Course Descriptions

Anthropology

Anth 188—Archaeology of Israel and Neighboring Lands (3)

The archaeology of Israel and adjacent areas (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon). Examination of many major sites and monuments. Significant problems and current debates. (Cline)

Classical Studies

Clas 100—Modern Hebrew Literary Classics (3)

Prose and poetry of a century of writing from the beginning of the Hebrew literary renaissance to contemporary Israeli literature, including works of Bialik, Agnon, Hazaz, Amichai, Oz, and Yehoshua. Discussions stress historical development and authors’ treatments of tradition and modernity. (Peleg)

Clas 101—Israeli Society and Culture: Literary Perspectives (3)

A study of literature reflecting such contemporary issues as the conflict between the “builders’ generation” and their children; the cultural contacts of Ashkenazim and Sefardim; image of the Arab; impact of the Holocaust; Zionist ideals and current realities. All readings in translation. (Peleg)

Clas 102—Contemporary Israeli Short Stories and Poetry (3)

An introduction to post-1948 writers, including A.B. Yehoshua, Amost Oz, David Shahar, Aharon Apfelfeld, Dahlia Ravikovitch, Yehuda Amichai, Haim Gury, amier Gliboa, and Amalia Kahana-Karmon. (Ticktin)

Clas 105—Special Topics: Jewish Literary Responses to Modernity (3)

Short stories, in translation, of two Nobel Laureates: Isacc Bashevis Singer, who wrote in Yiddish, and S.Y. Agnon, who wrote in Hebrew. Their imaginative worlds and similarities to Franz Kafka's tales as they describe the comic incongruities and tragic absurdities of modern existence. (Ticktin)

Clas 105—Special Topics: Kafka and the Modern Jewish Short Story (3)

Reading of short stories (in translation) by Franz Kafka, Shmuel Yosef Agnon, and Isaac Bashevis Singer. This course stresses their descriptions of the humorous incongruities and tragic absurdities of modern Jewish existence. (Ticktin)

Clas 105—Special Topics: Yiddish Literary Classics (3)

Reading and discussion of translated short stories, dramas, and poems from the Yiddish literary renaissance period (including works by Sholom Aleichem, I.L. Peretz, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Sholem Asch, Jacob Glatstein). Writing will be presented in the historical and cultural contexts of earlier folktales and folk humor, life in the shetl and in Eastern European urban communities, the Holocaust, Jews in the Soviet Union and immigrant Jewish settings in America. (Ticktin)

Clas 118—History of Ancient Israel (3)

This course surveys the history of ancient Israel from the Patriarchs through the Roman Period. Topics include historical, archaeological, political, social, cultural, religious, diplomatic, military, economic, and intellectual events, movements and relationships. Historical sources will include the Old and New Testaments, other textual material, and the evidence from archaeology. Same as Hist 108. (Cline)

Clas 185/186—Directed Readings Project (1, 2 or 3)

Individual advanced reading or research, to be arranged with a member of the faculty. May be repeated for credit. Admission by permission of instructor and department. (Staff)

English

Engl 179—Representations of the Holocaust in Literature and Film (3)

This class will focus on representation, both documentary and fictional, of the Nazi destruction of European Jewry in the Holocaust. How and why does one “realistically” depict a very real event, the Holocaust? What role does “unrealistic” depiction play? Whose experiences are more “authentic,” whose more suited for a book or a movie than another writer's and why? (Raphael)

Engl 188—Jewish American Writing (3)

One hundred years of Jewish American writing in fiction, autobiography, poetry, drama, and non-fictional prose. The immigrant experience, American philosemitism and antisemitism, the Holocaust and after, the New York intellectuals, Jewish feminism, and the patriarchal tradition. (Plotz/Staff)

Hebrew

Hebr 1/2—Beginning Hebrew (4–4)

An active presentation of Hebrew as it is spoken and written today. Comprehension, speaking, reading and writing skills are stressed. (Academic year) (Moses/Staff)

Hebr 3/4—Intermediate Hebrew (4–4)

Further development of skills in speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension of modern Hebrew. Texts range from Israeli newspaper items to selections from classical materials. Prerequisite: Hebr 1–2 or equivalent. (Academic year) (Staff)

Hebr 103—Modern Hebrew Nonfiction (3)

Directed readings in humanities and social sciences. Development of linguistic skills necessary for independent research. Prerequisite: Hebr 4 or permission of instructor. (Fall) (Moses or Peleg)

Hebr 104—Modern Hebrew Fiction (3)

Directed readings in humanities and social sciences. Development of linguistic skills necessary for independent research. Prerequisite: Hebr 4 or permission of instructor. (Spring) (Moses)

Hebr 106—The Israeli Media (3)

Explores the Israeli press, television and radio news broadcasts in Hebrew; focuses on developing increasing proficiency in reading and aural comprehension through class discussions and written assignments in Hebrew. Prerequisite: Hebr 103 or permission of instructor. (Fall) (Moses)

Hebr 120/21—Advanced Hebrew Literature (3–3)

Selections from Hebrew literature throughout the ages: Bible, Rabbinics, medieval Hebrew literature; classical motifs in modern Israeli literature. Literary analysis (writing and discussion) in Hebrew. Prerequisite: Hebr 104, or 106, or permission of instructor. (Peleg or Ticktin)

History

Hist 101—Special Topics: American Jewish History (3)

A seminar in American Jewish history, covering the period from the earliest Jewish settlement in America to the era of the late 1960s or early 1970s. Students will be expected to produce a research paper dealing with a topic relating principally to economic, political, or cultural factors. (Staff)

Hist 101—Special Topics: History of East European Jewry(3)

(Staff)

Hist 108—History of Ancient Israel (3)

Hist 113—History of Jews in Christian Europe to the 18th Century (3)

The position of Jews in relation to church and state; organization and self-government of the Jewish community; movements of Jewish spirituality (Philosophy, Kabbalah, German and Polish Hasidism); divisions within Jewish society; the background of emancipation and enlightenment. (Fall) (Saperstein)

Hist 114—History of the Jews in Islamic Lands (3)

Major themes: the legal status of Jews under Islam; the impact of the Muslim conquest and Abbasid rule upon the Jewish community of Babylonia; the flourishing Jewish civilization in Muslim Spain; the nature of Mediterranean Jewish society in the High Middle Ages; Jewish life in Ottoman Turkey. (Fall) (Saperstein)

Hist 115—Messianic Movements and Ideas in Jewish History (3)

Survey of messianism as a central force in Jewish history, stressing both theoretical implications and concrete manifestations. Topics: biblical messianism, the rise of Christianity, medieval speculation, the Sabbatian movement, Zionism. (Saperstein)

Hist 158—Modern Jewish History (3)

A secular history of the Jewish people from the 18th century to the present State of Israel; emphasis on European and American political, economic, and cultural influences. (Staff)

Hist 159—The Holocaust (3)

Analyzes the origins, causes, and significance of the Nazi attempt to destroy European Jewry, within the context of European and Jewish history. Related themes: the behavior of persecutors, victims, and bystanders; literary responses; contemporary implications of the Holocaust for religion and politics. Prior course in Jewish or European history recommended. (Saperstein)

Hist 161—Jewish Historical Writing (3)

A survey of Jewish attitudes toward history and examples of Jewish historiography beginning with the Hebrew Bible. Emphasis will be placed on medieval and Renaissance historians, and on the flourishing of historical writing in the past 150 years in Europe, in Israel, and in the United States. (Fall) (Saperstein)

Hist 194—History of the Modern Middle East (3)

Beginning with Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt. Development of nationalism and of modern states; impact of the West on culture and institutions; great-power imperialism; crises of Turkish Straits, Suez, Arab-Israeli relations; and other issues. (Abugideiri)

Hist 292—Seminar: Israel, Zionism and the Arab World (3)

(Staff)

Hist 297—Seminar: Jews and Christians in the Middle Ages (3)

Investigates the role of Church and State in determining the position of the Jew in medieval Christian Europe, and explores Jewish strategies of adaptation and survival. Topics include: legal status of Jews, the Crusades, ritual murder and blood libel, economic tensions, polemical literature, expulsions, Jewish attitudes towards Christianity, and creative interaction. Seniors & graduate students or permission of instructor. (Saperstein)

Hist 297—Seminar: Antisemitism (3)

An analysis of articulated hatred toward Jews as a historical force. After treating precursors in the pagan world of antiquity and in classical Christian doctrine, the course will focus on the modern phenomenon crystallizing in 19th century Europe and reaching its lethal extreme in Nazi ideology, propaganda, and policy. Expressions in the U.S. and in the Arab world, as well as Jewish reactions to antisemitism, will also be studied. Prerequisite: course in modern European history or permission of the instructor. (Saperstein)

Honors

Honr 175—Holocaust Memory: Past, Present, and Future (3)

The development, representation, uses and misuses of Holocaust memory. The writings and testimonies of victims and survivors; the challenge of memorializing and writing about the Holocaust; its implications for ongoing genocides and crimes against humanity; and its increasing vulnerability to intellectual, cultural, historical and political misuse. (W. Reich)

Political Science

PSc 176—The Arab-Israeli Conflict (3)

Origins, evolution, and issues of the Arab-Israeli conflict. (Spring and summer) (B. Reich)

PSc 179—Israeli Politics and Foreign Policy (3)

Examination of the institutions, processes, and issues of Israeli politics and foreign policy. (Fall) (B. Reich)

Religion

Rel 9—The Hebrew Scriptures (3)

The literature, history, and religious thought represented by the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). Continuities and contrasts between Israel and the ancient Near East are considered through study of the world view, oral and literary tradition, main religious ideas, and chief figures and movements of the biblical literature. (Fall and Spring) (Duff/Staff)

Rel 103—Biblical Issues (3)

Previous topics have included: Biblical Wisdom Literature, Genesis and Exodus, the Hebrew Prophets, and Literary Approaches to the Hebrew Bible. (Ticktin)

Rel 106—Judaism (3)

An examination of Jewish thought and ritual in their development from biblical to modern times. (Fall and Spring) (Eisen)

Rel 107—Rabbinic Thought and Literature (3)

An examination of the thought and literature of rabbinic Judaism in its formative period, 100–500 CE, through a close reading of primary texts in translation; the development of early rabbinic law and theology is explored in the Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrash. (Eisen)

Rel 112—Jewish Mysticism (3)

A historical treatment of the major forms of Jewish Mysticism: the ecstatic schools of Merkavah mysticism, medieval German pietism, and Abraham Abulafia; the theosophic mysticism of medieval French and Spanish Kabbalah, Lurianic Kabbalah, and modern Hasidism; examination of major concepts, such as God, man, Israel, Torah, and redemption, as understood by these schools. (Eisen)

Rel 113—Second Temple/Hellenistic Judaism (3)

History of Judaism from the time of Ezra through the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE—canonization of the Pentateuch, Hellenism, Maccabean revolt, growth of sectarian movements, Herod, ferment against Rome in context of Eastern and Western political currents. Use of primary sources, especially the Bible, Josephus, and rabbinic and noncanonical writings. (Duff)

Rel 115—Jewish Philosophy in the Medieval Period (3)

An exploration of Jewish philosophical thinking from the close of the rabbinic period to the end of the middle ages through an analysis of four major philosophers—Saadiah, Judah Halevi, Maimonides, and Gersonides. Topics include the nature of God, creation, divine providence, prophecy, and the rationale for the biblical commandments. (Eisen)

Rel 116—Modern Jewish Thought (3)

Transformation of community and beliefs among Jews beginning with the catalyst of their political emancipation. Responses to beginnings of modernity among Jews in Europe, America, and Israel. (Eisen)

Rel 118—Women in Judaism (3)

An exploration of Jewish women's history and legal status; focus on feminist theological perspectives and Jewish women's spirituality as reflected in personal writings, ritual, liturgy, and midrash. Dialectic between tradition and innovation will be examined. (Berner)

Rel 123—Issues in Jewish Ethics (3)

Exploration of current debates about major ethical issues among Jewish thinkers in the Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform denominations; issues in bioethics, feminism, attitudes towards non-Jews, social action, the ethics of war. (Glazer)

Rel 134—The Holocaust in Theology and Literature (3)

Theological and literary reactions of Jewish thinkers to the Holocaust, emphasis on evaluating contemporary responses to the Holocaust in light of attitudes toward suffering in the classical Jewish tradition; readings include Fackenheim, Rubinstein, Wiesel, and Appelfeld. (Eisen and Ticktin)

Rel 174—American Judaism (3)

Religious thought and institutions with emphasis on contemporary Judaism. Mythic and ritual life of American Jews, including responses to Israel, diaspora, the Holocaust, family and community dynamics. (Glazer)

Rel 190—Special Topics Seminar (3)

Previous topics have included: Biblical Prophets, the Book of Genesis, the thought of Martin Buber, the thought of A.J. Heschel, Jewish Prayerbook, and Jewish Philosophy, 1500–1800. (Staff)

Yiddish

Ydsh 1/2—Yiddish for Reading and Conversation (3-3)

Grammatical essentials of the language, appropriate reading selections, conversational exercises for beginners. (Alternate academic years) (Ticktin)