This course is an introduction to the diverse histories, beliefs, and practices of Jews. The goal of this course is to provide both historical and social contexts for the varieties of Judaism comprising the contemporary tapestry of modern Jewish identities. The course is divided into roughly two parts:

 

  • Jewish histories, in which we will examine the major turning points of Jewish life from antiquity to the present, paying particular attention to the cultural and social forces that affected Judaism;

  • Jewish religions, in which we will examine the major beliefs and practices of modern Jews (particularly in the United States).

 

Throughout the course we will be exploring the possible and potential boundaries of Jewishness: as an ethnic identity, political identity, a religious identity, and so on.  The long history and extraordinary range of expressions of Jewishness give the student of religious studies the opportunity to ask more general questions about the nature of religion, and religions, such as:

 

  • Does a religion (especially one which claims a history of close to 4000 years) have “essentials,” historically transcendent components (beliefs? rituals? doctrines? hair color?) that exist in all places and in all times?

  • Is “religion” innately separate from (or, perhaps, innately bound up in) concepts such as “politics,” “race,” or “ethnicity”?

  • What role does “the other” play in the definition of “the self”?

 

We will be exploring all of these questions throughout this quarter.

 

 

 

 

This is an upper-division course, which means that both the reading and assignments are designed to be more challenging and demanding than in a lower-division course. Please review all requirements and expectations for this class (including the readings listed in the course schedule).

 

Grades for this course will be based on the following:

 

Course Participation (15%). Attendance in class is mandatory (yes, I will be taking attendance); more than five absences will result in the automatic lowering of your course participation grade. In addition, participation is mandatory: this means that you should come to class having done all of the reading for that day, and be ready to discuss the topics for the day if called upon.

 

In-Class Midterm (25%). An in-class midterm will be administered on Friday, February 6, based on the historical information covered in the first half of the quarter. Details and study guides for the midterm will be found here.

 

Response Papers (30%). You will be responsible for writing three response papers in the course of this quarter (note the due dates below in the course schedule). The three papers will be based on your analytical and scholarly responses to the following:

  1. The movie Prince of Egypt (a class screening will be arranged during the first weeks of the quarter; if you cannot attend the screening, please arrange to see the movie on your own);

  2. The novel Night (by Elie Wiesel);

  3. A class “field trip” to visit the Reform Jewish Temple Beth El in Riverside (a date for the class visit will be arranged at the beginning of the quarter, hopefully during the class period).

Details regarding the expectations and specific requirements for each of these response papers can be found here.

 

Final Project (30%). By the day of the final exam (Monday, March 15), you will complete a final project in which you describe and analyze a website related to some aspect of Jewish identity (a list of potential websites, and the guidelines for determining whether a site is an appropriate object of analysis for this project, can be found here). The goal of this project is to explore how Jewish identities are constructed and “broadcast” in the twenty-first century, and how these identities might relate to other contemporary or historical versions of “Jewishness” that we have examined in class. You must choose a website to evaluate by the beginning of week 8.

 

 

 

 

The following materials will be used in this course:

 

Books:

All books listed below will also be placed on reserve in Rivera Library.

 

Raymond P. Scheindlin, A Short History of the Jewish People From Legendary Times to Modern Statehood. New York: Oxford, 1998. (SHJP)

 

Jacob Neusner and Alan J. Avery-Peck. Blackwell Reader in Judaism. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell, 2001. (BRJ)

 

Elie Wiesel, Night. New York: Bantam, 1982.

 

Reserve Readings:

Photocopies of various articles, essays, and other printed materials will be placed on reserve in Rivera library (at least two binders of the material will be there all quarter). It is suggested that you copy all of the material sooner in the quarter rather than later, to avoid the rush. All photocopied reserve readings are marked in the course schedule with an asterisk (*).

 

Internet resources:

Some readings will be found on the course website here; you will see some of the readings listed there hyperlinked: clicking on those links will take you to the internet readings. All readings listed in the course schedule—in book, in course reader, on the internet—are required reading for this class. Please do the day’s reading before coming to class to facilitate understanding and discussion.

 

In addition, you will find links to various additional resources on the course website, and information compiled specifically for this class (maps, timelines, study guides, and guidelines for the midterm, written assignments, and final project.)

 

The Blackboard site (http://ilearn.ucr.edu/) will remain open so that you can make use of the Communications and Discussion Board functions. New discussion board topics will be opened throughout the quarter; if you would like a particular board created, contact the professor.

 

 

 

Mark your calendars now!

January 23, 2004 (Friday): Response Paper #1 due in class

February 2, 2004 (Monday): Response Paper #2 due in class

February 6, 2004 (Friday): In-Class Midterm

February 23, 2004 (Monday): Deadline to pick website for Final Project

TENTATIVE DATE: March 1, 2004 (Monday): Visit to Temple Beth El (Riverside)

March 8, 2004 (Monday): Response Paper #3 due in class

March 15, 2004 (Monday): Last day to turn in Final Project (by noon)

 

 

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