About the Class

Practice your Hebrew this summer through play. Worlds To Come is an immersive TTRPG experience for learning Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew. Inspired by the high fantasy magic of Dungeons & Dragons and the collaborative liberatory storytelling of games like Dream Apart, Worlds To Come lets you harness the language of Torah and Talmud to imagine what it looks like to fight for a better world. This campaign is for high-beginner to mid-intermediate Hebrew students. See below for a detailed description of what your language skills should be for this campaign.

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You catch sight of a cave in the hillside and pull the ragged resistance fighter in behind you. The Romans will be on you in seconds, and they won't bother with prison after this escape attempt. Only one way out. Centering yourself, you turn your heart to the ruins of Jerusalem, and a faint glow stirs around you as you utter your prayer:

תסתירנו מעיני צרינו!

Hide us from the eyes of our oppressors!

The opening of the cave suddenly becomes solid rock, and moments later the muffled sounds of Roman boots clank straight past your hiding place. The resistance fighter's eyes bulge as she whispers, "Praise the God of Jacob, Rachel and Leia — a miracle..!"

As the strange mix of satisfaction and humility fills you from fulfilling the mitzvah of Rescuing the Pursued, you turn to see where you've ended up. A figure sits on the rock across from you, surrounded by clay bowls scrawled all over with Hebrew letters. "So, I'm not the only one with a talent for spells in these parts, I see," they say. "Now do you know the words to fix my door, or are you going to do it the old-fashioned way?"

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Worlds To Come is an immersive tabletop roleplaying-game (TTRPG) experience for learning Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew. Inspired by the high fantasy magic of Dungeons & Dragons and the collaborative liberatory storytelling of games like Dream Apart, Worlds To Come lets you harness the language of Torah and Talmud to imagine what it looks like to fight for a better world.

Play as a group of spellcasters traveling Roman-occupied Judea/Palestine after the destruction of the Second Temple. Meet the peoples of the Land and help them as they reel from war and exile. Fulfill merit-generating mitzvahs, face the demonic consequences of sins, and use your newfound Hebrew knowledge to cast spells that will reshape your broken world.

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This summer, we’re running a campaign for high-beginner to mid-intermediate students who want to practice their Biblical Hebrew skills through play. Over 8 sessions, you’ll build your tzaddik character, explore Roman-occupied Judea/Palestine, and collectively imagine what it looks like to use the Torah to fight for a better world. You’ll use your Hebrew to speak to angels, generating divine merit for powerful spellcasting. At the end of each session, your teacher/GM will give you language feedback so you can keep growing.

FAQ

How do I know if I have the right Hebrew level for this course?

This campaign is for students who already have some level of knowledge of Biblical Hebrew. Specifically, here’s what you should definitely know coming into the campaign:

• The aleph-bet

• The concept of a shoresh

• How to conjugate Pa’al/Qal verbs in at least one tense (present, past, or future)

• At least 10 shorashim and 20 nouns

• The prepositions ל, ב, כ, מן

• The definite article ה

• Either smichut/construct case or של

You do not need to know how to read words without nikkud/vowels. You do not need to be able to use all of these skills perfectly–you should only be familiar enough with them to try them out on the spot. Getting things wrong is part of how we learn.

When you sign up, we’ll ask you to answer a few Hebrew questions in order to get a sense of your level. Answering those questions will also help you figure out if this campaign is a good fit for you.

What if I know more than what’s on that list?

Your Hebrew level is probably too high if you can read Tanakh independently. However, if you have not practiced writing or speaking Hebrew, this campaign may still be a good fit for you. The practice you’ll get during play will involve you writing or speaking your own, original thoughts in Biblical Hebrew. And again, answering the Hebrew questions on the registration form will help give you a sense of whether this campaign is a good fit for you.

If you still have questions about your Hebrew level for this campaign, please email Lexi at lexi@thetorahstudio.org.

What's a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG)?

Worlds To Come is an adventure game played over Zoom with some pdfs, a couple of strange dice, and your imagination.

The experience of playing a TTRPG feels a lot like having a conversation with your friends. You'll start by creating your own character, who will have the superpower to cast spells by speaking Hebrew. The Game Master (GM), Lexi, will describe a situation that your characters find themselves in. You'll describe what your character does in response. Then the GM will tell you how your actions impact the world, and you'll say what you would do next.

Sometimes you'll want to cast a spell, and everyone at the table will become Angels to help you make your magic happen. Sometimes you'll want to do a good deed, and other times you'll witness something bad. Every step of the way, the GM and the other players are here to support you to imagine visions of a better world.

Is playing a game really going to help me practice Hebrew?

Yes! While we're still in beta-testing, our first group of players all rated the quality of the Hebrew education "excellent" or "very good."

Lexi is designing an experience that you cannot get anywhere else. Hebrew language and Judaism are baked into the heart of this game. You'll spend 2 hours a week immersing in a game world that will make Hebrew come alive for you. There is nowhere else you can experience anything like what Lexi is creating.

What’s the time commitment?

Two hours per week for 8 weeks. The campaign will run from June 17 through August 5. Sessions will happen on Tuesdays at 4pm PT/7pm ET.

Do I need roleplaying experience to join?

No! Whether this is your first foray into tabletop roleplaying games, or whether you're a seasoned veteran of the dice, you can play Worlds To Come. We will all be learning the rules and developing a group dynamic together.

What game system does Worlds To Come use?

Worlds To Come is a brand-new TTRPG that is being designed from scratch by the teacher/GM, Lexi. The mechanics are a combination of things from Powered by the Apocalypse and Wanderhome. For an example of a character sheet, click here. (Please note that the game design is still in progress, and the art & layout have not been done yet.)