On April 3, as New York Yankee fans looked forward to the season's home opener against the Boston Red Sox, Me'ah students from Manhattan, Long Island and New Jersey converged in New York City to welcome some other world-class Boston talent.

That Sunday afternoon they studied with Dr. Marc Brettler and Dr. David Bernat at the first educational enrichment forum offered by Hebrew College's Metropolitan New York Regional Office.

Brettler, Dora Golding Professor of Biblical Studies at Brandeis and a Me'ah instructor since the program's inception 10 years ago, spoke on "The Making of The Jewish Study Bible," which he co-edited. Bernat, assistant professor of religion at Wellesley College and a Me'ah instructor since 1998, discussed "Civil Liberties in Stressful Times: A Talmudic Perspective."

Offering eight classes in its first academic year, the Metro New York Me'ah program expects to at least double that number in September with new venues in Brooklyn, the Bronx, northern Westchester County and Manhattan.

"The demand for intensive, high quality adult Jewish learning opportunities in the region is overwhelming," says Moshe Margolin, New York regional director of Me'ah. "It's clear that Me'ah sets the standard, and the demand for the program far exceeds our present capacity."

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