Center for Jewish Studies - Undergraduate Program and Fall 2020 Courses - Z
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Center for Jewish
Studies
Undergraduate Program
and Fall 2020 Courses
Consider a Jewish Studies Major or Minor The Jewish studies curriculum provides a unique perspective for students of history, religion, and culture. Our interdisciplinary program brings together scholarly experts from 12 academic departments and disciplines to form a course of study that cuts across historical periods and geographies, all seen through the lens of Jewish experience. As a degree-granting center, we offer an undergraduate major and minor. These degrees provide a balance between the ancient and modern components of Jewish studies. Our foundational curriculum in Jewish studies is enhanced by courses on topics such as biblical law and Jewish ethics, historical relations between Muslims and Jews, Jews in film and popular culture, the Holocaust, and contemporary Jewish literature. Email: parad004@umn.edu for more information.
BA in Jewish Studies In Jewish studies we learn about the history and cultures of the Jewish people from biblical antiquity to the present. Our program allows you to study the Hebrew Bible, Second Temple Judaism, the origins and foundational texts of rabbinic Judaism, Jewish history in the ancient, medieval, and modern worlds, Jewish literature, Jewish philosophy, the Holocaust, modern Israel, and the Jewish presence in popular culture. All majors also study either Biblical or Modern Hebrew. As a Jewish studies major, you'll acquire valuable critical analysis, research, and writing skills, as well as cross-cultural awareness that is sought after in the workplace and a historical awareness of the complexities that define the modern world. Jewish studies majors have access to research opportunities, and we assist you in identifying internships and other professionalizing activities. We encourage you to study abroad, and scholarships are available. Consult with the Learning Abroad Center for more information. To declare the Jewish studies major, email the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Natan Paradise.
Minor in Jewish Studies The Jewish studies minor allows you to develop a concentration in the study of Jewish culture and civilization throughout history. The minor recognizes the diversity and international aspect of the Jewish experience, complementing your studies in any major in the humanities and social sciences (and even some of the physical sciences). You choose from among the full range of Jewish studies courses, with a balance between and ancient and modern worlds. The minor consists of 6 courses in Jewish studies. Up to 10 credits of biblical and/or modern Hebrew courses (3xxx or above) may count toward the minor; if you have chosen to complete the CLA Second Language Requirement with Hebrew, you may therefore complete the minor in Jewish studies by taking only a few more courses. The Jewish studies curriculum is interdisciplinary, so students in other majors may find they are taking courses that also apply to the Jewish studies minor. To declare a minor in Jewish studies, email the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Natan Paradise. View full requirements
Introduction to Jewish History & Cultures
JWST/RELS 1034/3034 HIST 1534/3534
Natan Paradise
MW 1:00 - 2:15 pm
This course traces the development of Judaism and Jewish
civilizations from their beginnings to the present. Together we
will explore the mythic structures, significant documents,
historical experiences, narratives, practices, beliefs and IMAGE HERE
worldviews of the Jewish people. Woven throughout this
historical survey will be repeated engagements with core
questions: “Who is a Jew?” “What do Jews believe?” “What do
Jews do?” “What do we mean by ‘religion’?” “How do Jews read
texts within their tradition?” And perhaps most importantly,
“How many answers are there to a Jewish question?”. Synagogue of Ahmedabad, India, Photo: Emmanuel DYAN from Paris,
France. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45908621
Bible: Context & Interpretation
JWST/CNES/RELS 1201/3201
Pat Ahearne-Kroll
TTH 1:00 - 2:15 pm
What do we know about the histories and cultures behind the
collection of texts we call the Hebrew Bible--texts that were
initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes at particular time
periods in the ancient Near East? In this course, you will
engage with the academic study of biblical texts, an approach
IMAGE HERE that demands critical analysis and an openness to reading this
literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers who
lived in a world far different from today. Through careful
attention to language, social and historical contexts, and the
process by which ancient texts were created and transmitted,
you will learn to encounter the biblical world in its ancient
setting. This course fulfills the Literature LE. Knowledge of
Hebrew not required.
History of Modern Israel/Palestine JWST/HIST 3512 RELS 3113 Daniel Schroeter TTH 2:30 - 3:45 pm Beginning with the history of Ottoman Palestine in the late 19th century, this course examines the origins of Zionism and Arab nationalism, Arab-Jewish conflict in British Mandate Palestine, the foundation of the State of Israel and the formation of Israeli national culture, the Arab-Israeli IMAGE HERE wars, and the development of the Palestinian national movement and culture. Engaging with one of f the most controversial subjects of the modern world, students will confront contested accounts and interpretations of history that often serve the political aims of one of the many sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In understanding these opposing viewpoints and competing versions of history, students will be better equipped to analyze why the conflict in Israel/Palestine has remained so difficult to resolve.
History of the Holocaust
JWST/RELS 3520 HIST 3727
Sheer Ganor
MW 1:00 - 2:15 pm
This course investigates the systematic murder of millions of
human beings. What were the dynamics that made this
IMAGE HERE possible? How was it executed? How did the world
community respond? Integrating histories of Nazi Germany
and WWII with the victims’ experiences, we will gain an
understanding of an event that remains, in many ways,
incomprehensible.
Christians, Muslims, & Jews in the Middle
Ages
JWST/HIST 3606 RELS 3717
Daniel Schroeter & Michael Lower
TTH 1:00 - 2:15 pm
A Pew Research survey of the global religious landscape in
2010 found 2.2 billion Christians (31.5% of the world’s IMAGE HERE
population), 1.6 billion Muslims (23.2%), and 14 million
Jews (.2%). In this class, we explore how the histories of
these religious communities became deeply entangled in an
age of diplomacy, trade, jihad, and crusade.
HEINRICH BÜNTING, German, 1545-1606 - Osher Collection
http://usm.maine.edu/maps/exhibition/1/6/sub-/jerusalem-the-center-of-the-world
Jewish Studies Internship for Academic
Credit
JWST 3896
Students must have an internship prospect prior to enrollment.
Please consult with our Director of Undergraduate Studies, Natan
Paradise. parad004@umn.edu
The Jewish Studies Internship is intended to support an applied
learning experience in an agreed-upon, short-term, supervised
workplace activity, with defined goals which are related to the
IMAGE HERE
field of Jewish Studies. The work can be full or part time, paid or
unpaid, primarily in off-campus environments. Internships
integrate knowledge and theories gained previously within the
classroom context with practical application and skill development
in professional or community settings, alongside academic
assignments intended to reflect upon, inform, and reinforce the
workplace experiences.Death & the Afterlife in the Ancient World
CNES/RELS 3535
Hanne Loeland Levinson
WF 11:15 am- 12:30 pm
How did cultures and societies before us understand death and
IMAGE HERE dying, how did they cope with trauma, and how did they mourn
their dead? Death and what may follow has long fascinated,
bewildered, and inspired people. In this course we will study
beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to death and the afterlife
in the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East, with a
strong focus on the Hebrew Bible and ancient Israel. We will also
study some contemporary responses to death and trauma.Topics in German Cinema: Sex, Politics, & Comedy: Films of Ernst
Lubitsch
Note: for this course to count
GER 5630-001 for the JWST major or minor,
students will need to write
Rick McCormick their papers with a focus on a
film’s relation to Jewish history
or culture and/or issues of
T 4:40 - 8:40 pm concern to American and/or
German Jews.
The German Jewish filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch was the most
successful film director in Germany when he left for Hollywood in IMAGE HERE
1922. In America, he no longer made broad, anarchic, slapstick
comedies; he was hired to represent "European sophistication," so
he developed the "sophisticated comedy"--always about sex and
adultery but safely set in Europe. By the late 1930s he developed
a more political style of comedy that could be called "screwball
anti-fascism," above all with his anti-Nazi comedy of 1942, To Be
or Not to Be. We will study the transnational politics of the
Lubitsch comedy throughout his career, with an approach
informed by German Jewish, feminist, and queer studies. Shoe Palace Pinkus, Germany 19164 Credit Capstone
JWST 4000W
Independent research/writing under supervision of a faculty
sponsor. A student may approach an JWST faculty member
to develop a program of independent research/writing in an
area of a student’s choosing. Prereq: JWST major,
IMAGE HERE permission of Director of Undergraduate Studies, Natan
Paradise parad004@umn.edu.1 Credit Capstone
JWST 4001W
Students register in conjunction with an approved JWST
course. Please consult with our Director of Undergraduate
Studies, Natan Paradise. parad004@umn.edu
IMAGE HEREHebrew Courses
Fall 2020Beginning Hebrew I HEBR 1001 Renana Schneller M-F 11:15 am- 12:05 pm Modern Israeli Hebrew serves students with a wide variety of backgrounds and interests. This course is for complete IMAGE HERE beginners. You will learn basic listening, speaking, reading and writing skills with a stress on proficiency in communication. Cultural materials are incorporated. The Modern Hebrew sequence serves as a good base for subsequent work in Hebrew from other periods, including Biblical Hebrew. This course is the first in a sequence that prepares students to complete the CLA Language Requirement.
Beginning Biblical Hebrew I
HEBR 1101 Completion of the two
year sequence in Biblical
Hebrew satisfies the CLA
Bernard Levinson second language
requirement.
M-F 11:15 am- 12:05 pm
The Hebrew Bible is one of the most influential literary texts in
world history. Most of this influence, however, has been via IMAGE HERE
translation. Have you ever wondered if you can trust the
translation? Does the Adam and Eve story really say what you
think it does? Does the Hebrew Bible really include all the strict
moral injunctions we were taught? This course offers the tools
needed to read narrative texts in the Bible for yourself, while also
introducing you to multiple approaches in biblical scholarship.Intermediate Modern Hebrew I
HEBR 3011
Renana Schneller
M-F 10:10 - 11:00 am
This course assumes Hebrew 1001-2 or other equivalent language study.
This is the 3rd course in a sequence leading to satisfaction of the CLA
Language Requirement. The course materials and activities are designed
to help students gain the skills necessary in listening comprehension,
IMAGE HERE speaking, reading, and writing. The course includes a rapid review of
fundamentals for those who are rusty, followed by a selection of
dialogues designed to serve as a bridge between 1st and 2nd year
Hebrew. You will engage with simple selections from modern Israeli
prose, newspapers, and the arts, as well as TV news and films as your
ability increases. Grammatical skills and writing will be honed through
short compositions and a textbook manual.Advanced Modern Hebrew HEBR 5090 Renana Schneller MW 2:30 - 3:45 pm Various authentic Hebrew texts. Comprehension/speaking. Conducted entirely in Hebrew. Emphasizes Modern Israeli IMAGE HERE Hebrew. Grammar, widening vocabulary. Contemporary short fiction, essays, articles on cultural topics, films, Hebrew Internet sites, TV.
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