Jewish Bible Association

College Program

Dear Student,

High school graduates who come to Israel can take our NY State Board of Regents approved proficiency exams in Hebrew and Judaic Studies for up to 92 college credits (in any combination) toward an American regionally accredited (first) BA in Liberal Studies at Charter Oak State College www.charteroak.edu [see other options below]. The students self-study on their own (using our syllabus); when they're ready, they take our exams. Over the past 5 years, we have had over 450 students in our program. Note that the degree is a real regionally accredited BA and not a 2nd rate BAL or a 4th rate BTL degree. All exams are at least 3 credits and thus transferable to over 1500 colleges. Students get a GPA since the transcript at Charter Oak lists a letter grade rather than PASS or FAIL.

JEWISH LITURGICAL MUSIC: 36 credits (32 upper level)
MODERN AND BIBLICAL HEBREW: 40 credits (8 upper level)
BIBLE: 15 credits
TALMUD: 24 credits (8 upper level)
JEWISH LAW (Kashrut and Shabbat): 18 credits (6 upper level)

Please check the NY State Board of Regents http://www.nationalponsi.org (more specifically:
http://www.nationalponsi.org/ccr/Listings/jewish_bible_association_home.htm
for list of exams in: Jewish music, gemara, Chumash, Hebrew, and halacha
(hilchot kashrut and shabbat). Credits are also accepted at over 1500 American colleges.

Our students have gone on toward graduate and professional degrees (law school, MBA's,
medical school, education, psychology, computer science, etc.) [names available on request].

Students can proceed on toward second BA's at hundreds of US colleges (30 credits in a new major, 45 credits in accounting and engineering), go on toward graduate work at the University of Maryland www.umuc.edu ; do a 2 year second BA at Columbia University in NYC with the second year being 1st year graduate or medical school/law school courses at Columbia; enter a MS in engineering program at Boston University for humanities graduates http://www.bu.edu/bulletins/eng/item12.html in the areas of: biomedical engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, and mechanical engineering; do a 12-15 month post-baccalaureate program in pre-med or pre-dentistry to get into medical or dental school; do a 12 month international MBA at Bar Ilan University in Israel www.biu.ac.il/imba ; a 6 month post-baccalaureate teacher certification program for the public school system; follow this teacher's certification with a 30 credit master's degree in special education for state licensure; do a one year post-baccalaureate in speech therapy that allows humanities graduates to enter a master's degree program in speech pathology; enter a 16 month post-baccalaureate for a BSN (nursing) degree; enter a 2.5 year Doctor of Physical Therapy program followed by a paid one year clinical internship to become a licensed physical therapist; enter a special MSW program at Yeshiva University's Wurzweiler School of Social Work (2 summers plus 2 semesters); go to a master's degree program in education (elementary Jewish education) at a prestigious New England university with free tuition, a $10,000 stipend and getting state licensure to teach in the public school system; or go to the London School of Jewish Studies and study for an MA in Jewish Studies in conjunction with King's College, University of London. We just had one of the students enter the graduate program in computer science at Johns Hopkins.

Incidentally, all graduates automatically earn a temporary Hebrew teacher's license from the www.nationalboardoflicense.org [permanent teaching license after 2 education courses and 3 month's supervised teaching experience]. One of the social science courses to fulfill the general education credits can be in Foundations of Education.

COSTS: the entire cost of the regionally accredited BA in Liberal Studies is $4000, of which our fee is $2500 and that charged by Charter Oak www.charteroak.edu is $1500 [$1200 for residents of CT]. If parent's income (joint return) is under $110,000, the parents (if Americans) can take a $1500 HOPE education IRS tax credit as well as getting a $1000-$1500 Pell Grant. Canadian students are also eligible for education tax credits. In addition, students can usually get anywhere from $500 to $1000 in travel grants from their local Jewish federation for coming to Israel.

At Charter Oak, students must take 33-39 credits of general education in: English composition, college math, natural science, social/behavioral science, literature and fine arts, global understanding, non-US history/culture, US History/Government, ethical decision making, speech, and information literacy. Some of these credit requirements [fine arts, non-US history/culture, ethical decision making] can be met through approved Jewish Bible Association proficiency exams. Those applying to Charter Oak after July 1, 2009 have to take a capstone course. It is part of the concentration requirement and is designed for students to demonstrate the knowledge gained in the concentration.

Apart from the capstone course at Charter Oak, all other credits can be taken either as Advanced Placement (AP) exams, or College Board CLEP exams or DANTES exams or British “A” Levels. Students who have taken AP exams in high school in: English, math, science, American government and European history (and who take our proficiency exams) essentially have all the general education requirements except for an exam in public speaking, 1-credit online course in information literacy, and the capstone course. We have most of the DVD's and website information needed to prepare for and pass the general education credit exams.

Please don't hesitate to ask me if you have any questions.

KOL TUV

Dr. Josh Backon
Program Administrator

For further information email: info@jewishbible.org

REGISTRATION FORM FOR TAKING PROFICIENCY EXAMS IN ISRAEL

Please include the following with this application:

1. proof of high school transcript
2. 1 photograph (any size) [or photocopy of driver's license]
3. $2500 check (drawn on a US bank) made out to the Jewish Bible Association

Last Name__________________

First Name: _________________

Hebrew Name: ___________________

Address:____________________________________ City: _____________ State ___ Zip: ______

Home Phone (include area code): ______________________

Email: _____________________________________________

Date of Birth: __________________ Place of Birth: _________________

Citizenship: ________

Social Security Number: ________________

High School Attended________________________

Year Graduated: ______

Post-Yeshiva High School Education: ____________________________

Prior College Credits: ___

Taken at: ____________

In (areas): __________________________________

Total Number of Credits Wishing to Take with JBA Exams: __________ (check areas below)

AREAS: Music: [ ] Hebrew [ ] Talmud [ ] Bible [ ] Jewish Law [ ]

Career Goals: __________________________________________________________________

Applicant's Signature: ___________________

Parent's Signature: _________________________

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PLEASE PRINT FORM, FILL OUT AND AIRMAIL TO:

JEWISH BIBLE ASSOCIATION

POB 29002

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL

Info@jewishbible.org Tel: +972-2-6216145