Beginning with a survey of life in the new states that emerged in East Central Europe after WWI (e.g. Poland, Hungary, and Lithuania) in the 1920s and 30s, this course ends with an exploration of the fate of Jews and their neighbours under Nazi and Soviet occupations during World War II. It focuses on developments […]
One of the most consequential and controversial events of the twentieth century is the emergence in 1948 of the State of Israel, the first Jewish state since antiquity, under the auspices of the Zionist movement. Drawing on both religious tradition and the concepts of secular modern nationalism, it promised to remedy Jews’ political and social […]
A survey of the history of ancient Israel within its ancient Near Eastern context from its putative origins in the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1550-1200 BCE) through its flowering in the Iron Age (or First Temple Period, ca. 1200-539 BCE). As time permits, we will expand our focus and follow the course of Israelite history […]
What is "Jewish" and "modern" about modern Jewish women's literature, and how does it reflect the experiences and perceptions of women? Examining a variety of literary genres, the course compares Israeli women's literature in translation with contemporary writing by other Jewish women.
This course introduces students to Israeli cinema as it evolved from the 1930s to the present. By studying feature films and documentaries, this course looks at film as a vehicle through which to explore questions of history, identity, conflict and reconciliation, war and peace, gender, ethnicity, the holocaust, and the tensions between individual and collective […]
A close textual analysis of the book of Deuteronomy and of interpretations of the book written in Hebrew throughout the ages. Prerequisite: AP/HEB 3000 6.00 or equivalent. Course credit exclusions: None.Prior TO FALL 2009: Prerequisite: AS/HEB 3000 6.00 or equivalent. Course credit exclusion: AS/HEB 3330 3.00.
This course analyzes a variety of texts, classical and modern, in which aspects of major Jewish festivals and memorial days are explored. PREREQUISITE: AP/HEB 3000 6.00 or permission of the department.COURSE CREDIT EXCLUSIONS: AP/HEB 3231 3.00.Prior TO FALL 2009: Prerequisite: AS/HEB 3000 6.00 or permission of the department. Course credit exclusions: AS/HEB 3230 3.00 and […]
A close textual analysis of the book of Exodus in the original Hebrew and of interpretations of the book written in Hebrew throughout the ages. PREREQUISITE: AP/HEB 3000 6.00 or equivalent.Course credit exclusions: None.
This course addresses both the geography of the classical Jewish Hebrew prayer text, the Siddur, as well as the overall structure of the text. It focuses also on selected prayers and their internal structures, histories and meanings.
This course surveys the structure and contents of TaNaKh, the Hebrew Bible, using selections from its three major sections: Pentateuch, Prophets and Writings. It further examines major trends in biblical exegesis, such as peshat and derash, through representative samplings of ancient midrash and medieval Hebrew commentaries. The language of instruction, texts, discussion and coursework is […]