JEWISH/​GNS  105 — FIRST SEMESTER YIDDISH

4 credits.

Introduction to the Yiddish language through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Emphasis on communication with attention to cultural and historical context.

JEWISH/​GNS  106 — SECOND SEMESTER YIDDISH

4 credits.

Introduction to the Yiddish language through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Emphasis on communication with attention to cultural and historical context.

JEWISH/​LEGAL ST/​RELIG ST  203 — JEWISH LAW, BUSINESS, AND ETHICS

3 credits.

Explores the development of Jewish law from antiquity to modernity, with a focus on legal questions related to business practices and ethics. Consider issues ranging from ethical practices in agriculture to how to run a modern multi billion-dollar kosher industry; from the ethics of Jews celebrating Thanksgiving to regulations governing the preparation, consumption, and sale of coffee.

JEWISH/​RELIG ST  211 — INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM

4 credits.

General introduction to Judaism covering the biblical, classical rabbinic, medieval, and modern periods.

JEWISH/​HISTORY  213 — JEWS AND AMERICAN POP. CULTURE

3-4 credits.

Explores the interplay between Jews and U. S. popular culture, covering such subjects as early 20th century vaudeville, the "golden age" of Hollywood, rhythm and blues music, television, and stand-up comedy.

JEWISH/​HISTORY  219 — THE AMERICAN JEWISH EXPERIENCE: FROM SHTETL TO SUBURB

4 credits.

Surveys American Jews from the eighteenth century until after WW II, examining political behavior (radicalism, liberalism, and nationalism), class formation, social mobility, culture, inter-ethnic group relations, religion, and problems in community building.

JEWISH/​HISTORY  220 — INTRODUCTION TO MODERN JEWISH HISTORY

4 credits.

The history of the Jews in selected parts of the world since the 17th century. Particular attention will be paid to the fact that this is the history of a minority group whose life unfolds in relationship to a larger society.

JEWISH/​CLASSICS/​LITTRANS/​RELIG ST  227 — INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL LITERATURE (IN ENGLISH)

4 credits.

Introduction to the text, development, history, and social context of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. Covers the Torah (Pentateuch), Neviim (Former and Latter Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings), and provides a brief introduction to early Jewish literature (Pseudepigrapha/Apocrypha). Discusses various methods of analysis and theories of composition. Addresses major theological claims made of the text by Jewish and Christian communities. Explores contextualized interpretations in the ancient and modern day.

JEWISH 230 — ELEMENTARY TOPICS IN JEWISH LITERATURE

3-4 credits.

Elementary topics in Jewish literature.

JEWISH 231 — ELEMENTARY TOPICS IN JEWISH HISTORY

3-4 credits.

Elementary topics in Jewish history.

JEWISH 232 — ELEMENTARY TOPICS IN JEWISH PHILOSOPHY AND THE ARTS

3-4 credits.

Elementary topics in Jewish philosophy and the arts.

JEWISH 233 — ELEMENTARY TOPICS IN JEWISH STUDIES: SOCIAL SCIENCES

3-4 credits.

Elementary topics in Jewish Studies drawn from the social sciences.

JEWISH 236 — BASCOM COURSE

3 credits.

Develop skills in critical reading, logical thinking, use of evidence, and use of library resources. Emphasis on writing in the conventions used in Jewish Studies.

JEWISH/​CLASSICS  241 — INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY

4 credits.

An overview of archaeology and its relationship to understanding the biblical world.

JEWISH/​GERMAN/​LITTRANS  269 — YIDDISH LITERATURE AND CULTURE IN EUROPE

3 credits.

Exploration of European Yiddish fiction, poetry, folklore, and cinema, with a focus on works of the 19th and 20th centuries.

JEWISH/​RELIG ST  278 — FOOD IN RABBINIC JUDAISM

3-4 credits.

Rabbinic literature frames the fundamental attitudes for how Judaism relates to food. Examine the history of food in rabbinic Judaism. In addition, theories from the field of food studies will be applied to rabbinic texts.

JEWISH/​GERMAN/​LITTRANS  279 — YIDDISH LITERATURE AND CULTURE IN AMERICA

3 credits.

Exploration of American Yiddish poetry, fiction, theater, and cinema created by European Jews in the United States.

JEWISH 299 — DIRECTED STUDY

1-3 credits.

Independent study as arranged with a faculty member.

JEWISH/​HEBR-MOD  301 — INTRODUCTION TO HEBREW LITERATURE

3 credits.

Selected works from different periods and genres. Taught in Hebrew.

JEWISH/​HEBR-MOD  302 — INTRODUCTION TO HEBREW LITERATURE

3 credits.

Selected works from different periods and genres. Taught in Hebrew.

JEWISH/​HISTORY  310 — THE HOLOCAUST

3-4 credits.

References to the Holocaust abound in contemporary political debates and in our popular culture. But most people know very little about the history of the Holocaust, despite the mountains of superb historical scholarship that experts in the field have produced over decades of dedicated research. Utilize correspondence, diaries, or other firsthand accounts of Holocaust victims, together with study of the larger events around them, to reconstruct the experiences of ordinary families swept up in the Nazi genocide.

JEWISH/​LITTRANS  318 — MODERN JEWISH LITERATURE

3-4 credits.

Pre-modern Jewish society's breakdown, immigration, the challenges of integration and exclusion, and the establishment of new communities will serve as a backdrop for the analysis and comparison of Jewish literary texts written in Hebrew, Yiddish, German, Russian, and English.

JEWISH/​RELIG ST  322 — THE SABBATH

3 credits.

Takes up the question: What is the "Sabbath"? What does it mean "to rest"? Offers a broad, comparative introduction to the history of the Sabbath, from the Bible to the present day. Readings encompass a range of textual sources from the Jewish and Christian traditions. Topics include the major theological, ritual, and cultural practices that have developed around the Sabbath. Discuss contemporary political iterations of the Sabbath in modern, secular contexts.

JEWISH/​CLASSICS/​RELIG ST  323 — THE BIBLE AND FILM: LITERATURE AND MEDIA

3 credits.

An introduction to the study of the Bible as literature and of biblical reception in the medium of film, from early Hollywood to the present day. Explores the way in which the Bible (including both Hebrew and Greek Testaments), one of the foundational literary corpora of American society, has been interpreted, reinterpreted, and misinterpreted through the medium of film over the past century. We will begin each segment of the course by reading portions of the biblical text that have experienced significant interpretation, in order to understand the literary text that has been received in film. How beholden are filmmakers to the interpretations of communities that view these texts as authoritative, and where are they free to depart from their sources? Is it possible to "translate" biblical narratives into film without losing something in the translation? These questions will focus our study on ways the literature has been interpreted in this new medium.

JEWISH/​LITTRANS/​RELIG ST  328 — CLASSICAL RABBINIC LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION

3-4 credits.

Introduction to the literature of the Classical Rabbinic or Talmudic period of Judaism (2nd to 7th centuries CE). Historical and intellectual background; the interrelation of liturgy, legal and non-legal literature.

JEWISH/​CLASSICS/​HEBR-BIB/​LITTRANS/​RELIG ST  332 — PROPHETS OF THE BIBLE

4 credits.

An introduction to the thought, literature, and history of the prophets of ancient Israel (in English).

JEWISH/​CLASSICS/​RELIG ST  335 — KING DAVID IN HISTORY AND TRADITION

3 credits.

An exploration of the literary and historical aspects of the text of 1-2 Samuel + 1 Kings 1-2; the history and archaeology of Jerusalem during the tenth century B.C.E.; and the varieties of ways in which the figure of King David has been received in subsequent religious and secular literature, visual art, music, television, and cinema.

JEWISH/​RELIG ST  340 — THE AMERICAN JEWISH LIFE OF DNA

3 credits.

Explores the range of relationships between DNA and American Jewish life. It begins with the "prehistory" of the relationship between Jewishness and genetic science, from Biblical genealogies to early twentieth century racial science. It then turns to America in the second half of the twentieth century, when the discovery of the double helix and the atrocities of Auschwitz reinvigorated and reshaped American Jewish relationships to DNA.

JEWISH/​POLI SCI  341 — ISRAELI POLITICS AND SOCIETY

3-4 credits.

Examines the issues currently facing Israeli society and the ongoing debates in Israeli politics. Provides historical background and analytical understanding of contemporary Israeli politics. Attention will be paid to political history, institutions, economic development, coalition formation, ethnic politics, and religious-secular divisions as they are manifested in Israeli politics.

JEWISH/​CLASSICS/​RELIG ST  346 — JEWISH LITERATURE OF THE GRECO-ROMAN PERIOD

3 credits.

Jewish literature from 350 BCE to 150 CE. The Greek and Hebrew sources include stories, religious poetry, wisdom books and apocalyptic texts. Readings (in translation) from the Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, and the Dead Sea Scrolls in their historical, cultural and literary setting.

JEWISH 350 — WHAT IS JEWISH STUDIES?

3 credits.

Introduces Jewish studies as an interdisciplinary field and examines Jewish history, culture, and thought through the major questions that guide the field, including: What is Jewish practice? What is a Jewish text? What is diaspora? What is antisemitism? And, who are the Jews? Explores a variety of responses offered by scholars, writers, theologians, and artists. Develop the ability to think transhistorically, bringing together biblical, medieval, modern, and contemporary perspectives. Anchor inquiries into the field of Jewish studies through the completion of a substantial research project.

JEWISH 356 — JERUSALEM, HOLY CITY OF CONFLICT AND DESIRE

3 credits.

Jerusalem, the Holy City for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, has become the center of religious, political, and national contention. Explores the sources of the conflict and its development over the centuries, with the aim of illuminating the complex situation of the region and its implications for the world.

JEWISH/​LITTRANS  367 — ISRAELI FICTION IN TRANSLATION

3-4 credits.

Major writers, trends and themes in Israeli fiction from pre-State period to present.

JEWISH/​ENGL  370 — JEWISH HUMOR

3-4 credits.

What is humor? Why and when do people tell jokes? And what do we make of the fact that a certain form of humor has come to be labeled "Jewish"? Examine the notion of "Jewish humor" by reading a variety of texts (jokes, short stories, films, websites, conceptual art, and cultural kitsch). Begin by considering theoretical explorations of humor and "Jewish humor." Then trace techniques of Jewish humor from eastern Europe to central Europe to North America, paying specific attention to Jewish American humor. Themes to be examined include: in-group vs. out-group humor; humor and ethnicity; performance and "Jewface"; Jewish-Christian difference; humor and the Holocaust; gender and ethnicity; the notion of self-hatred; American popular culture; and the relationship between humor, repetition, and innovation. The general goal is to answer the question: Is there such a thing as "Jewish humor"? (Hint: The answer may be "no.")

JEWISH/​HEBR-MOD  401 — TOPICS IN MODERN HEBREW / ISRAELI LITERATURE AND CULTURE I

3 credits.

Readings in Hebrew literature. Taught in Hebrew.

JEWISH/​HEBR-MOD  402 — TOPICS IN MODERN HEBREW / ISRAELI LITERATURE AND CULTURE II

3 credits.

Readings in Hebrew literature. Taught in Hebrew.

JEWISH/​GNS  405 — FIRST SEMESTER YIDDISH FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

4 credits.

Introduction to the Yiddish language through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Emphasis on communication with attention to cultural and historical context. Includes tasks designed to facilitate Yiddish-related research.

JEWISH/​ILS/​SOC  423 — MODERN JEWISH THOUGHT

3 credits.

How do Jews fit into the modern world? While the "Jewish Question" initially referred to debates about Jewish emancipation (the struggle for equal citizenship and social integration that started with the French Revolution), it later served to describe modern Jewish political and social thought about the identity, place, and role of the Jews in the modern world. Beginning in the late 19th century, as cultural assimilation, economic impoverishment in eastern Europe, and rising antisemitism sowed doubts about the viability of emancipation and traditionalism alike, Jewish thinkers proposed new answers to the Jewish question. Learn about some of the major answers they debated, including revolutionary universalistic utopias (socialism and Communism), various forms of Jewish nationalism, hyphenated identities, cultural pluralism, and cosmopolitanism. Work to contextualize these ideas historically while also considering whether and how they remain relevant to the present.

JEWISH 430 — INTERMEDIATE TOPICS IN JEWISH LITERATURE

3-4 credits.

Intermediate topics in Jewish literature.

JEWISH 431 — INTERMEDIATE TOPICS IN JEWISH HISTORY

3-4 credits.

Intermediate topics in Jewish history.

JEWISH 432 — INTERMEDIATE TOPICS IN JEWISH PHILOSOPHY AND THE ARTS

3-4 credits.

Intermediate topics in Jewish philosophy and the arts.

JEWISH 433 — INTERMEDIATE TOPICS IN JEWISH STUDIES: SOCIAL SCIENCES

3-4 credits.

Intermediate topics in Jewish Studies drawn from the social sciences.

JEWISH/​PHILOS/​RELIG ST  435 — JEWISH PHILOSOPHY FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY

3 credits.

A survey of major philosophers and philosophical currents within Judaism from antiquity through the seventeenth century.

JEWISH/​PHILOS  442 — MORAL PHILOSOPHY AND THE HOLOCAUST

3 credits.

Selected moral and philosophical issues raised by the Holocaust such as when and whom to rescue; includes issues arising after the annihilation such as forgiveness and reconciliation.

JEWISH/​CLASSICS  451 — BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY

3 credits.

An examination of current problems, methods, and trends in archaeological research in the lands of the Bible.

JEWISH/​AFRICAN/​MEDIEVAL/​RELIG ST  462 — MUSLIMS AND JEWS

3 credits.

Explores the historical relationship between Muslims and Jews in a variety of contexts from the seventh century to the present. Surveys literary and cultural exchanges against the background of shifting political and social conditions across the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. Considers also the parallel legacies of anti-Semitism, Orientalism, and Islamophobia. Major themes include comparative religion, secularization, migration, and colonialism, as well as the politics of history and cultural memory. Introduces readings in English translation of medieval and modern texts originally written across languages, and especially in Hebrew and Arabic.

JEWISH/​GERMAN  510 — GERMAN-JEWISH CULTURE SINCE THE 18TH CENTURY

3 credits.

Investigates German-Jewish culture since the 18th century, concentrating on toleration, emancipation, acculturation, assimilation, anti-Semitism, and Bildung.

JEWISH/​HEBR-BIB  513 — BIBLICAL TEXTS, POETRY

3 credits.

Critical reading of selected texts from the Minor Prophets and the Writings.

JEWISH/​HEBR-BIB  514 — BIBLICAL TEXTS, POETRY

3 credits.

Critical reading of selected texts from the Latter Prophets and the Writings.

JEWISH/​CURRIC/​ED POL/​HISTORY  515 — HOLOCAUST: HISTORY, MEMORY AND EDUCATION

3 credits.

Explores the ways in which Holocaust history, memory and education are mutually entangled, politically charged and morally complex. Using primarily American sites of memory, critically analyze a variety of representations of the Shoah--in literature, films, memoirs, monuments, museums and classrooms.

JEWISH/​HISTORY  518 — ANTI-SEMITISM IN EUROPEAN CULTURE, 1700-1945

3 credits.

A critical review of major theories of anti-Semitism and a history of modern anti-Semitism.

JEWISH/​ENGL  539 — JEWISH LITERATURES IN DIASPORA

3 credits.

An exploration of Jewish literature in English and in Anglophone contexts.

JEWISH/​ENGL  593 — LITERATURE OF JEWISH IDENTITY IN AMERICA

3 credits.

The construction of Jewish American identity within American life.

JEWISH 630 — ADVANCED TOPICS IN JEWISH LITERATURE

3-4 credits.

Advanced topics in Jewish literature.

JEWISH 631 — ADVANCED TOPICS IN JEWISH HISTORY

3-4 credits.

Advanced topics in Jewish history.

JEWISH 632 — ADVANCED TOPICS IN JEWISH PHILOSOPHY AND THE ARTS

3-4 credits.

Advanced topics in Jewish philosophy and the arts.

JEWISH 681 — SENIOR HONORS THESIS

3 credits.

Individual mentored study for seniors completing theses for Honors in the Major as arranged with a faculty member.

JEWISH 682 — SENIOR HONORS THESIS

3 credits.

Individual mentored study for seniors completing theses for Honors in the Major as arranged with a faculty member.

JEWISH 691 — SENIOR THESIS

3 credits.

Individual mentored study for seniors completing theses, as arranged with a faculty member.

JEWISH 692 — SENIOR THESIS

3 credits.

Individual mentored study for seniors completing theses, as arranged with a faculty member.

JEWISH 699 — DIRECTED STUDY

1-3 credits.

Independent study as arranged with a faculty member.