Please consult the online course catalog for cross-listed courses and full course information.
The courses listed below are provided by the JHU Public Course Search. This listing provides a snapshot of immediately available courses and may not be complete.
This course is a survey of the history of Jewish magic, mysticism, and secret tradition from the Middle Ages till the 19th century. We shall explore the concept of the sod (mystery) and its historical variants. We shall read excerpts from the most important texts of Jewish esotericism, such as Sefer Yetzirah, the Bahir, and the Zohar. We shall also discuss “practical Kabbalah”, i.e. the preparation and use of amulets and charms, as well as demonic (and angelic) possession.
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History of Kabbalah AS.100.256 (01)
This course is a survey of the history of Jewish magic, mysticism, and secret tradition from the Middle Ages till the 19th century. We shall explore the concept of the sod (mystery) and its historical variants. We shall read excerpts from the most important texts of Jewish esotericism, such as Sefer Yetzirah, the Bahir, and the Zohar. We shall also discuss “practical Kabbalah”, i.e. the preparation and use of amulets and charms, as well as demonic (and angelic) possession.
History of the Jews in Pre-Modern Times, from the Middle Ages to 1789
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Katz, David
Smokler Center 213
Spring 2023
A broad survey of the significant political and cultural dynamics of Jewish history in the Medieval, Early-Modern, and Modern Eras.
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History of the Jews in Pre-Modern Times, from the Middle Ages to 1789 AS.130.216 (01)
A broad survey of the significant political and cultural dynamics of Jewish history in the Medieval, Early-Modern, and Modern Eras.
Days/Times: TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Instructor: Katz, David
Room: Smokler Center 213
Status: Open
Seats Available: 1/21
PosTag(s): NEAS-HISCUL, INST-GLOBAL, INST-NWHIST
AS.130.352 (01)
History of Hasidism
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Katz, David
Smokler Center 213
Spring 2023
Although it appears to be a relic of pre-modern Judaism, Hasidism is a phenomenon of the modern era of Jewish history. This course surveys the political and social history of the Hasidic movement over the course of the last three centuries. Students will also explore basic features of Hasidic culture and thought in their historical development. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies.
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History of Hasidism AS.130.352 (01)
Although it appears to be a relic of pre-modern Judaism, Hasidism is a phenomenon of the modern era of Jewish history. This course surveys the political and social history of the Hasidic movement over the course of the last three centuries. Students will also explore basic features of Hasidic culture and thought in their historical development. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Katz, David
Room: Smokler Center 213
Status: Open
Seats Available: 5/19
PosTag(s): INST-GLOBAL
AS.130.441 (01)
Elementary Biblical Hebrew II
TTh 9:00AM - 10:15AM
Cooper, Stephanie Lynn
MSE Library Eisenberg
Spring 2023
Survey of grammar and reading of simple texts. May not be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. A continuation of Elementary Biblical Hebrew I.
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Elementary Biblical Hebrew II AS.130.441 (01)
Survey of grammar and reading of simple texts. May not be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. A continuation of Elementary Biblical Hebrew I.
Days/Times: TTh 9:00AM - 10:15AM
Instructor: Cooper, Stephanie Lynn
Room: MSE Library Eisenberg
Status: Open
Seats Available: 6/9
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.130.443 (01)
Readings - Hebrew Prose and Poetry
M 4:30PM - 7:00PM
Cooper, Stephanie Lynn
MSE Library Eisenberg
Spring 2023
Reading of Biblical Hebrew Prose, from texts such as the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings.
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Readings - Hebrew Prose and Poetry AS.130.443 (01)
Reading of Biblical Hebrew Prose, from texts such as the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings.
Days/Times: M 4:30PM - 7:00PM
Instructor: Cooper, Stephanie Lynn
Room: MSE Library Eisenberg
Status: Open
Seats Available: 5/9
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.134.101 (01)
GOD 101: The Early History of God - Origin, Character, Practice
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Lewis, Ted
Gilman 130G
Spring 2023
In a world of big ideas, there is none larger than that of God. Divinity is an ever-present topic for both religious devotees and hard core secularists—for anyone who embraces the humanities or
ponders what makes us human. Humans are, for better and worse, homo-religiosus (humans who practice religion) as much as homo-sapiens. But what do we know of God historically? How do we go about reconstructing divinity from ancient texts and archaeology? How do we best walk back in time to understand ancient Middle Eastern cultures that gave birth to notions of the divine that have come down to today’s Judaism, Christianity and Islam? This course looks synthetically at the vast topic of God—exploring questions of historical origin, how God was characterized in literature (mythic warrior, king, parent, judge, holy, compassionate) and how God was represented in iconography, both materially and abstractly. Secondly, how did belief intersect with practice? Using the indow of divinity, this course will peer into the varieties of religion experience, exploring the royal use of religion for power, prestige and control balanced against the intimacy of family and household religion. It will probe priestly prerogatives and cultic status, prophetic challenges to injustice, and the pondering of theodicy by poetic sages.
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GOD 101: The Early History of God - Origin, Character, Practice AS.134.101 (01)
In a world of big ideas, there is none larger than that of God. Divinity is an ever-present topic for both religious devotees and hard core secularists—for anyone who embraces the humanities or
ponders what makes us human. Humans are, for better and worse, homo-religiosus (humans who practice religion) as much as homo-sapiens. But what do we know of God historically? How do we go about reconstructing divinity from ancient texts and archaeology? How do we best walk back in time to understand ancient Middle Eastern cultures that gave birth to notions of the divine that have come down to today’s Judaism, Christianity and Islam? This course looks synthetically at the vast topic of God—exploring questions of historical origin, how God was characterized in literature (mythic warrior, king, parent, judge, holy, compassionate) and how God was represented in iconography, both materially and abstractly. Secondly, how did belief intersect with practice? Using the indow of divinity, this course will peer into the varieties of religion experience, exploring the royal use of religion for power, prestige and control balanced against the intimacy of family and household religion. It will probe priestly prerogatives and cultic status, prophetic challenges to injustice, and the pondering of theodicy by poetic sages.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Lewis, Ted
Room: Gilman 130G
Status: Open
Seats Available: 4/15
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.120 (01)
Elementary Modern Hebrew
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Scott, Cameron David
Gilman 443
Spring 2023
Elementary Modern Hebrew is the first exposure to the language as currently used in Israel in all its functional contexts. All components of the language are discussed: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Simple idiomatic sentences and short texts in Hebrew are used. Students learn the Hebrew alphabet, words and short sentences. Cultural aspects of Israel will be intertwined throughout the course curriculum.
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Elementary Modern Hebrew AS.210.120 (01)
Elementary Modern Hebrew is the first exposure to the language as currently used in Israel in all its functional contexts. All components of the language are discussed: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Simple idiomatic sentences and short texts in Hebrew are used. Students learn the Hebrew alphabet, words and short sentences. Cultural aspects of Israel will be intertwined throughout the course curriculum.
Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Scott, Cameron David
Room: Gilman 443
Status: Open
Seats Available: 7/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.121 (01)
Modern Hebrew for Beginners II
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Bessire, Mirit
Gilman 474
Spring 2023
Hebrew for Beginners 106 is a continuation of Hebrew 105 and as such, students are required to have a foundation in Hebrew. The course will enhance and continue to expose students to Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. All components of the Hebrew language will be emphasized in this course; we will highlight verbs, adjectives, and the ability to read longer texts. Speaking in Hebrew will also be highlighted to promote students’ engagement and communication. Cultural aspects of the language will be incorporated into lessons as well.
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Modern Hebrew for Beginners II AS.210.121 (01)
Hebrew for Beginners 106 is a continuation of Hebrew 105 and as such, students are required to have a foundation in Hebrew. The course will enhance and continue to expose students to Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. All components of the Hebrew language will be emphasized in this course; we will highlight verbs, adjectives, and the ability to read longer texts. Speaking in Hebrew will also be highlighted to promote students’ engagement and communication. Cultural aspects of the language will be incorporated into lessons as well.
Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Bessire, Mirit
Room: Gilman 474
Status: Open
Seats Available: 13/15
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.163 (01)
Elementary Yiddish I
MW 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Lang, Beatrice
Smokler Center Library
Spring 2023
Look at Jewish history and culture backwards and forwards through the Yiddish language! The vernacular of Ashkenazi Jews for a thousand years, Yiddish connects back to recent and distant generations in Europe, America, and elsewhere. But Yiddish is not just a bridge to the past, it is also the center of vibrant contemporary cultures, both religious and secular.
This four-skills language class (reading, writing, listening, speaking) places emphasis on the active use of Yiddish in oral and written communication while guiding students towards the use of Yiddish as a tool for the study of Yiddish literature and Ashkenazi history and culture.
Cannot be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
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Elementary Yiddish I AS.210.163 (01)
Look at Jewish history and culture backwards and forwards through the Yiddish language! The vernacular of Ashkenazi Jews for a thousand years, Yiddish connects back to recent and distant generations in Europe, America, and elsewhere. But Yiddish is not just a bridge to the past, it is also the center of vibrant contemporary cultures, both religious and secular.
This four-skills language class (reading, writing, listening, speaking) places emphasis on the active use of Yiddish in oral and written communication while guiding students towards the use of Yiddish as a tool for the study of Yiddish literature and Ashkenazi history and culture.
Cannot be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
Days/Times: MW 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Lang, Beatrice
Room: Smokler Center Library
Status: Open
Seats Available: 14/17
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.164 (01)
Elementary Yiddish II
MW 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Shoulson, Sophia Elizabeth
Smokler Center Library
Spring 2023
Second semester of year-long course that includes the four language skills, reading, writing, listening, and speaking, and introduces students to Yiddish culture through text, song, and film. Emphasis is placed both on the acquisition of Yiddish as a tool for the study of Yiddish literature and Ashkenazic history and culture, and on the active use of the language in oral and written communication. The class is using In Eynem, the brand new Yiddish language program from the Yiddish Book Center.
Cannot be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. Recommended course background: AS.210.163 or instructor permission.
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Elementary Yiddish II AS.210.164 (01)
Second semester of year-long course that includes the four language skills, reading, writing, listening, and speaking, and introduces students to Yiddish culture through text, song, and film. Emphasis is placed both on the acquisition of Yiddish as a tool for the study of Yiddish literature and Ashkenazic history and culture, and on the active use of the language in oral and written communication. The class is using In Eynem, the brand new Yiddish language program from the Yiddish Book Center.
Cannot be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. Recommended course background: AS.210.163 or instructor permission.
Days/Times: MW 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Shoulson, Sophia Elizabeth
Room: Smokler Center Library
Status: Open
Seats Available: 15/17
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.221 (01)
Intermediate Modern Hebrew II
TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Bessire, Mirit
Gilman 474
Spring 2023
Intermediate Hebrew level II is a continuation of the course Hebrew 205 and as such is a requirement for entry. In the course, grammatical aspects of the language will be introduced in the focus of past and future tenses. Combined and complex sentences with proper syntax and reading comprehension and writing skills will be required. Modern Israeli cultural aspects of the Hebrew language will be introduced as well and will be part of the holistic understanding of the modern language.
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Intermediate Modern Hebrew II AS.210.221 (01)
Intermediate Hebrew level II is a continuation of the course Hebrew 205 and as such is a requirement for entry. In the course, grammatical aspects of the language will be introduced in the focus of past and future tenses. Combined and complex sentences with proper syntax and reading comprehension and writing skills will be required. Modern Israeli cultural aspects of the Hebrew language will be introduced as well and will be part of the holistic understanding of the modern language.
Days/Times: TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Instructor: Bessire, Mirit
Room: Gilman 474
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.264 (01)
Intermediate Yiddish II
TTh 9:00AM - 10:15AM
Lang, Beatrice
Smokler Center 214
Spring 2023
Continuation of Intermediate Yiddish I: this course will focus on the Yiddish language as a key to understanding the culture of Yiddish-speaking Jews. Topics in Yiddish literature, cultural history and contemporary culture will be explored through written and aural texts, and these primary sources will be used as a springboard for work on all the language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
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Intermediate Yiddish II AS.210.264 (01)
Continuation of Intermediate Yiddish I: this course will focus on the Yiddish language as a key to understanding the culture of Yiddish-speaking Jews. Topics in Yiddish literature, cultural history and contemporary culture will be explored through written and aural texts, and these primary sources will be used as a springboard for work on all the language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Days/Times: TTh 9:00AM - 10:15AM
Instructor: Lang, Beatrice
Room: Smokler Center 214
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.321 (01)
Modern Hebrew via the Lens of Israeli Cinema
W 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Bessire, Mirit
Smokler Center 214
Spring 2023
This course will expand students’ fluencies in Modern Hebrew through Hebrew-dialogic Israeli and Palestinian cinema, examining and comparing several layers of a contemporary Hebrew-speaking society. For this class, students will view, discuss, and write about films with Hebrew as the primary spoken language. Through aural interpretation and subtitles, students will understand, analyze, and reflectively discuss the diversity of Hebrew-speaking cultures within society and the provenance and intentionalities of the dialects exhibited throughout a given film. Linguistic nuance, slang, and interpretive aspects of Hebrew as shown in the chosen films will prompt students to examine this modality of the expression of contemporary Hebrew. The course will be taught primarily in Hebrew and will be open to students who have matriculated to at least 200-level coursework of Modern Hebrew.
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Modern Hebrew via the Lens of Israeli Cinema AS.210.321 (01)
This course will expand students’ fluencies in Modern Hebrew through Hebrew-dialogic Israeli and Palestinian cinema, examining and comparing several layers of a contemporary Hebrew-speaking society. For this class, students will view, discuss, and write about films with Hebrew as the primary spoken language. Through aural interpretation and subtitles, students will understand, analyze, and reflectively discuss the diversity of Hebrew-speaking cultures within society and the provenance and intentionalities of the dialects exhibited throughout a given film. Linguistic nuance, slang, and interpretive aspects of Hebrew as shown in the chosen films will prompt students to examine this modality of the expression of contemporary Hebrew. The course will be taught primarily in Hebrew and will be open to students who have matriculated to at least 200-level coursework of Modern Hebrew.
Days/Times: W 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Instructor: Bessire, Mirit
Room: Smokler Center 214
Status: Open
Seats Available: 3/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.421 (01)
Yiddish For Reading Knowledge
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Lang, Beatrice
Gilman 443
Spring 2023
This course is designed to open up the world of Yiddish culture and letters by helping students develop the skills necessary to read Yiddish texts in the original. Students will learn the Yiddish alphabet and be introduced to Yiddish vocabulary and grammatical structures, as well as to resources for reading Yiddish such as dictionaries and grammar guides. Students will read and translate texts of increasing difficulty and will have the opportunity to tackle texts in their own field of interest. A “fast track” will be offered to students with prior knowledge of German. No prior knowledge of Yiddish is necessary.
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Yiddish For Reading Knowledge AS.210.421 (01)
This course is designed to open up the world of Yiddish culture and letters by helping students develop the skills necessary to read Yiddish texts in the original. Students will learn the Yiddish alphabet and be introduced to Yiddish vocabulary and grammatical structures, as well as to resources for reading Yiddish such as dictionaries and grammar guides. Students will read and translate texts of increasing difficulty and will have the opportunity to tackle texts in their own field of interest. A “fast track” will be offered to students with prior knowledge of German. No prior knowledge of Yiddish is necessary.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Lang, Beatrice
Room: Gilman 443
Status: Open
Seats Available: 10/12
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.211.315 (01)
The Meanings of Monuments: From the Tower of Babel to Robert E. Lee
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Mandell, Alice H; Spinner, Samuel Jacob
Gilman 479
Spring 2023
As is clear from current events and debates surrounding monuments to the Confederacy, monuments play an outsize role in the public negotiation of history and identity and the creation of communal forms of memory. We will study the traditions of monuments and monumentality around the world – including statues and buildings along with alternative forms of monumentality – from antiquity to the present day. We will examine the ways that monuments have been favored methods for the powerful to signal identity and authorize history. This course will also explore the phenomenon of “counter-monumentality”, whereby monuments are transformed and infused with new meaning. These kinds of monuments can be mediums of expression and commemoration for minority and diaspora communities and other groups outside the economic and political systems that endow and erect traditional public monuments. The first half of the course will examine the theoretical framework of monumentality, with a focus on ancient monuments from the ancient Near East (e.g., Solomon’s temple). More contemporary examples will be explored in the second half of the course through lectures and also field trips. We will view contemporary debates around monuments in America in light of the long history of monuments and in comparison with global examples of monuments and counter-monuments. All readings in English.
×
The Meanings of Monuments: From the Tower of Babel to Robert E. Lee AS.211.315 (01)
As is clear from current events and debates surrounding monuments to the Confederacy, monuments play an outsize role in the public negotiation of history and identity and the creation of communal forms of memory. We will study the traditions of monuments and monumentality around the world – including statues and buildings along with alternative forms of monumentality – from antiquity to the present day. We will examine the ways that monuments have been favored methods for the powerful to signal identity and authorize history. This course will also explore the phenomenon of “counter-monumentality”, whereby monuments are transformed and infused with new meaning. These kinds of monuments can be mediums of expression and commemoration for minority and diaspora communities and other groups outside the economic and political systems that endow and erect traditional public monuments. The first half of the course will examine the theoretical framework of monumentality, with a focus on ancient monuments from the ancient Near East (e.g., Solomon’s temple). More contemporary examples will be explored in the second half of the course through lectures and also field trips. We will view contemporary debates around monuments in America in light of the long history of monuments and in comparison with global examples of monuments and counter-monuments. All readings in English.
Days/Times: TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Instructor: Mandell, Alice H; Spinner, Samuel Jacob
Room: Gilman 479
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/15
PosTag(s): MLL-ENGL, INST-GLOBAL
AS.211.440 (01)
Literature of the Holocaust
T 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Spinner, Samuel Jacob
Gilman 55
Spring 2023
How has the Holocaust been represented in literature? Are there special challenges posed by genocide to the social and aesthetic traditions of representation? Where does the Holocaust fit in to the array of concerns that literature expresses? And where does literature fit in to the commemoration of communal tragedy and the working through of individual trauma entailed by thinking about and representing the Holocaust? These questions will guide our consideration of a range of texts — nonfiction, novels, poetry — originally written in Yiddish, German, English, French and other languages (including works by Primo Levi and Isaac Bashevis Singer). A special focus will be works written during and in the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust. All readings in English.
×
Literature of the Holocaust AS.211.440 (01)
How has the Holocaust been represented in literature? Are there special challenges posed by genocide to the social and aesthetic traditions of representation? Where does the Holocaust fit in to the array of concerns that literature expresses? And where does literature fit in to the commemoration of communal tragedy and the working through of individual trauma entailed by thinking about and representing the Holocaust? These questions will guide our consideration of a range of texts — nonfiction, novels, poetry — originally written in Yiddish, German, English, French and other languages (including works by Primo Levi and Isaac Bashevis Singer). A special focus will be works written during and in the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust. All readings in English.
Days/Times: T 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Instructor: Spinner, Samuel Jacob
Room: Gilman 55
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/15
PosTag(s): MLL-HEBR, MLL-ENGL
AS.216.320 (01)
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Cultural Perspective
M 3:00PM - 5:30PM
Stahl, Neta
Maryland 309
Spring 2023
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is often construed as impenetrable to outsiders, yet, cultural production emerging from this crucible is often presented as a “window” into the history, politics, and psychology of the conflict. Rather than operating from the assumption that culture is a mirror that simply “reflects” an objective reality, this course investigates how authors, filmmakers, and artists situated in the midst of the conflict produce art that reaches far beyond the representation of historical events, extending into the domains of religion, memory, fantasies, nostalgia, perceptions of space and time, body image and gender and sexual identities. The material covered will include feature and documentary film, literature, memoir, dance, visual art, photography and theater. All material will be taught in English translation.
×
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Cultural Perspective AS.216.320 (01)
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is often construed as impenetrable to outsiders, yet, cultural production emerging from this crucible is often presented as a “window” into the history, politics, and psychology of the conflict. Rather than operating from the assumption that culture is a mirror that simply “reflects” an objective reality, this course investigates how authors, filmmakers, and artists situated in the midst of the conflict produce art that reaches far beyond the representation of historical events, extending into the domains of religion, memory, fantasies, nostalgia, perceptions of space and time, body image and gender and sexual identities. The material covered will include feature and documentary film, literature, memoir, dance, visual art, photography and theater. All material will be taught in English translation.
Days/Times: M 3:00PM - 5:30PM
Instructor: Stahl, Neta
Room: Maryland 309
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/15
PosTag(s): MLL-ENGL, INST-GLOBAL
AS.004.241 (03)
The Future of Holocaust Memory
TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Wexler, Anthony Charles
Bloomberg 172
Fall 2023
For survivors of the worst atrocities in recent history, remembering is seen as both a moral and political duty. The command to “never forget” has become a popular refrain in the aftermath of these traumatic events. But how should the memory of these mass traumas be carried forward in the public sphere? What forms of commemoration are the most effective, accurate, or enduring? And how might new technologies impact the future of Holocaust memory? Using the Holocaust as our central case study, we’ll examine the remembering of trauma in a range of public “memory sites,” including oral testimonies, memoirs, photographs, monuments, and museums. And we’ll focus specifically on how new technologies, including virtual reality and holographic technology, will impact how we remember traumatic events. At the heart of the course will be a series of writing assignments designed to help students reflect on the future of Holocaust memory. Students will be asked to write in a variety of styles and genres, from op-eds to scholarly arguments, and from video essays to rhetorical analyses. These writing assignments will help students reconsider what writing is, how to do it effectively and ethically, and how to become better at it. The class will include a field trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. All undergraduates at sophomore level and above are welcome.
×
The Future of Holocaust Memory AS.004.241 (03)
For survivors of the worst atrocities in recent history, remembering is seen as both a moral and political duty. The command to “never forget” has become a popular refrain in the aftermath of these traumatic events. But how should the memory of these mass traumas be carried forward in the public sphere? What forms of commemoration are the most effective, accurate, or enduring? And how might new technologies impact the future of Holocaust memory? Using the Holocaust as our central case study, we’ll examine the remembering of trauma in a range of public “memory sites,” including oral testimonies, memoirs, photographs, monuments, and museums. And we’ll focus specifically on how new technologies, including virtual reality and holographic technology, will impact how we remember traumatic events. At the heart of the course will be a series of writing assignments designed to help students reflect on the future of Holocaust memory. Students will be asked to write in a variety of styles and genres, from op-eds to scholarly arguments, and from video essays to rhetorical analyses. These writing assignments will help students reconsider what writing is, how to do it effectively and ethically, and how to become better at it. The class will include a field trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. All undergraduates at sophomore level and above are welcome.
Days/Times: TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Instructor: Wexler, Anthony Charles
Room: Bloomberg 172
Status: Open
Seats Available: 5/15
PosTag(s): MSCH-HUM, AGRI-ELECT
AS.130.216 (01)
History of the Jews in Pre-Modern Times, from the Middle Ages to 1789
TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Katz, David
Smokler Center 301
Fall 2023
A broad survey of the significant political and cultural dynamics of Jewish history in the Medieval, Early-Modern, and Modern Eras.
×
History of the Jews in Pre-Modern Times, from the Middle Ages to 1789 AS.130.216 (01)
A broad survey of the significant political and cultural dynamics of Jewish history in the Medieval, Early-Modern, and Modern Eras.
Days/Times: TTh 10:30AM - 11:45AM
Instructor: Katz, David
Room: Smokler Center 301
Status: Open
Seats Available: 5/19
PosTag(s): INST-GLOBAL
AS.130.250 (01)
Clapping Rivers, Talking Snakes: Nature in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Middle East
TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Cooper, Stephanie Lynn
Gilman 381
Fall 2023
How did ancient people relate to their environment—the animals, plants, landscapes, and weather with which they interacted? How have modern binary conceptions of ‘nature’ and ‘culture’ or ‘human’ and ‘animal’ influenced our interpretation of ancient texts (along with ancient societies)? What is “the zoological gaze?” This course will focus on these questions and more as it investigates conceptions of nature in the texts of the Hebrew Bible, as well as texts and material culture from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), and the Levant (modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Jordan). We will interrogate various interpretive lenses, including Posthumanism, Animal Studies, and Metaphor Theory, as we explore themes such as creation, nature and divinity, and animals in rituals, legal texts, and prophecies, among others. No previous familiarity with Hebrew language or the Hebrew Bible is needed.
×
Clapping Rivers, Talking Snakes: Nature in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Middle East AS.130.250 (01)
How did ancient people relate to their environment—the animals, plants, landscapes, and weather with which they interacted? How have modern binary conceptions of ‘nature’ and ‘culture’ or ‘human’ and ‘animal’ influenced our interpretation of ancient texts (along with ancient societies)? What is “the zoological gaze?” This course will focus on these questions and more as it investigates conceptions of nature in the texts of the Hebrew Bible, as well as texts and material culture from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), and the Levant (modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Jordan). We will interrogate various interpretive lenses, including Posthumanism, Animal Studies, and Metaphor Theory, as we explore themes such as creation, nature and divinity, and animals in rituals, legal texts, and prophecies, among others. No previous familiarity with Hebrew language or the Hebrew Bible is needed.
Days/Times: TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Instructor: Cooper, Stephanie Lynn
Room: Gilman 381
Status: Open
Seats Available: 7/15
PosTag(s): NEAS-HISCUL, ENVS-MAJOR, ARCH-RELATE
AS.130.338 (01)
The Talmud as Read in the Middle Ages: The Sugya of Kavod HaBriot (Human Dignity)
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Katz, David
Smokler Center 301
Fall 2023
In the early Middle Ages the Talmud emerged as the defining document of official Jewish religion and culture, and remained so until the dawn of the Modern Era. Jewish scholars in many different countries, and in a wide variety of cultural contexts, developed certain ways of reading, interpreting, and applying the Talmud. In the process, they produced an immense corpus of commentary and law. This course will examine how and why the Talmud was studied in these centuries by Jews who mined it, subject by subject, for emotional, philosophical, and legal meaning.
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The Talmud as Read in the Middle Ages: The Sugya of Kavod HaBriot (Human Dignity) AS.130.338 (01)
In the early Middle Ages the Talmud emerged as the defining document of official Jewish religion and culture, and remained so until the dawn of the Modern Era. Jewish scholars in many different countries, and in a wide variety of cultural contexts, developed certain ways of reading, interpreting, and applying the Talmud. In the process, they produced an immense corpus of commentary and law. This course will examine how and why the Talmud was studied in these centuries by Jews who mined it, subject by subject, for emotional, philosophical, and legal meaning.
Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Katz, David
Room: Smokler Center 301
Status: Open
Seats Available: 11/19
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.130.346 (01)
Introduction to the History of Rabbinic Literature
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Katz, David
Smokler Center 301
Fall 2023
Broadly surveying classic rabbinic literature, including the Talmud and its commentaries, the legal codes and the response, this seminar explores the immanent as well as the external factors that shaped the development of this literature, the seminal role of this literature in Jewish self-definition and self-perception, and the role of this literature in pre-modern and modern Jewish culture.
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Introduction to the History of Rabbinic Literature AS.130.346 (01)
Broadly surveying classic rabbinic literature, including the Talmud and its commentaries, the legal codes and the response, this seminar explores the immanent as well as the external factors that shaped the development of this literature, the seminal role of this literature in Jewish self-definition and self-perception, and the role of this literature in pre-modern and modern Jewish culture.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Katz, David
Room: Smokler Center 301
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/12
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.130.440 (01)
Elementary Biblical Hebrew
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Mandell, Alice H
Hodson 203
Fall 2023
Introduction to the grammar, vocabulary, and writing system of biblical Hebrew.
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Elementary Biblical Hebrew AS.130.440 (01)
Introduction to the grammar, vocabulary, and writing system of biblical Hebrew.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Mandell, Alice H
Room: Hodson 203
Status: Open
Seats Available: 4/12
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.130.442 (01)
Readings - Hebrew Prose
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Lewis, Ted
Gilman 130G
Fall 2023
Reading of biblical Hebrew prose, especially from the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies.
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Readings - Hebrew Prose AS.130.442 (01)
Reading of biblical Hebrew prose, especially from the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Lewis, Ted
Room: Gilman 130G
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.191.335 (01)
Arab-Israeli Conflict (IR)
T 4:30PM - 7:00PM
Freedman, Robert
Krieger 307
Fall 2023
The course will focus on the origin and development of the Arab-Israeli conflict from its beginnings when Palestine was controlled by the Ottoman Empire, through World War I, The British Mandate over Palestine, and the first Arab-Israeli war (1947-1949). It will then examine the period of the Arab-Israeli wars of 1956, 1967, 1973, and 1982, the Palestinian Intifadas (1987-1993 and 2000-2005); and the development of the Arab-Israeli peace process from its beginnings with the Egyptian-Israeli treaty of 1979, the Oslo I and Oslo II agreements of 1993 and 1995, Israel's peace treaty with Jordan of 1994, the Road Map of 2003; and the periodic peace talks between Israel and Syria. The conflict will be analyzed against the background of great power intervention in the Middle East, the rise of political Islam and the dynamics of Intra-Arab politics, and will consider the impact of the Arab Spring.
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Arab-Israeli Conflict (IR) AS.191.335 (01)
The course will focus on the origin and development of the Arab-Israeli conflict from its beginnings when Palestine was controlled by the Ottoman Empire, through World War I, The British Mandate over Palestine, and the first Arab-Israeli war (1947-1949). It will then examine the period of the Arab-Israeli wars of 1956, 1967, 1973, and 1982, the Palestinian Intifadas (1987-1993 and 2000-2005); and the development of the Arab-Israeli peace process from its beginnings with the Egyptian-Israeli treaty of 1979, the Oslo I and Oslo II agreements of 1993 and 1995, Israel's peace treaty with Jordan of 1994, the Road Map of 2003; and the periodic peace talks between Israel and Syria. The conflict will be analyzed against the background of great power intervention in the Middle East, the rise of political Islam and the dynamics of Intra-Arab politics, and will consider the impact of the Arab Spring.
Days/Times: T 4:30PM - 7:00PM
Instructor: Freedman, Robert
Room: Krieger 307
Status: Open
Seats Available: 12/20
PosTag(s): INST-IR, INST-CP
AS.210.120 (01)
Elementary Modern Hebrew
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Bessire, Mirit
Smokler Center Library
Fall 2023
Elementary Modern Hebrew is the first exposure to the language as currently used in Israel in all its functional contexts. All components of the language are discussed: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Simple idiomatic sentences and short texts in Hebrew are used. Students learn the Hebrew alphabet, words and short sentences. Cultural aspects of Israel will be intertwined throughout the course curriculum.
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Elementary Modern Hebrew AS.210.120 (01)
Elementary Modern Hebrew is the first exposure to the language as currently used in Israel in all its functional contexts. All components of the language are discussed: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Simple idiomatic sentences and short texts in Hebrew are used. Students learn the Hebrew alphabet, words and short sentences. Cultural aspects of Israel will be intertwined throughout the course curriculum.
Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Bessire, Mirit
Room: Smokler Center Library
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/15
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.121 (01)
Modern Hebrew for Beginners II
TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Scott, Cameron David
Smokler Center 214
Fall 2023
Hebrew for Beginners 106 is a continuation of Hebrew 105 and as such, students are required to have a foundation in Hebrew. The course will enhance and continue to expose students to Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. All components of the Hebrew language will be emphasized in this course; we will highlight verbs, adjectives, and the ability to read longer texts. Speaking in Hebrew will also be highlighted to promote students’ engagement and communication. Cultural aspects of the language will be incorporated into lessons as well.
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Modern Hebrew for Beginners II AS.210.121 (01)
Hebrew for Beginners 106 is a continuation of Hebrew 105 and as such, students are required to have a foundation in Hebrew. The course will enhance and continue to expose students to Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. All components of the Hebrew language will be emphasized in this course; we will highlight verbs, adjectives, and the ability to read longer texts. Speaking in Hebrew will also be highlighted to promote students’ engagement and communication. Cultural aspects of the language will be incorporated into lessons as well.
Days/Times: TTh 1:30PM - 2:45PM
Instructor: Scott, Cameron David
Room: Smokler Center 214
Status: Open
Seats Available: 8/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.163 (01)
Elementary Yiddish I
TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Lang, Beatrice
Gilman 474
Fall 2023
Look at Jewish history and culture backwards and forwards through the Yiddish language! The vernacular of Ashkenazi Jews for a thousand years, Yiddish connects back to recent and distant generations in Europe, America, and elsewhere. But Yiddish is not just a bridge to the past, it is also the center of vibrant contemporary cultures, both religious and secular.
This four-skills language class (reading, writing, listening, speaking) places emphasis on the active use of Yiddish in oral and written communication while guiding students towards the use of Yiddish as a tool for the study of Yiddish literature and Ashkenazi history and culture.
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Elementary Yiddish I AS.210.163 (01)
Look at Jewish history and culture backwards and forwards through the Yiddish language! The vernacular of Ashkenazi Jews for a thousand years, Yiddish connects back to recent and distant generations in Europe, America, and elsewhere. But Yiddish is not just a bridge to the past, it is also the center of vibrant contemporary cultures, both religious and secular.
This four-skills language class (reading, writing, listening, speaking) places emphasis on the active use of Yiddish in oral and written communication while guiding students towards the use of Yiddish as a tool for the study of Yiddish literature and Ashkenazi history and culture.
Days/Times: TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Instructor: Lang, Beatrice
Room: Gilman 474
Status: Open
Seats Available: 6/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.220 (01)
Intermediate Modern Hebrew I
TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Bessire, Mirit
Smokler Center Library
Fall 2023
Intermediate Modern Hebrew enhances and enforces previous knowledge of Hebrew as acquired from previous foundational coursework and/or experience. Grammatical aspects of the language such as past and present tenses as well as combined and complex sentence syntax and construction would be applied. Reading comprehension and writing skills will be emphasized. Modern Israeli cultural links and facets of the Hebrew language will also be introduced to inform the holistic understanding of the modern language.
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Intermediate Modern Hebrew I AS.210.220 (01)
Intermediate Modern Hebrew enhances and enforces previous knowledge of Hebrew as acquired from previous foundational coursework and/or experience. Grammatical aspects of the language such as past and present tenses as well as combined and complex sentence syntax and construction would be applied. Reading comprehension and writing skills will be emphasized. Modern Israeli cultural links and facets of the Hebrew language will also be introduced to inform the holistic understanding of the modern language.
Days/Times: TTh 3:00PM - 4:15PM
Instructor: Bessire, Mirit
Room: Smokler Center Library
Status: Open
Seats Available: 7/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.263 (01)
Intermediate Yiddish I
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Lang, Beatrice
Gilman 10
Fall 2023
For students who have completed one year of Yiddish language study or equivalent, this course will provide the opportunity to broaden and deepen their knowledge of Yiddish culture while continuing to improve their skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking Yiddish. Alongside textbook-based language work, students will read, listen to and interact with a variety of texts, for example literature, journalism and oral history.
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Intermediate Yiddish I AS.210.263 (01)
For students who have completed one year of Yiddish language study or equivalent, this course will provide the opportunity to broaden and deepen their knowledge of Yiddish culture while continuing to improve their skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking Yiddish. Alongside textbook-based language work, students will read, listen to and interact with a variety of texts, for example literature, journalism and oral history.
Days/Times: TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Lang, Beatrice
Room: Gilman 10
Status: Open
Seats Available: 3/6
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.320 (01)
Advanced Modern Hebrew I
W 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Bessire, Mirit
Smokler Center 214
Fall 2023
Advanced Modern Hebrew I will focus on conversational and interactive language skills to expose learners to attributes of different genres and layers of the language. Students will be introduced to various original texts and lingual patterns to better understand and formulate proper syntax. The course will include contemporary readings from Israeli journalism and essays, along with other relevant Hebrew resources to inform class discussions and students’ reflective writings. Israeli cultural aspects will be integral to the course curriculum.
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Advanced Modern Hebrew I AS.210.320 (01)
Advanced Modern Hebrew I will focus on conversational and interactive language skills to expose learners to attributes of different genres and layers of the language. Students will be introduced to various original texts and lingual patterns to better understand and formulate proper syntax. The course will include contemporary readings from Israeli journalism and essays, along with other relevant Hebrew resources to inform class discussions and students’ reflective writings. Israeli cultural aspects will be integral to the course curriculum.
Days/Times: W 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Instructor: Bessire, Mirit
Room: Smokler Center 214
Status: Open
Seats Available: 9/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.210.367 (01)
Advanced Yiddish I
M 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Lang, Beatrice
Gilman 443
Fall 2023
This course will provide students who have completed at least two years of Yiddish with the opportunity to hone their skills in all four language areas: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. In addition to advanced grammar study and readings in Yiddish literature, the course will take into account the interests of each individual student, allowing time for students to read Yiddish texts pertinent to their own research and writing.
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Advanced Yiddish I AS.210.367 (01)
This course will provide students who have completed at least two years of Yiddish with the opportunity to hone their skills in all four language areas: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. In addition to advanced grammar study and readings in Yiddish literature, the course will take into account the interests of each individual student, allowing time for students to read Yiddish texts pertinent to their own research and writing.
Days/Times: M 1:30PM - 4:00PM
Instructor: Lang, Beatrice
Room: Gilman 443
Status: Open
Seats Available: 6/10
PosTag(s): n/a
AS.211.314 (01)
Jewish in America, Yiddish in America: Literature, Culture, Identity
MW 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Spinner, Samuel Jacob
Gilman 381
Fall 2023
iddish was the language of European Jews for 1000 years. From the 19th century to the present day it has been a language that millions of Americans — Jewish immigrants and their descendants–have spoken, written in, conducted their daily lives in, and created culture in. This course will examine literature, film, newspapers, and more to explore how Jewish immigrants to America shaped their identities—as Jews, as Americans, and as former Europeans. What role did maintaining, adapting, or abandoning a minority language play in the creation of Jewish American identity—cultural, ethnic, or religious? How was this language perceived by the majority culture? How was it used to represent the experiences of other minoritized groups? What processes of linguistic and cultural translation were involved in finding a space for Yiddish in America, in its original or translated into English? The overarching subjects of this course include migration, race, ethnicity, multilingualism, and assimilation. We will analyze literature (novels, poetry, drama); film; comedy; and other media. All texts in English.
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Jewish in America, Yiddish in America: Literature, Culture, Identity AS.211.314 (01)
iddish was the language of European Jews for 1000 years. From the 19th century to the present day it has been a language that millions of Americans — Jewish immigrants and their descendants–have spoken, written in, conducted their daily lives in, and created culture in. This course will examine literature, film, newspapers, and more to explore how Jewish immigrants to America shaped their identities—as Jews, as Americans, and as former Europeans. What role did maintaining, adapting, or abandoning a minority language play in the creation of Jewish American identity—cultural, ethnic, or religious? How was this language perceived by the majority culture? How was it used to represent the experiences of other minoritized groups? What processes of linguistic and cultural translation were involved in finding a space for Yiddish in America, in its original or translated into English? The overarching subjects of this course include migration, race, ethnicity, multilingualism, and assimilation. We will analyze literature (novels, poetry, drama); film; comedy; and other media. All texts in English.
Days/Times: MW 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Instructor: Spinner, Samuel Jacob
Room: Gilman 381
Status: Open
Seats Available: 11/15
PosTag(s): INST-GLOBAL
AS.211.361 (01)
Dissent and Cultural Productions: Israeli Culture as a Case Study
TTh 12:00PM - 1:15PM
Stahl, Neta
Gilman 413
Fall 2023
This course explores the interplay between protest and cultural productions using the Israeli society as a case study. We will examine the formation and nature of political and social protest movements in Israel, such as the Israeli Black Panthers, Israeli feminism, the struggle for LGBTQ rights and the 2011 social justice protest. Dissent in the military and protest against war as well as civil activism in the context of the Palestinians-Israeli conflict will serve us to explore the notion of dissent in the face of collective ethos, memory and trauma. The literary, cinematic, theatrical and artistic productions of dissent will stand at the center of our discussion as well as the role of specific genres and media, including satire and comedy, television, popular music, dance and social media. We will ask ourselves questions such as how do cultural productions express dissent? What is the role of cultural productions in civil activism? And what is the connection between specific genre or media and expression of dissent? All material will be taught in English translation.
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Dissent and Cultural Productions: Israeli Culture as a Case Study AS.211.361 (01)
This course explores the interplay between protest and cultural productions using the Israeli society as a case study. We will examine the formation and nature of political and social protest movements in Israel, such as the Israeli Black Panthers, Israeli feminism, the struggle for LGBTQ rights and the 2011 social justice protest. Dissent in the military and protest against war as well as civil activism in the context of the Palestinians-Israeli conflict will serve us to explore the notion of dissent in the face of collective ethos, memory and trauma. The literary, cinematic, theatrical and artistic productions of dissent will stand at the center of our discussion as well as the role of specific genres and media, including satire and comedy, television, popular music, dance and social media. We will ask ourselves questions such as how do cultural productions express dissent? What is the role of cultural productions in civil activism? And what is the connection between specific genre or media and expression of dissent? All material will be taught in English translation.