Course Offerings
For the most up-to-date Course Offerings, please visit BANNER.
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FALL 2012
JUDS0019-S01 Death and Afterlife in the Biblical Tradition (RELS 0020)
Professor Saul Olyan. Interested students must register for RELS 0020 S01 (CRN 14528).
Primary Meeting: M 03:00 pm - 05:20 pm
A close analysis of the development of ideas about death and the afterlife in the Hebrew Bible and in the literatures of Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity. Topics: life and death in Israel and ancient West Asia; the abode of the dead and its denizens; from Sheol to Heaven, Hell, and the final judgment; religious specialists, rituals, and the literature of death: necromancy; burial and mourning rites; cults of the dead ancestor. No prerequisites. Enrollment limited to 20 first year students. FYS LILE WRIT
JUDS0050E-S01From Amsterdam to Istanbul: Christians, Moslems, and Jews
Professor Adam Teller. CRN:15685
Primary Meeting: R 04:00 pm - 06:20 pm
This FYS combines text, picture, and music to study the history of Europe and the wider world in the early modern period through the eyes of a minority. It examines the new Jewish centers in the Atlantic world, the Ukrainian steppe, and the Middle East from 1500-1800, and how they shaped these environments. Cultural revolutions, such as the spread of printing, the renaissance and new religious movements, will also be examined. Finally, we will see how the development of the modern state and the blurring of social, religious, and gender boundaries created new definitions of religious and cultural identity. Enrollment limited to 20 first year students. FYS WRIT
JUDS0050F-S01 The God Debate
Professor Marcy Brink-Danan. CRN:15703
CANCELLED
JUDS0110-S01 Elementary Hebrew
Senior Lecturer Ruth Adler Ben Yehuda. CRN:14148
Primary Meeting: T R 10:30 am - 11:50 am
From: 09/05/12 to 12/21/12
Primary Meeting: M W F 11:00 am - 11:50 am
From: 09/05/12 to 12/21/12
An introduction to the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in contemporary Israeli Hebrew. Students also read Hebrew texts adapted for their level of Hebrew based on biblical, rabbinic, and modern Hebrew literature, which introduce them to the approaches of Hebrew writers in various periods to a variety of cultural issues. If unable to enroll because of closed registration, please contact the professor and a wait list will be created. This is the first half of a year-long course whose first semester grade is normally a temporary one. Neither semester may be elected independently without special written permission. The final grade at the end of the course work in JUDS 0120 covers the entire year and is recorded as the final grade for both semesters. Enrollment limited to 20.
JUDS0130-S01 Intermediate Hebrew
Senior Lecturer Ruth Adler Ben Yehuda. CRN:14149
Primary Meeting: M W F 12:00 pm - 12:50 pm
From: 09/05/12 to 12/21/12
Primary Meeting: T R 12:00 pm - 12:50 pm
From: 09/05/12 to 12/21/12
Develops the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in contemporary Israeli Hebrew at the intermediate level and of reading Hebrew texts of the biblical, rabbinic, and modern periods (biblical stories, rabbinic legends, modern Hebrew poems, stories, essays, newspaper articles). Discussions and compositions focus on the psychological, cultural, political, and social issues reflected in the Hebrew sources that we study. Prerequisite: JUDS 0120 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 20. If unable to enroll because of closed registration, please contact the professor and a wait list will be created.
JUDS0150-S01 Writing and Speaking Hebrew
Senior Lecturer Ruth Adler Ben Yehuda. CRN:14185
Primary Meeting: T R 09:00 am - 10:20 am
Enables students to improve their skills in speaking and writing Hebrew on a variety of topics. Features advanced work on language structure and active language practice in the classroom. Class discussions of Israeli current events draw on Israeli stories, poems, television programs, and films and on the Israeli press. Students also compose essays and stories in Hebrew. Prerequisite: JUDS 0140 or equivalent.
JUDS0990Q-S01 "Coming Out" Jewish, Gay or Black: Mistaken Identity in Literature from USA and Brazil (POBS 0820)
Professor Nelson Vieira. Interested students must register for POBS 0820 S01 (CRN 15256).
Primary Meeting: W 03:00 pm - 05:20 pm
Understood as the opposite of passing or assimilating, "coming out" evokes socio-psychological and cultural tensions between public and private identities that are becoming increasingly blurred. Ambivalent identities incite concerns about belongingness, marginalization, citizenship, dislocation, and diaspora. Feeling unfamiliar or displaced as a manifestation of cultural alterity can also lead to situations of mistaken identity. Recognizing today's shift away from essentialisms, this seminar will read fiction from the USA and Brazil by applying the tropes of "coming out" and belonging to illustrate the complex formations and ambiguous practices of identity construction. Enrollment limited to 20 first year students. Conducted in English. FYS
JUDS1450-S01 The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls
Professor Katharina M. Galor. CRN:14228
Primary Meeting: M 06:00 pm - 08:20 pm
Qumran is one of the most prominent archaeological sites in the world. Its fame derives from its proximity to a series of caves in which some 800 ancient scrolls were found. Scholars have debated the relevance of this site to the histories of Judaism and Christianity. This seminar will examine the debates regarding the character of Qumran through the material finds from old and new excavations conducted at the site itself and in the Dead Sea region. The lectures and readings are intended to stimulate a discussion about how to use texts and material culture for reconstructing the past. Enrollment limited to 20. LILE
JUDS1980Q-S01 Jews and Muslims
Professor Maud Mandel. CRN:14227
Primary Meeting: M 03:00 pm - 05:20 pm
This course considers interactions between Muslims and Jews in various historical settings from the early Islamic world, to Medieval Spain, to contemporary Europe and the Middle East. The goal is to move beyond simplistic histories of interfaith utopia, Islamic persecution, and Zionist domination to consider the complexities of ethno-religious interaction in a variety of social, cultural, economic and political contexts.
JUDS1981Q-S01 History of the State of Israel: 1948 to the Present
Professor Rachel Rojanski. CRN:15688
Primary Meeting: T R 02:30 pm - 03:50 pm
This course surveys the history of Israel from its Proclamation of Independence in 1948 until today. Israel's history has unfolded under the shadow of its prolonged conflict with the Palestinians and its Arab neighbors. At the same time, an entirely new, vibrant and dynamic society and culture has developed there. This course aims to familiarize the student with the major outlines of Israel's development, and with different narratives and interpretations of that history. The reading materials and class discussions will examine not only the Arab-Israeli conflict, but also its influence on Israeli politics, society and culture.
SPRING 2012
JUDS0100 Contemporary Religion: Qualitative Methods – M. Brink-Danan
Through, readings, films and fieldwork, course participants will learn how social scientists interpret contemporary religious practices, culture and folkways. By studying religious communities through the lens of social theory and method, this class critically examines major themes in anthropology, sociology, psychology, and linguistics: race, nationalism, diaspora, kinship, gender, and modernity.
JUDS0120 Elementary Hebrew – R. Adler Ben-Yehuda
This is the second half of a year-long course, an introduction to the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in contemporary Israeli Hebrew. Students also read Hebrew texts adapted for their level of Hebrew based on biblical, rabbinic, and modern Hebrew literature, which introduce them to the approaches of Hebrew writers in various periods to a variety of cultural issues. Prerequisite: JUDS 0110. Students must have taken JUDS 0110 to receive credit for this course. If JUDS 0110 was taken for credit then this course must be taken for credit; if taken as an audit, this course must also be taken as an audit. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by both the academic department and the Committee on Academic Standing.
JUDS0140 Intermediate Hebrew – R. Adler Ben-Yehuda
Develops the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in contemporary Israeli Hebrew at the intermediate level and of reading Hebrew texts of the biblical, rabbinic, and modern periods (biblical stories, rabbinic legends, modern Hebrew poems, stories, essays, newspaper articles). Discussions and compositions focus on the psychological, cultural, political, and social issues reflected in the Hebrew sources that we study. Prerequisite: JUDS 0130 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 20. If unable to enroll because of closed registration please contact the professor and a wait list will be created.
JUDS0180 Readings in Biblical Hebrew – K. Sonia
An introduction to the reading of biblical texts in Hebrew. Reading of selected texts from narrative, law, and poetry in the Hebrew Bible, with a few texts in post-classical Hebrew (the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Mishnah) introduced late in the semester. Intended for students who have completed JUDS 0170; others should consult the instructor.
JUDS0300 Israeli Literature in Hebrew – D. Jacobson
For students interested in reading selections of Hebrew fiction, drama, and poetry. Concentrates on major issues of the State of Israel, for example: the relationship between modernity and tradition, responses to the Holocaust, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and other cultural, social, and political issues. Israeli feature films are viewed and discussed. Conducted in Hebrew. Emphasizes strengthening Hebrew reading, writing, and speaking skills. Prerequisite: JUDS0150. Students who have not taken JUDS0150 should see instructor for permission to enroll.
JUDS0610 American Jewish History - R. Rojanski
By the mid-20th century, the U.S.'s Jewish population was one of the world's largest and most important. In 1654, however, when 23 Jews landed in New Amsterdam, their position was far from assured. The history of American Jewish settlement is considered by exploring the interaction between the political, social and cultural environment and successive waves of Jewish migrants.
JUDS0980A Memoirs and Memory: The Individual Experience of Modern Jewish Life - M. Mandel
By comparing memoirs from the early modern period through contemporary times and from widely divergent geographical settings such as eastern, central and western Europe, North Africa, the U.S., and Palestine/Israel, this course considers how Jews in different historical settings have understood their "Jewishness" and their relationship to their past, as well as the historian's role in this relationship. Enrollment limited to 20.
JUDS0990J Body and Society: Medicine and Medical Ethics in the Pre-modern World- M. Kozodoy
This course examines approaches to the human body, medical ethics, and sexual identity in medieval Western culture and society. We will begin with the theory and practice of medicine, comparing the Arabic tradition of the tenth through twelfth centuries with that of Christian Europe in the thirteenth through fifteenth centuries and tracing the Jewish medical tradition as well. We will then turn to ethical issues, including contraception and abortion, the doctor-patient relationship, intractable conditions, and the moral dimension of disease. Enrollment limited to 40.
JUDS0990L Jews Between Christians and Moslems in the Early Modern World – A. Teller
What were the different experiences for Jews living amongst Christians and Moslems? How did Islam and Christianity affect the development of Jewish society and culture? This course will examine these questions by looking at two flourishing Jewish centers from 1500-1800: one in the Moslem Ottoman Empire, the other in the Christian Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Topics to be discussed include: Christian and Moslem attitudes towards Jews and the Jews’ response to them; Jewish communities in Polish and Ottoman towns; the development of Jewish law in both settings; Christianity, Islam, and anti-Jewish violence; the interactions of Jewish, Moslem, and Christian mystical movements. Enrollment limited to 20.
JUDS0990N Becoming French: Minorities and the Challenges of Integration in the French Republic (HIST
0980B) - M. Mandel
Interested students must register for HIST 0980B S01 (CRN26793)
Recent controversies around Muslim integration, including debates around the headscarf and uprisings in the working class suburbs of large French cities, point to difficulties France has faced in integrating its minority populations. This course will explore the encounter between France and its immigrant, religious, and racial minorities from the Revolution to contemporary times. By comparing paths of integration and debates around minority inclusion, we will consider how minorities negotiated their identities as they struggled to internalize France’s cultural and historical legacy. We will also addresses political and historiographical debates over the relationship between political citizenship and religious/cultural identity. Enrollment limited to 20 sophomores; first year students may register with instructor permission.
JUDS1390 The Archaeology of Jerusalem - K. Galor
Jerusalem constitutes one of the most important archaeological sites connected to the origins of Judaism, Christianity and Early Islam. In this class we will explore the material remains of the city beginning with David's conquest in ca. 1000 BC through the end of the Ottoman Period in 1917. The contemporary literary sources as well as the more recent scholarly debates and discoveries help us understand the material remains of the relevant periods.
JUDS1410 The Talmud –M. Satlow
Written from the first-seventh centuries CE, the Talmud (which runs to 20 volumes) contains law, lore, theological speculation, and complex argumentation. We will read a selection in depth and examine both traditional and modern critical (e.g. historical and literary) approaches to this fundamental text. No prerequisites; all texts in English translation. Enrollment limited to 20. DVPS LILE WRIT
JUDS1970 Individual Study Projects
Section numbers vary by instructor. Please see Banner for the correct course reference number (CRN) to use when registering for this course.
JUDS1980K Biblical History: What Really Happened? – S. Olyan
Topics of recent and current debate among specialists in the field of Israelite history. Problems include (1) the historicity of the patriarchs and matriarchs; (2) the historical evidence relevant to the question of an exodus; (3) the nature of Israel’s settlement in Canaan; (4) the 10th century, era of empire or literary fiction? (5) the land of Judah after the Babylonian conquest. Enrollment limited to 20.
JUDS 1981L Co-Existence and Conflict: Polish-Jewish Relations From 1500 Until Today (HIST 1552) - A. Teller
Interested students must register for HIST 1552 S01 (CRN26695)
Relations between Poles and Jews formed one of the bitterest national-religious conflicts in twentieth-century Eastern Europe. Like all such conflicts, however, it did not simply happen; nor were relations uniformly hostile. In this course we examine the roots of the conflict, stretching back centuries, and the ways in peaceful co-existence between Poles and Jews could breed hostility and violence. Topics include: Jews and the early-modern nobility; the nineteenth-century “Polish-Jewish Brotherhood”; the exclusionary politics of the interwar Polish republic; Poland’s role in the Holocaust; the post-war Communist regime and the Jews; Polish-Jewish relations following the collapse of communism.
UNIVERSITY COURSES (Primarily for Undergraduates)
UNIV0980 The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Contested Narratives – D. Jacobson
Like many political conflicts, the struggle between Israelis and Palestinians for the same land has produced contested historical narratives. We will compare the often radically different narratives that Palestinians and Israelis tell themselves and the world about their struggle over Palestine/Israel. Sources will include historical documents, memoirs, and accounts of the conflict by Israeli and Palestinian historians. We will also read works of fiction and view films that present the story of the conflict from both perspectives. Attention will also be paid to efforts by Israelis and Palestinians to transcend their conflicting narratives and arrive at mutual understanding. All sources will be in English translation. LILE