This credentialed language class, led by two Hendricks Chapel university chaplains Imam Hamza Gürsoy and Rabbi Natan Levy, introduces students to elementary Modern Hebrew and Classical Arabic, building foundational reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills while exploring the linguistic relationship between these two Semitic languages. Students will also examine how key words and phrases from both languages shape Jewish and Muslim religious traditions, gaining tools to foster deeper interfaith understanding and dialogue.
Session Date
Location: Rena Pierson Dankovich Small Chapel on the lower level of Hendricks Chapel
- September 30, 2026 – 6:30 – 8:00 pm
- October 21, 2026 – 6:30 – 8:00 pm
- November 4, 2026 – 6:30 – 8:00 pm
- November 18, 2026 – 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Students should plan to attend all of the sessions for the entire class. Each session begins with dinner from 6:30 to 7 pm, followed by the course from 7-8 pm.
Credential
At the successful conclusion of this microcredential program, participants will receive a digital badge from Syracuse University, Hendricks Chapel, which can be shared on LinkedIn or any digital media, and which will provide complete detail on information learned and competencies gained throughout the program. The micro-credentialing team has created a registration link and badge design for the Salaam Shalom course as a micro-credentialed program!
If you have any questions regarding this course, please contact Rabbi Natan Levy at mlevy12@syr.edu.
Imam Hamza Gürsoy
Chaplain
Advisor, Muslim Student Association
mhgursoy@syr.edu
224.382.1206
Imam Hamza Gürsoy is the Muslim Chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, Syracuse University, where he serves as advisor for the Muslim Student Association. Originally from Bursa, Turkey, Chaplain Gürsoy previously served as a chaplain at Swedish Hospital in Chicago and as an Islamic Studies teacher at the Science Academy of Chicago. He holds a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Chicago Theological Seminary and two bachelor’s degrees in Islamic Sciences from the American Islamic College of Chicago and Bedir University of Tirana, Albania. Gürsoy is passionate about teaching religious studies, ethics, spiritual development, and fostering meaningful connections through faith-based counseling and mentorship.
Rabbi Natan Levy
Jewish Chaplain
Advisor, Hillel Jewish Student Union*
mlevy12@syr.edu
Rabbi Dr. Natan Levy is Campus Rabbi for Syracuse Hillel and Jewish Chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, Syracuse University. Originally from California, he received rabbinical ordination in 2006 from Yeshivat Ha’Mivtar, Israel. Rabbi Levy previously served as Head of Operations for the Faiths Forum for London, Senior Lecturer at Leo Baeck College, and environmental liaison to the late Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. An internationally respected interfaith leader, he holds a Ph.D. in environmental theology from the University of Bristol. His scholarly work focuses on interfaith understanding and ecological sustainability, and he has been awarded numerous fellowships for his interreligious dialogue work.