Richard Medina earned his MA and PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specializing in Hebrew Bible and Hebrew language. His research spans Wisdom Literature, focusing on mourning rituals and life-and-death as lived spaces, and historical linguistics, tracing semantic and syntactic shifts from Biblical Hebrew to Qumran Hebrew. He also examines the interplay between spoken and literary Hebrew in the Second Temple period, particularly the spoken dialect that evolved into or shared roots with Tannaitic Hebrew.

His dissertation, written in Hebrew, סדר המילים במשפט הפועלי בלשון העברית של מגילות מדבר יהודה (“Word Order in Qumran Hebrew Verbal Clauses”), made new findings about when and how verb-second word order came into use in the Hebrew of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Its main significance lies in revealing the relationship between oral and written cultures in the composition of religious sectarian texts. In addition, it provides strong linguistic evidence for a firmer chronology of the non-biblical texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls, suggesting a progression from the earliest to the latest: the Temple Scroll > the Damascus Document > the War Scroll and Community Rule.

Student Testimonials

Instruction of Hebrew Language:
“I started Hebrew 1 barely knowing anything, but I feel like I have already learned so much about the language in a short amount of time. I have also made some amazing friends in the class!” (Ishika Sharma)
“Hebrew with Medina is a fully immersive experience into another world of language, culture, and community, where one can engage in dynamic conversations and develop deep connections to the Hebrew language. לחיים!” (Hailey Ronen)
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to take Hebrew at UCSB … I am now able to communicate with more people, dissect primary sources of text, and most importantly, further connect with Jewish history and culture. All of this is all due to Dr. Medina’s commitment to his students’ success and passion for the Hebrew language.” (Hannah Anderson)
"My professor’s enthusiasm and engaging teaching style make it one of my best classes. I am learning the language faster than I ever imagined, fulfilling a lifelong dream, and loving every step of the way!” (Anna Seligson)

Instruction of Religious Studies Courses:
"Thank you for a lovely quarter, I have really appreciated your flexibility. I was experiencing a lot of stress with graduation and having your support was so helpful" (Ankitha Iyer, 2023)
"Thank you for being an amazing teacher this quarter. I felt extremely comfortable and interested in your class and highly recommend your class to people I know" (Jasmine Larian, 2023)
“Thank you for continuously encouraging and inspiring all the class; your passion for the course and dedication to your students is very evident. I really loved coming to every class …” (Dalia Gerson, 2024)
“I wanted to thank you for your instruction and for creating a safe place for Jewish students on campus” (Juliana Witting, 2024)
“Thank you again for everything, your classes have changed the way I view the world and you have been my favorite college professor that I have ever had” (Nathan Schwartz, 2025)