BIMA at Brandeis University
Encyclopedia
BIMA at Brandeis University is a Jewish
artistic summer program for high school
students, based at Brandeis University
. BIMA offers courses in filmmaking
, instrumental
and vocal
music
, theatre
, visual arts
, and writing
.
and violin
ist, created BIMA because no summer programs allowed him to combine those two interests.
Planning for BIMA started in 2002. The program was launched in 2004 as a tenant at Williams College
, where it remained for three years, under the original name "Berkshire Institute for Music and Arts". Despite its initial success, administrators soon began to have problems financing the program at Williams College. They approached Brandeis University
, which was already housing another Jewish-related program called Genesis. In 2007, BIMA moved to Brandeis and remained there since.
"Because we're able to offer a high-quality, small-private-school environment, people are looking at us seriously," comments Lehmann. "We have a nice campus and it's attractive no matter what your Jewish commitment, it becomes an entry point for people who want something with Jewish roots."
to atheist
in faith, and have geographical backgrounds from North America
(primarily the United States
), but also Europe
, Israel
, and Russia
(made possible by a special grant).
The time spent in BIMA is split up into scheduled weekdays, usually beginning with courses taught by teachers with experience in their respective fields. The schedule also includes various educational workshops and concerts. There is also free time for students to bond and have discussions. Fridays and Saturdays involve elaborate Shabbat
celebrations during which the participants come together to form a community and make the experience special for everyone.
Funding for BIMA comes from the tuition paid by students and fund raising efforts. Donations are also accepted from individuals, and various organizations.
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
artistic summer program for high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
students, based at Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
. BIMA offers courses in filmmaking
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
, instrumental
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
and vocal
Vocal music
Vocal music is a genre of music performed by one or more singers, with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered instrumental music Vocal music is a genre of...
music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, visual arts
Visual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
, and writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
.
History
BIMA was founded by Rabbi Daniel Lehmann. Lehmann, raised as a conservative JewConservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist, created BIMA because no summer programs allowed him to combine those two interests.
Planning for BIMA started in 2002. The program was launched in 2004 as a tenant at Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, where it remained for three years, under the original name "Berkshire Institute for Music and Arts". Despite its initial success, administrators soon began to have problems financing the program at Williams College. They approached Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
, which was already housing another Jewish-related program called Genesis. In 2007, BIMA moved to Brandeis and remained there since.
"Because we're able to offer a high-quality, small-private-school environment, people are looking at us seriously," comments Lehmann. "We have a nice campus and it's attractive no matter what your Jewish commitment, it becomes an entry point for people who want something with Jewish roots."
Student life
BIMA participants specialize in one of several offered artistic pursuits. Participants are required to have previous experience, but mastery is not expected. The main criterion are creativity, a passion for their specialty, a desire to grow as artists, as well as an openness to exploring their Jewish faith. A key trait of BIMA is the cultural, geographical, and ideological diversity of the various participants. Participants range from staunchly orthodoxOrthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
to atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
in faith, and have geographical backgrounds from North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
(primarily the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), but also Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(made possible by a special grant).
The time spent in BIMA is split up into scheduled weekdays, usually beginning with courses taught by teachers with experience in their respective fields. The schedule also includes various educational workshops and concerts. There is also free time for students to bond and have discussions. Fridays and Saturdays involve elaborate Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
celebrations during which the participants come together to form a community and make the experience special for everyone.
Funding for BIMA comes from the tuition paid by students and fund raising efforts. Donations are also accepted from individuals, and various organizations.
External links
- BIMA at Brandeis University - homepage