Courses in Judaic Studies
A JST 150 Jewish Civilization: From the Birth of the Israelites until the Present (3)An orientation to the field of Jewish studies from the ancient period to the present via a thematic approach, such as through Jewish languages, cities, migrations, or religious denominations. Recommended preparation for other A JST courses.
A JST 151 (= A REL 151) Judaism and its Foundational Texts (3)
Serves as a broad introduction to Judaism and examines Jewish traditions, practices, and variety of Jewishness through classic, traditional, unorthodox, and even heretical Jewish texts from antiquity until the present. No knowledge of Hebrew or background in Jewish culture or history is required. Only one of A JST 151 and A REL 151 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 155 (= A REL 155) Judaism: Traditions and Practices (3)
Examines the development of Jewish traditions and practices from the Rabbinic period to the present. Addresses Jewish law and custom related to the cycle of Jewish holidays throughout the year, and life cycle events from cradle to grave. Differentiates among beliefs and practices of various Jewish denominations. For those not already familiar with this subject matter, recommended preparation for other A JST courses. Only one version of A JST 155 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 221 (= A HIS 221) The American Jewish Experience (3)
A general overview of the American Jewish experience. Examines historical developments in such areas of American Jewish life as religious expression, political activity, education, demographics, socio-economics, and secular intellectual and cultural activity. Assesses the impact on American Jewry of immigration from Europe and elsewhere, and such pivotal events as World War I and II, the Holocaust, and the founding of the State of Israel. Addresses the relationship between diverse segments of American Jewry and between Jewish and non-Jewish Americans. Only one version of A JST 221 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 225 (= A ARH 225 & A HIS 225) The Modern Jewish Experience in Film (3)
With a specific eye on films, this course examines the transformations of world Jewry as well as important historical themes that crossed geographical areas beginning with the early modern period and continuing throughout nowadays. It is intended to provide an opportunity for students to engage some of the main themes in modern Jewish history by analyzing, watching and discussing American, European, and Israeli feature and documentary movies and videos that document or fictionalize Jewish life in the modern era. Only one version may be taken for credit.
A JST 244 (= A HIS 244 & A HEB 244) Zionism, Palestine, and Israel in Historical Perspective (3)
A study of 19th century Jewish and European history resulting in the formation of Jewish nationalism. Covers the development of various Zionist ideologies and organizations as well as their challengers within and outside the Jewish community. Examines the history of settlement in Palestine, the founding of the state of Israel, and the country’s subsequent development. Only one version of A JST 244 may be taken for credit.
A JST 248 (= A WSS 248) Gender and Jewish Women in Historical Perspective (3)
Examines gender and Jewish women in historical perspective from the biblical period through the early 21st century. Texts will include biblical passages, Talmudic legislation and interpretation, medieval documents, early modern and modern memoirs, letters, poetry and fiction, and feature and documentary films. Only one version of A WSS 248 and A JST 248 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 250 (= A HIS 250) The Holocaust in History (3)
Begins with an overview of European Jewish life on the eve of the attempt at its destruction, examines the cultural, social, and intellectual roots of Nazism, and discusses the efforts to isolate and marginalize those marked as “a-socials” in German society. Explores the radicalization of the Nazi program and investigates the variety of ways targeted groups responded to the crisis. Covers a number of survivor accounts and the memorialization and politicization of the Nazi Holocaust in the United States and Israel. Only one version of A JST 250 may be taken for credit.
A JST 251 (= A HIS 252) Early Israel and Biblical Civilization (3)
The history and culture of ancient Israel from its beginnings to the Persian Empire. A survey of the Hebrew Bible (in English) as the major source for the study of early Judaic religious and social forms in the context of the Near East. Only one of A JST 251, A HIS 252, and A JST/A HIS 341 may be taken for credit.
A JST 252 (= A HST 252 & A REL 252) Jews, Hellenism, and Early Christianity (3)
History of the Jewish people from Alexander the Great to the decline of the ancient world. Topics include examination of cultural conflict in Judaea and the diaspora, confrontation with Greco-Roman Hellenism and early Christianity, sectarianism, and the beginnings of Rabbinic institutions. Only one version of A JST 252 may be taken for credit.
A JST 253 (= A HIS 253 & A REL 253) Medieval and Early-Modern Jews among Muslims and Christians (3)
Explores the course of Jewish history from the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem until the French Revolution. Investigates the experience of Jews between and within the major religious and cultural systems that dominated medieval Europe; Islam and Christianity. The course charts the history of Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jewry, noting the important social, religious, cultural, and political characteristics of each community, as well as their interaction with two great world civilizations. Only one of A HIS 253, A JST 253, A REL 253, and A JST 353 may be taken for credit.
A JST 254 (= A HIS 254 & A REL 254) The Jews in the Modern World (3)
Beginning with the end of the late Middle Ages and the emergence of the Enlightenment, this class explores how Jewish communities responded to the demands of an ever-expanding modern world. Examines the ways in which Jews and Jewish communities sought to create modern expressions of Judaism and the response of rabbinic Judaism to these challenges. Explores the rise of Hasidism, the aims of Enlightened Jewry, nationalism, the creation of secular Jewish cultures, the World Wars, modern antisemitism and the Nazi Holocaust, and the emergence of new Jewish centers in the United States and Israel. Only one of A JST 254 and A REL 254 and A HIS 254 and A JST 344 may be taken for credit.
A JST 256 (= A REL 256 & A HIS 266) World Jewry since the Holocaust (3)
Examines the historical, cultural, societal, and demographic changes in world Jewry since the Holocaust. Investigates the decline of European Jewish communities and the development of the United States and Israel as postwar centers of modern Jewish life. Only one version of A JST 256 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 270 (= A REL 270) Jewish-Christian Relations through the Ages (3)
With an emphasis on documents and testimonies, this course introduces students to the history of Jewish-Christian relations from the first century of the common era through to the start of the twenty-first century. The course focuses both on the history of interactions between Jews and Christians -- persecutions, collaborations, conversions, etc. -- and on the history of theological stances and popular attitudes. Only one version of A JST 270 and A REL 270 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 275 (= A HIS 275) Antisemitism: Historical Explorations & Contemporary Challenges (3)
Explores pre-modern forms of anti-Jewish hatred, the manifestation of antisemitism in the modern period, and several of the current debates on antisemitism. Explores the instrumentalization of antisemitic hatred through several case studies and provides students with the means to assess critically both current antisemitic attacks and contemporary debates about antisemitism. Only one of A HIS 275 and A JST 275 may be taken for credit.
A JST 299 (= A REL 299) Introductory Topics in Judaic Studies (1–3)
An elementary course in Jewish culture, history, philosophy, literature or the Bible that is devoted to a topic or theme, a particular work or works, or a particular author or authors. May be repeated up to 6 credits when content varies.
T JST 299 Introductory Topics in Judaic Studies (1–3)
T JST 299 is the Honors College version of A JST 299.
A JST 308 (= A HEB 308) Readings in Jewish History and Hebrew Literature (3)
Study of a movement, phenomenon, or chronological and geographical context in Jewish History and/or a selected period, genre, or author of Hebrew literature. Previous knowledge of Hebrew is not necessary; all the texts are in translation (in English). May be repeated when content varies. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 309 (= A HEB 309) 20th Century Hebrew Literature
A study of selected works of Hebrew literature from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. The works studied will deal with such themes as alienation, disaster, religious and secular worldviews, and the place of Israel. The course is taught in translation (in English). May be repeated when content varies. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 331 (= A REL 331) Modern Jewish Thought (3)
A survey of the range of Jewish thought and philosophical movements from the mid-17th century to the present. Focuses on key Jewish thinkers, philosophers, and theologians, exploring questions of Jewish ethics, religion, relationships to God, and moral responsibility in a time of increased secularization. Only one version of A JST 331 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 332 (= A MUS 332; formerly A JST 215 & A MUS 225) Music of the Jewish People (3)
A survey of significant features and trends emerging from the evolving history, musical literature, and aesthetics of Jewish musical expression. Issues to be addressed include musical implications of the multi-national, multi-ethnic nature of Jewish peoplehood; the complex interplay between Jewish identity and musical expression; the multi-faceted nature of the term Jewish, and the dynamic interaction between Jewish communities and surrounding host cultures, as diverse influences have been perpetually refracted through the lens of the Jewish experience. Course work will include listening, reading, and writing assignments, integrated within a lecture and discussion format. Only one version of A JST 332 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 341 (= A HIS 341) Issues in Biblical Civilization (3)
Covers same period as A JST 251 but on an advanced level. Students attend class meetings for A JST 251, but have a separate, more sophisticated reading list, a research paper, and a separate recitation session. Only one of A JST 251, A HIS 252, and A JST/A HIS 341 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A JST 150 or permission of instructor.
A JST 343 Issues in Medieval Jewish History (3)
Covers same period as A JST 253, but on an advanced level. Students attend class meetings for A JST 253, but have a separate, more sophisticated reading list, a research paper, and a separate recitation session. Only one of A HIS 253, A REL 253, A JST 253, and A JST 343 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite (s): A JST 150 or permission of instructor.
A JST 344 Issues in Modern Jewish History (3)
Covers the same period as A JST 254, but on an advanced level. Students attend class meetings for A JST 254, but have a separate, more sophisticated reading list, a research paper, and a separate recitation session. Only one of A JST/A HIS/A REL 254 and A JST 344 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A JST 150 or permission of instructor.
A JST 357 (= A HIS 368) West European Jewry in Modern Times (3)
A detailed examination of Jewish history in West and Central Europe that highlights the transformation and politicization of Jewish life in the modern era until World War II. Examines the denominalization of Judaism; the Jewish Enlightenment and its opponents; the campaigns for and against emancipation; the role of Jews in European culture, politics, and industry; and the rise of modern antisemitism. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 358 East and West: Jews and the City (3)
Examines the multifaceted and multivalent relationships between Jews and the city, from medieval Europe and North Africa to modern Europe, America and the Middle East. It explores various forms of Jewish urban settlement, from the Venetian ghetto and Moroccan mellah to the Eastern European shtetl and the cosmopolitan metropolis. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 360 (= A HIS 360) Bearing Witness: Holocaust Diaries and Memoirs (3)
A study in diaries, autobiographies, and memoirs of Jews written during and after the Nazi Holocaust. Considers the complex historical questions raised by such works, including: What can be learned about the Holocaust through autobiographical writing? To what extent were the authors aware of the scope of the attacks on European Jewry beyond their own immediate experience? What responses were available to Jews during this period? How did the authors make sense of their experiences? What are the merits and limits of autobiographical writing as a historical resource? How do accounts of the period change as authors' chronological proximity to the events increases? In what ways are memoirs of the Holocaust shaped by the events occurring at the time in which they written?
A JST 367 (= A ENG 367) The Jewish Literary Imagination (3)
Readings in literature by modern Jewish writers that addresses themes and issues of importance to modern Jewry. The course may offer either an intensive survey of a broad range of modern Jewish literature in one or more genres, or take a thematic, national, chronological, or generic approach to the subject matter. Only one version of A JST 367 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 373 The Arab in Israeli Literature (3)
An examination of the image of the Arab in selected poetry, short stories, and novels of modern Israel. The course will address the evolving presence, perceptions, and significance of the Arab in the literature. Attention is given to the historical and cultural factors contributing to the distinct treatment of the Arab in various areas of modern Hebrew literature. Only one of A JST 273 and 373 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2020-2021.
A JST 450 Judaic Studies Practicum (3)
Advanced Judaic Studies students receive undergraduate credit for assisting with 100 or 200 level Judaic Studies courses under the close supervision of the instructor. Students at this level lead small group discussions several times in the semester; offer one class presentation, which will also be written up as a paper and submitted to the instructor; and may assist in grading quizzes and examinations. Students meet regularly with the instructor, who helps students improve their knowledge of the topic and discusses pedagogical techniques. Course may be repeated once for credit with approval of department chair. Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor and department chair.
A JST 497 Independent Study in Judaic Studies (1–6)
Directed reading and conferences on selected topics in Judaic studies. May be repeated for credit when content varies. Prerequisite(s): permission of department chair.
