Joab Eichenberg-Eilon
See What People Say About
Joab Eichenberg-Eilon
"The program is arranged according to a gradation of difficulty, which helps me understand more and more into the specifics of the language in which God has written His Word. I often use my newly acquired knowledge during group Bible studies. I am constantly trying to find new ways to memorize words."
"I have studied at Level B and at Level C of the 5-level study plan. I had previously studied some Biblical Hebrew at a rapid rate but not for long. IIBS took a chance and allowed me to start with Level B. That's my first point: the reasonableness of the staff assessing my application. The materials are fun, though without the teacher there to indicate what the exercise in the lesson is seeking from the student, the lesson exercises are not so clear. The homework exercises, however, at the end of each lesson's print-out have clearly-worded instructions with effective results for the student: it is clear where I have mastered an item and it is clear where I have NOT! :-) The readings from the Biblical text are wonderful: the Scripture stories come alive! The teachers explain background and other cultural and historical connections the student would otherwise not know. :-) I have thoroughly enjoyed the 57 lessons I have experienced with two different teachers. I know that I still have a long way to go, as my aim is to gain academic credit by completing the 5 levels: A, B, C, D and E. But I have confidence now that I can achieve that goal because I trust in the quality of the teaching provided by IIBS The "study rhythm" of lesson on Zoom once a week, with written exercises after is excellent. The student needs to work on this, of course. There isn't much progress to be expected if the student only studies once in the week between the lessons! I would recommend this course to anyone who seeks to understand the Biblical text thoroughly."
"I have truly enjoyed the classes that I've taken. They have taken my knowledge of the Messiah, the culture of the people, as well as the geography of the land to a whole new level. I would highly recommend that anyone truly seeking the Messiah and a deeper meaning of God's word to start taking these courses. "

Joab Eichenberg-Eilon

Professor of Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic

A Few Words About Me

נְצֹ֣ר לְשׁוֹנְךָ֣ מֵרָ֑ע וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ מִדַּבֵּ֥ר מִרְמָֽה: ס֣וּר מֵ֭רָע וַֽעֲשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב בַּקֵּ֖שׁ שָׁל֣וֹם וְרָדְפֵֽהוּ ” תהלים לג יג-יד

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” Ps. 34:13-14 [RSV]

Dr. Eichenberg-Eilon is a Professor of Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic at the Israel Institute of Biblical Studies, teaching for-credit and noncredit groups in English and French.

“For me, the Bible and Hebrew are like a spring of water which, the more you draw from it, the more it flows. Likewise, teaching the same lesson, the same verse, the same word again and again, I always find something new, and my best teachers are my students. How true are the words of the sage Ben Zoma, who used to say אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם? הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ‘Who can become wise? He who learns from everyone’ (Mishnah, Avot, 4).”

Education

Joab earned his doctoral degree at EHESS (École des hautes études en sciences sociales) in Paris, France, and also holds a B.A from the Hebrew University (Israel), an MBA from INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France and Rabbinic Ordination from HUC-JIR (Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion) in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Trained at the Division of Hebrew Language Instruction of the Hebrew University School for Overseas Students (now the Rothberg International School), he is also a certified oral and written Hebrew proficiency tester for ACTFL (The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages).

Professional Experience

Before joining the Israel Institute of Biblical Studies, and after his graduation and ordination at HUC in 2000, Dr. Eichenberg-Eilon taught Hebrew, Jewish studies, Jewish education, Israel studies, and Middle Eastern studies in universities and colleges in Ohio, Kentucky, and Georgia, USA. He was an Israeli diplomat, senior official at Israel’s science ministry, and senior research fellow in several Israeli think-tanks. He is also a professional translator, primarily between Hebrew and English and from French, German, and Dutch.