan) will include tels at Petra, Medaba, Rabbath-Ammon, Ramoth-Gilead, Mt. Nebo, Succoth, Heshbon
HISTORY OF JERUSALEM II
HIST 112 - 2 Semester Hrs.
This will cover the return of Nehemiah to the beginning of the Zionist Movement in the late 19th Century AD. Selected highlights of this course will include: - The size of the city at the time of Nehemiah and how it grew and changed over time. - The changes of Jerusalem through the periods of the Romans, Byzantines, Moslems, Crusaders, Ottomans through to modern times. - Field Studies to pertinent museums and archaeological locations throughout Jerusalem. - The rebuilding of Jerusalem by Hadrian following the Jewish Revolt of 136 AD.
HISTORY OF THE JEWISH SECOND TEMPLE
HIST 122 - 1 Semester Hr.
Selected highlights of this course will include: - Nehemiah's rebuilding of the Temple. - The Hasmonean rededication of the Temple (Hanukkah) - Herod's Temple - The destruction of Jerusalem and Herod's Temple in 70 AD. - Field studies will include Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Pools at Bethesda, St. Anne's Church, the NEA Church, Old City Walk, Ramparts Walk, the Temple Institute, the Western Wall, and the Rabbinic Tunnels
HISTORY OF THE MODERN NEAR EAST FROM THE EARLY ZIONIST MOVEMENT TO THE PRESENT
HIST 201 - 2 Semester Hrs.
Selected highlights of this course will include: - The early Zionist Movement from 1880 - 1948 covering the Late Ottoman Period, WWI, British Mandate to the Independence of the Nation of Israel (1948 AD). This course will cover the Sykes-Picot Treaty (1916) and the Balfour Declaration (1917). - The emphasis of the course will be on the modern Israeli-Palestinian Relations following to Israeli's Independence in 1948 - the Present. - This course will cover the wars in 1956, 1967 and 1973 as well as pertinent accords such as the Oslo Accord.
CULTURAL BACKGROUND II
CUL 201 - 1 Semester Hr.
This cover the periods from the Second Temple Period (Nehemiah through the destruction of Herod's Temple) to modern times.
NOTE: For the Spring Semester, this course will continue to build upon the teaching of but combine the two (2) separate courses from the Fall Semester: Cultural Background of the Peoples of the Ancient Near East and Jewish Roots of Our Christian Faith. The cultural context of the Second Temple Period and of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ will be studied primarily through the context of the Biblical events discussed during the Spring Semester. This approach will be pursued due to the intense volume of material covered in the other courses during the Spring Semester, the loss of one classroom day (Wednesdays) to Field Studies and because we will be living within a Jewish environment where modern Cultural teaching points will be a daily occurrence. Selected highlights of this course will include: - As in the Fall Semester, music and movies will play an integral part in this course - Marriage language throughout the Bible. - Study of the Lord's (4) Spring Festivals - Changes in Jewish culture due to the Babylonian captivity - Study of Pruim - Changes in Jewish culture due the influence of Hellenism - Study of Hanukkah - Changes of Jewish culture due to the Diaspora - The rise of Rabbinic tradition - Modern Jewish culture
INTRODUCTION TO HEBREW II
HEB 102 - 2 Semester Hrs.
This course will build upon and continue the material presented during the Fall Semester. Two profound and fundamental differences between the Fall and Spring Semesters are that during the Spring Semester: - Studying in Israel, the School will have access to Biblical Hebrew Scholars whose native language is Hebrew whose understanding of the connotations and nuances of the language will provide an understanding of the Text far beyond what can be achieved through most Western-based study. - Living in Israel and interacting with native Israeli's on a daily basis, the students will have the opportunity to use and expand the Conversational Hebrew taught during the Fall Semester.
DISCIPLESHIP II
SEMINAR 201 - 1 Semester Hr.
In the Spring Semester, this will be a once per week course scheduled for Sunday afternoons. This course may meet more frequently if necessary. Selected highlights of this course will include: - The emphasis of this course will be Life Application as the students resume their walk with the Lord outside the School's environment. - Especially during the second half of the semester, topics will be more open to include Christian marriage in the modern world, apologetics, etc. - Guided, open discussion of outside readings - Guided, open discussion of the weekly Parashah (Torah Portion) - Guided, open discussion of Life Application - Memorization in English of approx. 12 key passages from both the Old (TANAKH) and the New Testaments (B'rit Hadashah) using the NASB text. - NOTE: The sponsoring congregation is King of Kings Community Jerusalem (Pastor Chad Holland). The School will regularly be attending services and have access to the Pastoral Team and programs for ministerial, mentorship and discipleship services.
The Spring Semester will have 14.5 Semester Hrs. The total Course Hrs. will be 17 classes for 30 Hours.