Javascript Menu by Deluxe-Menu.com Pre-Pardes Ulpan Study | Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies - Jerusalem Israel

Pre-Pardes Ulpan Study

List of Ulpanim

Summer 2009 (This list is updated annually in April)

Owing to the vital role that Hebrew plays in textual study, Pardes requires that students devote part of the summer prior to entrance to improving their Hebrew proficiency. If, for some reason, a student with beginner level Hebrew cannot take this amount of time to improve their language skills, Pardes asks these students to take the Ulpan Or two-week immersion course immediately before arriving at Pardes (see details below).

There are dozens of ulpan programs in and outside of Israel reflecting an enormous range in quality. Pardes directs incoming students to programs with which we have experience as having benefited students in past years.

We highly recommend the programs listed in category A, approve those in category B, and would want to hear more (how many hours per week, how many weeks, what levels are offered, what texts are used) if you request to attend some other program, whether in Israel or elsewhere.

Pardes offers a Summer Ulpan a few hours a week. While this ulpan is fast-paced, it is a part-time program which is not appropriate for incoming Pardes Year students. Year students should pursue a full-time, intensive ulpan for two months.

Note: Several of the programs listed below do not decide on times and costs until closer to the summer. Once you decide on one of the programs, contact it directly to confirm all the details.

bulletCategory A


  1. Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus - Called the "Jerusalem Ulpan"
    Coordinator: TBA
    Levels: aleph-hey (option for vav if enough students)
    Dates: June 25- July 26, 2009, registration on June 23-24 (9:00-2:00)
    Cost: $1400
    Accommodations: available
    Times: Sunday to Thursday, 5 hours each morning.
    Example timetable (A detailed timetable will be distributed at the beginning of the session)
    Application Deadline: May 15, 2008
    Contact: http://overseas.huji.ac.il
    For questions email:
    Description:
    The Jerusalem Ulpan is an intensive Hebrew language course, consisting of 140 hours. This course is designed for visitors with an academic background who are interested in learning Hebrew through the Jerusalem experience. In the Jerusalem Ulpan you will encounter people, communities, and religions that influenced this city. You will learn Hebrew not only in the classroom. Field trips in Jerusalem are an essential and integral part of the curriculum.
  2. University of Haifa Summer Ulpan
    Location: University of Haifa
    Levels: beginner through advanced
    Dates: July 6-July 29, 2009 and/or August 3-August 27, 2009
    Times: Sunday 9:30-2:30; Monday-Thursday 8:30-1:30
    Cost: $1100 for one session or $1700 for two sessions (tuition only); $60 non-refundable application fee
    Deadline: Received in Haifa by May 1/June 1
    Website: www.uhaifa.org
    Accommodations: Dormitories $400 /month - Single, $280 /month - Double
    Contact: Eliza Croen -
    Telephone: 04-824-0766 Fax: 04-824-0391
  3. The Milah Institute, #4 Mevo HaMatmib, Jerusalem
    Levels: aleph-dalet
    Dates - SUMMER: July 5-September 24, 2009
    Times: Monday-Thursday, 9:00-12:00 (Level Dalet: Sun & Tues 10-1pm)
    Cost: 2220 NIS (Level Dalet 1300 NIS) NOT including books.
    Accommodations: Not available
    *No rate reduction for ending the summer session early, and if student plans to continue with milah in the future, must take level exam at the end of the course.
    For all further enquiries, please see the website www.milah.org or email
    Tel: 02-623-3164 / Fax: 02-624-9834
  4. UlpanOr
    Levels: From total beginner to very advanced, each student gets a personalized individual program after level assessment.
    Ulpan-Or locations: Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv, Israel;
    At your home anywhere in the world, using advanced personal Guided Distance Learning methods.
    Description: Ulpan-Or provides personal Hebrew programs based on the "RLA" Rapid Language Acquisition concept. Progress of one full level is usually achieved in just two weeks. Whether you are a total beginner or have advanced knowledge of Hebrew; Whether you are on a long stay in Israel, or just visiting for a few days, you can learn Hebrew matching your level in a matter of just a few days, using revolutionary methods developed by Ulpan-Or.

    Ulpan-Or offers:
    1) Personal Intensive Mini-Israel Immersion Workshops: 1-2 weeks, Combine one-on-one classroom studies with outdoor activities, and have a true Israel experience Dates and Time: workshops begin every Sunday throughout the year. Price: Starting at $1,085 (5% discount for Pardes students)
    2) Espresso-Hebrew (Hebrew over coffee): Sessions (1.5–2 hours) Zip your coffee while studying Hebrew. Dates and Time: sessions are coordinated with the student. Price: Starting at: $79 per session (5% discount for Pardes students)
    3) Personal "Hebrew-to-Go": Sessions (2-6 hours) Take Hebrew with you and use it immediately!!! sessions are coordinated with the student. Price: Starting at: $99 per session (5% discount for Pardes students)
    4) Personal Guided Distance Learning Programs: for all Levels Can’t make the time for a course while in Israel? Not to worry, Ulpan-Or offers personal one-on-one online guided distance learning programs. On Dates and Time: Monthly modules begin on the 1st of every month.
    Price: Starting at $360 / month (10% discount for Pardes students)

    Contact: Jerusalem: (972)-2-561-1132, Tel Aviv: (972)-3-566-1493 www.ulpanor.com office@ulpanor.com

bulletCategory B


  1. Beit Ha'am (Gerard Behar Center), Rehov Bezalel 11, Jerusalem
    Levels: aleph-vav
    Dates: Sessions begin at the beginning of each month (not in August)
    Times: 5 days a week, 8:00-12:30
    Cost: 807 NIS plus 51 NIS registration fee
    Accommodations: Not available
    Contact: Telephone: 02-624-0034 Fax: 02-623-4654
  2. Hebrew Union College, Rehov King David 13, Jerusalem
    Dates: July 8, 2009-September 2, 2009
    Levels depend on participants (in theory, all levels)
    Time: (As of summer 2008): Monday, Wednesday 5:15 pm - 7:45 pm
    Cost: 1,200 NIS
    Registration: From June 16th, Call Elena from Monday to Thursday, 4:30-6:00pm at
    972-2-620-3303 to set a time to come take a test. Or email:
  3. Ulpan Morasha (Touro College), 22 Rechov Shivtei Yisrael, Jerusalem
    Levels: aleph, bet
    Dates: Ongoing, join anytime (but no ulpan the last two weeks of August)
    Times: 8:30 - 13:00; 5 days a week
    Cost: 500 NIS per month
    Contact: 02-628-1032
    This ulpan serves English, Russian, and French speakers. Call to register.
  4. Ulpan Akiva, Netanya
    Tel: (09) 8350119 (Hadar)
    Dates: June 29- July 23, 2009 / July 27-August 20, 2009
    Levels: 9 from beginners to advanced
    Cost: Determined based on individual�s ability to pay
    Accommodation: Available
    Contact: www.ulpan-akiva.org
  5. Beit Ben Yehuda, 28 Ein Gedi, Jerusalem
    Line Djamchid (Director)
    Dates: August 3 - 28, 2009
    Level: Beginners only
    Times: Sunday - Thursday 8:30-1:00
    Cost: 899 EUROS, without housing, 1099 EUROS with housing in double rooms
    Accommodation: Available, and only a short walk from Pardes This ulpan, located a short walk from Pardes, consists of 100 Hebrew hours, weekend trips, and cultural excursions around Jerusalem. Cost of learning materials is not included, and there might be an extra charge for some of the trips.
    Tel: (02) 673-0124
    Fax: (02) 671-7540
    E-mail:

    6. NEW option! If you participate, please tell us your feedback:

  6. WUJS Ulpan
    Location: Merkaz Hamagshimim, 7 Dor Dor V�Dorshav (parallel to Emek Refaim)
    Dates: June 7, 2009-August 5, 2009
    Times: Sunday-Thursday, 8:30-10:30am
    Levels: Aleph and Bet
    Accommodations: No
    Cost and registration deadline: $150 per participant
    Contact:

    7. bulletAnd if you want to go it alone...


  7. HebrewOnline.com

  8. Rosetta Stone

Student Comments

�I cannot over-emphasize how important and helpful it is for Aleph-level students to take �Ulpan� before coming to Pardes. If you cannot do these simple things: read and pronounce Hebrew words, and conjugate simple regular present, past, and future tense verbs, you will be wasting a lot of your first (or only!) semester learning those basic things, instead of gleaning the real wisdom of Torah; what a shame! Make your time at Pardes really count and learn the very basics of Hebrew before you come. You'll be so thankful you did.�
Jonathan Harris (and wife Fern Reiss)
Pardes Fellows 07-08, Year Program 06-07

�The importance of enrolling in an Ulpan before studying at Pardes cannot be over-estimated, or over-emphasized. As a center for text study, Pardes is a celebrated capital of learning. However, the essential building block for that learning is the Hebrew language. Every source, every class, and just about every conversation to be had at Pardes has its roots in Hebrew. A Hebrew language capacity is essential to tackle and engage the Pardes learning environment. Ulpanim provide students with the building blocks to not just get the most out of their time at Pardes, but also to feel comfortable learning the source texts upon which the learning at�Pardes is based. Whether a student has beginning or�advanced Hebrew skills, an Ulpan is an essential piece of the Pardes puzzle.�
Adam Scheldt
Year Program 06-07

�Attending summer Ulpan gave me the basic tools to enjoy Pardes. I came to Israel with very little Hebrew, and really without the elements of literacy, one cannot get the most out of the Pardes courses.�
Joe Bord
Year Program 06-07

�I attended the Hebrew University Summer Ulpan before my year at Pardes began. It was a great experience that was instrumental in helping me prepare for Pardes in a few ways. Most importantly, it allowed me to brush-up on and improve my Hebrew before being placed in a class level at Pardes (which is essentially a function of your level of Hebrew comprehension rather than Jewish knowledge). It was important to me to attain as high a level of learning as possible by the end of the year, and the Ulpan was a crucial first-step in that effort. Hebrew U also has housing available, which proved very convenient as a temporary living arrangement upon my arrival in Israel. The Ulpan thus gave me time to adjust to being in Jerusalem, and gave my breathing room in terms of finding an apartment while being here, rather than having to do it from overseas. Finally, it was a fun and relaxing way to spend my first month in Israel and I was able to make a lot of friends, some of whom I am sure to remain in touch with for years to come.�
Robert Blum
Year Program 06-07

�I came to Pardes this fall with very limited Hebrew. There were several reasons why I was not able to go to an Ulpan before starting the year, and so unfortunately, I did not go to one. This ended up being quite problematic and was something I really regretted. Had I taken an Ulpan, I would have entered Pardes at class level �Bet�, and instead I am in �Alef�, the level for beginners. The beginning of the year would have been much easier, as I found jumping into classes and all the reading in Hebrew quite difficult. It would have also made the transition into Pardes and the learning itself much smoother. There are many different options for Ulpan, and I am sure that any one of them would have been of help to me. I would highly, highly encourage going to an Ulpan to anyone (especially beginners).�
Annie Grossman
Year Program 06-07