Judaism and the challenge of Modernity
A summer seminar for intellectually ambitious high school students
Explore the birth of the modern world in Holland this summer.
In 1656, Baruch Spinoza was expelled from the Sephardic Jewish community of Amsterdam. The young man went on to become one of the most influential founders of the liberal institutions that have characterized modern life. Those institutions have begun to break down, and the Jews’ place in the modern world no longer seems so clear. Understanding the origins of modernity can help prepare us for the challenges ahead.
Do you enjoy tackling big ideas?
Do you want to spend the summer in Europe?
Are you looking for a program that respects Jewish observance?
Be an Abarbanel Scholar this Summer
June 28-July 16, 2026
WHEN
Leiden, The Netherlands
WHERE
Rising 10th through 12th graders
WHO
Spend three weeks this summer studying in Leiden, site of the Netherlands’ oldest university and Rembrandt’s hometown. This college-level course will explore the complex interplay of politics, religion, art, science, and economics that gave birth to the modern world. You’ll study key historical and philosophical texts in small seminars of no more than ten students complemented by visits to museums and cultural venues throughout the region, from Amsterdam to Antwerp.
Students will have opportunities to socialize with Dutch Jews their own age, building bonds of friendship and mutual understanding between different Jewish communities.
The Abarbanel Summer Seminar is designed with observant Jewish teens in mind. Kosher food will be provided for all meals and Shabbat will be spent with the Jewish communities of Leiden and Amsterdam.
Trip Highlights
Marvel in front of Rembrandt’s massive Night Watch
Bike to Spinoza’s house in Rijnsburg
Spend Shabbat with the Amsterdam Jewish community
Visit a 16th century printshop
Attend a private concert of Baroque Jewish music
Shop for vegetables at a 900-year-old market
Draw a Dutch landscape
Go stand-up paddle boarding on the canals
Walk the magical streets of Vermeer’s Delft
Relax among the plants in Holland’s oldest botanical garden
Meet with curators, scholars, and Jewish leaders
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“Leiden is the hidden gem of the Netherlands. A focal point of historical figures from Rembrandt to Spinoza to Descartes, it meshes fantastically with the program courses.“
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“A program for people who love questioning everything they have learnt.”
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“I really enjoyed being able to explore the Netherlands and being able to connect the things we learned to our physical surroundings.”
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“Leiden was the perfect place because we got to experience an authentic Dutch city without all the touristy attractions. It was also small enough for us to get to know it, as well as stay safe and comfortable.”
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“The program allowed me to become independent in a way I had never been before.”
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"I’m gonna remember this trip forever."
Meet the Instructors
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Dr. Aaron Tugendhaft founded The Abarbanel Institute in 2024. He is currently the Robert Aird Chair of Humanities at Deep Springs College and has also taught at the University of Chicago, New York University, the University of Munich, Bard College Berlin, and the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Tugendhaft served as History Department Chair and Director of Interdisciplinary Programs at The Ramaz School from 2021-23, where he received the Abraham Pilchik Award for Teaching and Mentorship. Alongside his work at Deep Springs and as director of the Abarbanel Institute, he regularly offers philosophy courses for Jewish teens through Tikvah and teaches Great Books seminars for adults in the University of Chicago's Basic Program.
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Dr. Jon Jucovy served as History Department Chair at the Ramaz Upper School for over forty years and now teaches at North Shore Hebrew Academy in his home town of Great Neck, NY. A beloved teacher, Dr. Jucovy has spent an illustrious career inspiring countless young people to think deeply and critically about history and the world around them.
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Dr. Daniella Reinhard will be the program’s in-house mom. She’s a graduate of Ramaz, Barnard, and the University of Chicago, where she completed a PhD in Classics. She has taught Classics and Literature both in Chicago and in Paris, the city she has called home for the past 23 years. Daniella taught for several years in Putney Student Travel programs, leading high school students through antiquities in Oxford, Paris, and Tuscany. She currently spends her time managing a household of teenagers, experimenting in the kitchen and garden, reading fiction and studying modern Hebrew.
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Ruby LaRocca is a student at Deep Springs College studying philosophy, political thought, and literature. While lending a hand on the cattle ranch, she has worked as the school’s gardener, chef, and assistant mechanic. She is also serving on the committee to hire incoming faculty. Ruby has a passion for ancient languages, stand-up comedy, and putting on plays with very few resources. She’s thrilled to work with (and learn alongside!) Abarbanel fellows in Leiden this summer—biking, writing, reading, making art, and taking seminar questions outside of the classroom.
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Michelle Palatnik will be the Summer Seminar’s artist-in-residence. A New York-based figurative painter specializing in classical techniques, she is an expert in the artistic practices of the Dutch Masters. Ms. Palatnik began her studies with a four-year scholarship at New York University and continued training at the Art Students League and Grand Central Atelier. She is a recipient of the Richard C. Pionk Memorial Award from the Salmagundi Club.
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David Sclar is a historian and educator based in Teaneck, NJ. He teaches history and serves as librarian and director of student research at The Frisch School, and is a department guest with the Program in Judaic Studies at Princeton University. Before teaching full-time, he held research fellowships at Harvard, Princeton, and Oxford, and worked for several years in the rare book room of the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary. He loves his family, music, art, gardening, cooking, fixing, figuring, and thinking.
Application Process
Applications are now being accepted on a rolling basis. Apply early to ensure full consideration.
To apply, fill out the application form and submit a writing sample, contact information for one reference, and a high school transcript. Please also indicate if you would like to be be considered for financial aid.
Tuition
Tuition for the Abarbanel Summer Seminar on Judaism and the Challenge of Modernity includes double-occupancy housing, all transportation in Europe, all kosher meals, tickets to museums and cultural events, expert guides, bike rental, and athletic activities.
Chaperoned travel from New York City and Los Angeles can be arranged for students who want to fly together as a group.
Tuition: $10,000 (excluding airfare)
Financial Aid
Financial constraints should not be a barrier to participation in the Summer Seminar. The Abarbanel Institute will offer scholarships to exceptional students who demonstrate financial need.
Students may also be able to obtain financial support from their local Jewish Federation.
Please consider contributing to the Scholarship Fund if you are able.
Parent Testimonials
Frequently Asked Questions
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While the program provides an elite summer study opportunity suitable for observant Jewish teens whose options are otherwise limited, students from any background are welcome. Anyone respectful of traditional Jewish practice and curious to tackle the Summer Seminar’s themes in a serious manner is encouraged to apply.
While kosher food will be available for all meals, students will occasionally have the option to eat out. Those who choose to eat out will be responsible for making their own decisions regarding kashrut.
Shabbat will be observed, with group davening in local synagogues on Friday night and Saturday morning. There will be no organized daily minyan on weekdays.
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Most weekday mornings will be spent in small seminars of no more than ten students each. Students will be expected to do a reasonable amount of preparatory reading for each session and time will be allotted in the daily schedule for this purpose.
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The Summer School will be based in Leiden, a charming university town only a short train ride from Amsterdam. This will provide consistency for the morning seminar sessions and give students the experience of living a day-to-day life in a European city. From Leiden, we will make numerous excursions to neighboring cities and towns, including a day trip to Antwerp. Additionally, we will spend two nights in Amsterdam for the second Shabbat.
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While the academic program will be rich in planned activities, you will also be given ample opportunity to enjoy time on your own terms. This may include hanging out at a cafe along a canal, biking in the countryside, browsing some of Leiden’s renowned bookstores, shopping along the Harlemmerstraat, or enjoying a workout at the Leiden University Athletic Center. All students will receive a Dutch Museum Card, granting them free access to the many small museums throughout Leiden. In addition to time in the afternoons, you will have some evenings free.
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The Summer School does not currently offer college credit.
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Security for the program will be coordinated with BLEW, the advisory body for the protection of the Jewish community in the Netherlands, in consultation with Jewish leadership in Amsterdam and the Hague.
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Confident bicycle riding ability is strongly encouraged. Bicycles are the most convenient way to get around Leiden and there will be opportunities to take bike rides into the countryside. Your involvement in certain activities may be restricted if you can’t ride a bike. If you are up to it, learn how to ride a bike before the program begins!