Spring 2010 Jewish Studies Courses
Jewish Studies 032.401 Beginning Yiddish II Botwinik TR 12:00-1:30
Jewish Studies 051.401 Elementary Modern Hebrew I Staff MW 1:00-2:00 and TR 1:30-3:00
Jewish Studies 052.401 Elementary Modern Hebrew II Staff MW 11:00-12:00 and TR 1:30-3:00
Jewish Studies 052.402 Elementary Modern Hebrew II Staff MW 12:00-1:00 and TR 12:00-1:30
Jewish Studies 053.401 Intermediate Modern Hebrew III Staff MW 1:00-2:00 and TR 1:30-3:00
Jewish Studies 054.401 Intermediate Modern Hebrew IV Staff MW 11:00-12:00 and TR 10:30-12:00
Jewish Studies 054.402 Intermediate Modern Hebrew IV Staff MW 12:00-1:00 and TR 12:00-1:30
Jewish Studies 054.403 Intermediate Modern Hebrew IV Staff MW 12:00-1:00 and TR 12:00-1:30
Jewish Studies 059.401 Advanced Modern Hebrew: Reading and Composition Engel TR 1:30-3:00
Jewish Studies 102.401 Modern Hebrew Literature & Culture in Translation: The City - Home or Shelter Gold TR 1:30-3:00
Jewish Studies 158.401 History of Jewish Civilization III Wenger TR 12:00-1:30
Jewish Studies 172.401 Elementary Biblical Hebrew II Carasik MW 3:30-5:00
Jewish Studies 174.401 Intermediate Biblical Hebrew II Carasik MW 5:00-6:30
Jewish Studies 227.401 Emmanuel Levinas: Jewish Writings Aronowicz M 2:00-5:00
Jewish Studies 232.680 Studies in Ladino II Braverman W 2:00-5:00
Jewish Studies 247.401 The Holocaust in Post(Modern) Fiction De Ridder TR 9:00-10:30
Jewish Studies 255.401 Bible in Translation: Genesis Tigay TR 4:30-6:30 (See note below)
Jewish Studies 257.401 Studies in Rabbinic Literature: Introduction to Midrash Stern TR 1:30-3:00
Jewish Studies 261.401 Topics in Jewish Literature: Jewish FIlms and Literature Hellerstein TR 12:00-1:30
Jewish Studies 349.401 A Book of the Bible: Ezra-Nehemiah Tigay TR 12:00-1:30
Jewish Studies 359.401 Seminar in Modern Hebrew Literature: The Holocaust in Israeli Literature and Film Gold TR 10:30-12:00
Jewish Studies 390.301 Senior Research Seminar TBA
Jewish Studies 438.401 Readings in Yiddish Literature Hellerstein TR 10:30-12:00
Jewish Studies 490.401 The Transformation of Jewish Culture in Early Modern Europe Ruderman T 3:00-6:00
Jewish Studies 490.402 Thought, Text and Action in Early Hasidism Teller W 3:30-6:30
Jewish Studies 751.401 The Making of Rabbinic Judaism Stern T 10:00-12:00
History Department Seminars in Jewish Studies (These will count exactly the same as Jewish Studies courses.)
HIST 201.304 Everyday Jewish Life in Medieval Europe Schur W 3:30-6:30
HIST 202.303 Zionist Debates Raz-Krakotzkin M 3:30-6:30
HIST 202.304 Secular Judaism and Secular Jews: Lives and Choices Steinberg/Kant T 3:00-6:00
College of Liberal and Professional Studies
RELS 438.640 The Song of Songs in Ancient, Medieval and Modern Interpretation Treat W 6:00-9:00
Related Course
GRMN 253.401 Freud: The Invention of Psychoanalysis Weissberg TR 10:30-12:00 plus recitation
| JWST 032.401 |
Beginning Yiddish II |
Botwinik |
| Yiddish is a 1000-year-old language with a rich heritage. In this course you can continue to develop basic reading, writing and speaking skills. Discover treasures of Yiddish culture: songs, literature, folklore, and films. (YDSH 102, YDSH 502) |
| Time: TR 12:00-1:30 |
| JWST 051.401 |
Elementary Modern Hebrew I |
Staff |
An introduction to the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in modern Hebrew. This course assumes no previous knowledge of Hebrew. (HEBR 051, HEBR 651) |
| Time: MW 1:00-2:00 and TR 1:30-3:00 |
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| JWST 052.401 |
Elementary Modern Hebrew II |
Staff |
A continuation of HEBR 051, First Year Modern Hebrew, which assumes basic skills of reading and speaking and the use of the present tense. Open to all students who have completed one semester of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. HEBR 051 or permission of instructor. (HEBR 052, HEBR 652) |
| Time: MW 11:00-12:00 and TR 1:30-3:00 |
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| JWST 052.402 |
Elementary Modern Hebrew II |
Staff |
| A continuation of HEBR 051, First Year Modern Hebrew, which assumes basic skills of reading and speaking and the use of the present tense. Open to all students who have completed one semester of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. HEBR 051 or permission of instructor. (HEBR 052, HEBR 652) |
| Time: MW 12:00-1:00 and TR 12:00-1:30 |
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| JWST 053.401 |
Intermediate Modern Hebrew III |
Staff |
Development of the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in modern Hebrew on an intermediate level. Open to all students who have completed two semesters of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. HEBR 052 or permission of the instructor. (HEBR 053, HEBR 653) |
| Time: MW 1:00-2:00 and TR 1:30-3:00 |
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| JWST 054.401 |
Intermediate Modern Hebrew IV |
Staff |
| This course constitutes the final semester of Intermediate Modern Hebrew. Emphasis will be placed on grammar skills and ability to read literary texts. Open to all students who have completed three semesters of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. HEBR 053 or permission of instructor. (HEBR 054, HEBR 654) |
| Time: MW 11:00-12:00 and TR 10:30-12:00 |
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| JWST 054.402 |
Intermediate Modern Hebrew IV |
Staff |
This course constitutes the final semester of Intermediate Modern Hebrew. Emphasis will be placed on grammar skills and ability to read literary texts. Open to all students who have completed three semesters of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. HEBR 053 or permission of instructor. (HEBR 054, HEBR 654) |
| Time: MW 12:00-1:00 and TR 12:00-1:30 |
| JWST 054.403 |
Intermediate Modern Hebrew IV |
Staff |
This course constitutes the final semester of Intermediate Modern Hebrew. Emphasis will be placed on grammar skills and ability to read literary texts. Open to all students who have completed three semesters of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. HEBR 053 or permission of instructor. (HEBR 054, HEBR 654) |
| Time: MW 12:00-1:00 and TR 12:00-1:30 |
| JWST 059.401 |
Advanced Modern Hebrew: Reading and Composition |
Engel |
Further development of reading, writing, and speaking skills in modern Hebrew. The course is designed for students who have completed the basic language courses (or passed the Department's placement test at the appropriate level). Reading and discussion of contemporary Israeli journalism and Hebrew literature in the original -- creative writing and development of conversation skills, accompanied by visual material from films and the internet. Students will be expected to give a classroom presentation and to write short essays. Prerequisite(s): HEBR 054 or permission of instructor. Since the content of this course may change from year to year, students may take it more than once (but only once for credit). Fulfills Distribution CRS Arts & Letters -- Class of '09 and prior. (HEBR 059, HEBR 552) |
| Time: TR 1:30-3:00 |
| JWST 102.401 |
Modern Hebrew Literature & Culture in Translation: The City -- Home or Shelter |
Gold |
This course focuses on the artistic ways in which the Israeli city, be it Jerusalem, Haifa or Tiberias, is represented in Israeli literature and film. The emotional and physical connection between the writer and his/her place of dwelling is transformed in the literary or cinematic work. The artistic depiction of the city reflects the inner world as well as ideological and political conflicts and highlights questions of belonging. The "city" may become a locus for national expression, of gender identification, or even of pure aesthetic enchantment. We will analyze how, through her portrayals of the Carmel Mountain and the Haifa bay, Yehudit Katzir expresses the complex bond with her mother; how Tel Aviv's streets enable Dahlia Ravikovitch to examine questions of loyalty; how the "Jerusalems" of A.B. Yehoshua and Yehuda Amichai reflect their loves and hatreds and how the film director Shemi Zarhin sings a love song to the Sea of Galilee through shooting his film in his native Tiberias. There will be five film screenings; the films will also be placed on reserve at the library for those students unable to attend the screenings.The content of this course changes from year to year, and therefore,
students may take it for credit more than once. Fulfills Arts & Letters Sector (all classes) and
Cross Cultural Analysis - Class of '10 and after. (NELC 159, COML 282, CINE 329) |
| Time: TR 1:30-3:00 |
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| JWST 158.401 |
History of Jewish Civilization III |
Wenger |
| This course offers an intensive survey of the major currents in Jewish culture and society from the early modern period to the present. Focusing upon the different societies in which Jews have lived, the course explores Jewish responses to the political, socio-economic, and cultural challenges of modernity. Topics to be covered include the political emancipation of Jews, the creation of new religious movements within Judaism, Jewish socialism, Zionism, the Holocaust, and the emergence of new Jewish communities in Israel and the United States. No prior background in Jewish history is expected. Fulfills History & Tradition Sector (all classes) (HIST 141) |
| Time: TR 12:00-1:30 |
| JWST 172.401 |
Elementary Biblical Hebrew II |
Carasik |
A continued introduction to the grammar of Elementary Biblical Hebrew I, focusing on the verbal system, with an emphasis on developing language skills in handling Biblical texts. A suitable entry point for students who have had some modern Hebrew. (HEBR 152, HEBR 452, JWST 472) |
| Time: MW 3:30-5:00 |
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| JWST 174.401 |
Intermediate Biblical Hebrew II |
Carasik |
| This course is a continuation of the Fall semester's Intermediate Biblical Hebrew I. It will continue to focus on using the grammar and vocabulary learned at the introductory level to be able to read biblical texts independently and take advanced Bible exegesis courses. We will concentrate this semester on various selections of Biblical poetry, including Exodus 15 and Job 28. We will also continue to translate English prose into Biblical Hebrew. (HEBR 154, HEBR 454, JWST 474) |
| Time: MW 5:00-6:30 |
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| HIST 201.304 |
Everyday Jewish Life in Medieval Europe |
Schur |
| What was the reality of everyday Jewish life in Europe during the Middle Ages? How did Jews practice their inherited tradition while being surrounded by a majority non-Jewish culture? How did medieval Jews trade, prepare food, celebrate festivals, and conduct community affairs? The seminar explores everyday Jewish life in Western Europe during the High and Late Middle Ages. Seminar. |
| Time: W 3:30-6:30 |
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| HIST 202.303 |
Zionist Debates |
Raz-Krakotzkin |
| Since its appearance in the late nineteenth century, the development of the Zionist movement was associated with external and internal debates. Major aspects of Zionism have been historically developed within these debates. Focusing on them enables us to understand Zionism's concrete aspects and to study the various approaches of dealing with them. At the same time, the exceptional aspects of Zionism can shed new light on general discussions of nationalism, religion and colonialism. Seminar. |
| Time: M 3:30-6:30 |
| HIST 202.304 |
Secular Judaism and Secular Jews: Lives and Choices |
Steinberg/Kant |
| Can Judaism exist without the religion? Are there secular Jews? Is it possible for people to consider themselves to be Jewish without any formal affiliation with either a religious or other specifically Jewish institution? If so, what sort of Jews are they? These questions trouble all those interested in the history, present position and future prospect of the Jews as a people. There have been many answers: Zionist, non-Zionist, cultural, ethnic, sociological, theological (both Christian and Jewish) and others less respectable. We have no answer, but we have a different way to put the question, a biographical way, which may help to define the parameters of a possible answer. We ask how have individual Jews defined themselves and how have they chosen to live their lives. Such choices only became possible in the Western world after the Enlightenment, the American and the French Revolutions had created the category of "citizen," a new, free, universal, abstract person, who had the right to be what he or she chose. This course will try to address these questions in a strictly historical way, following a selection of lives of important Jews who at different times and places attempted their own answers to these questions. These lives will be drawn mainly from Western Europe, where until the Second World War, the majority of Jews lived. We shall also consider some American lives since during the Twentieth Century the American Jewish community became the place where choice of identity became an unusually important issue. We shall also look at the lives of some who chose Israel as the "national" answer to the question of Jewish identity Seminar. |
| Time: T 3:00-6:00 |
| JWST 227.401 |
Emmanuel Levinas: Jewish Writings |
Aronowicz |
| Emmanuel Levinas (1906-1995) is considered by many to have been the greatest Jewish philosopher in the second half of the 20th century. Besides his philosophical writings, he also left a good many essays specifically on the Jewish tradition and on the Jewish situation in modernity. It is these latter writings, referred to as his Jewish writings, that we will be studying. They reveal his attitude on a multitude of topics: approaches to the Talmud and to the Bible, Jewish education, Jews and politics, Jews and Christians, among others. We will study him in the context of a few other Jewish thinkers with whom he was contemporary or near contemporary. Seminar. (RELS 227, PHIL 255) |
| Time: M 2:00-5:00 |
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| JWST 232.680 |
Studies in Ladino II |
Braverman |
| The course will explore the origins of Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) in Spain and trace its historical and linguistic development. Linguistic differences between various dialects of the language will be described and the various components of the language analyzed. Students will learn contemporary Judeo-Spanish through a study of dialogues, poetry, songs, contemporary and historical texts and original materials. Seminar. |
| Time: W 2:00-5:00 |
| JWST 247.401 |
The Holocaust in Post(Modern) Fiction |
De Ridder |
| An exploration of the Holocaust as a theme in (post)modern novels. More than sixty years after the armistice, the Second World War is still a prominent theme in fiction. Even writers who never witnessed the Holocaust turn to this tragic event in their novels. But do they treat this delicate subject in the same way, or has the Holocaust become 'just another story'? Why do some writers seem to be trying to understand the murderers? And is it still a universal theme, or do the
Flemish, French and Americans tell different stories? This course will address these questions through novels by Paul Verhaeghen, Jonathan Littell and Jonathan Safran Foer. (DTCH 251, COML 251, GRMN 251) |
| Time: TR 9:00-10:30 |
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| GRMN 253.401 |
Freud: The Invention of Psychoanalysis |
Weissberg |
| Probably no other person of the twentieth century has influenced scientific thought, humanistic scholarship, medical therapy, and popular culture as much as Sigmund Freud. This lecture course will study his work, its cultural background, and its impact on us today. In the first part of the course, we will learn about Freud's life and the Viennese culture of his time. We will then move to a discussion of seminal texts, such as excerpts from his Interpretation of Dreams, case studies, as well as essays on psychoanalytic practice, human development, neuroses, and culture in general. In the final part of the course, we will discuss the impact of Freud's work. Guest lecturers from the medical field, history of science, psychology, and the humanities will offer insights into the reception of Freud's work, and its consequences for various fields of study and therapy. All readings and lectures in English. Fulfills Humanities & Social Sciences Sector (Class of 2010 and after). (COML 253, ENGL 261,GSOC 252, HSOC 253, STSC 253) |
| Time: TR 10:30-12:00 plus recitation |
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| JWST 255.401 |
Bible in Translation: Genesis |
Tigay |
| This course is a careful textual study of the book of Genesis in the light of modern scholarship, including archaeological evidence and pertinent Near Eastern documents. Topics will include the Biblical accounts of the origins of the physical world and living things, of the human race, and of the Israelite people. Episodes such as the Garden of Eden, the sin of Adam and Eve, Cain's murder of Abel, Noah and the Flood, the Tower of Babel, God's call to Abraham, Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac, Jacob and his family, and Joseph in Egypt, and the reverberations of Genesis in later Judaism, Christianity, and Western (particularly American) culture will be explored. Benjamin Franklin Seminar. Fulfills Cross Cultural Analysis - Class of '10 and after. (NELC 250, COML 380, RELS 224, NELC 550) |
| Time: TR 4:30-6:30 Please note that starting from March 2 through the end of the semester it will be necessary to go until 6:30 in order to accommodate oral reports which are an essential part of the course. |
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| JWST 257.401 |
Studies in Rabbinic Literature: Introduction to Midrash |
Stern |
| This course is intended to introduce students to midrash, the activity of Biblical interpretation as practiced by the Rabbis in the ancient world; to its literature, its literary forms, and its techniques of interpretation; and to modern scholarship on midrash. We will study various texts from different periods in the history of Midrashic literature, and attempt to apply different critical and disciplinary methodologies - literary, historical, theological - to the task of analyzing these texts. We will also seek to situate midrash within the larger history of Jewish Biblical interpretation and within the context of Jewish literary creativity through the ages, including our own. Class discussion will be held in English, but students must be able to read unpointed Hebrew texts. No other previous background in the literature is necessary. Since the content of this course may change from year to year students may take it for credit more than once (if the course is indeed different). (HEBR 257) |
| Time: TR 1:30-3:00 |
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| JWST 261.401 |
Topics in Jewish Literature: Jewish Films and Literture |
Hellerstein |
| From the 1922 silent film Hungry Hearts through the first "talkie," The Jazz Singer, produced in 1927, and beyond Schindler's List, Jewish characters have confronted the problems of their Jewishness on the silver screen for a general American audience. Alongside this Hollywood tradition of Jewish film, Yiddish film blossomed from independent producers between 1911 and 1939, and interpreted literary masterpieces, from Shakespeare's King Lear to Sholom Aleichem's Teyve the Dairyman, primarily for an immigrant, urban Jewish audience. In this course, we will study a number of films and their literary sources (in fiction and drama), focusing on English language and Yiddish films within the framework of three dilemmas of interpretation: a) the different ways we "read" literature and film, b) the various ways that media of fiction, drama, and film "translate" Jewish culture, and c) how these translations of Jewish culture affect and are affected by their implied audience. Fulfills Arts & Letters Sector (all classes). (GRMN 261, CINE 059, ENGL 079) |
| Time: TR 12:00-1:30 |
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| JWST 349.401 |
A Book of the Bible: Ezra-Nehemiah |
Tigay |
The book of Ezra-Nehemiah describes the return of the Jews from the Babylonian Exile and the reestablishment of Jewish life in and around Jerusalem under the Persian Empire, including the building of the Second Temple, the canonization of the Torah, and the first explicit record of
Biblical exegesis. This course will be a close study of the Hebrew and Aramaic text of these books and their historical-archaeological background. The course is designed primarily for undergraduates who have previously studied the Bible in Hebrew either in high school or college. It presupposes fluency in reading Biblical Hebrew, including a working knowledge of
Biblical Hebrew grammar. Seminar. (HEBR 550, HEBR 350, RELS 322) |
| Time: TR 12:00-1:30 |
| JWST 359.401 |
Seminar in Modern Hebrew Literature: The Holocaust in Israeli Literature and Film |
Gold |
Israeli literature "waited" until the 1961 public indictment of a Nazi war-criminal to hesitantly begin to face the Holocaust. The Zionist wish to forge a "New Jew" was in part responsible for this suppression. Aharon Appelfeld's understated short stories were the first to enter the modernist literary scene in the 1960s, followed in 1970 by the cryptic verse of Dan Pagis, a fellow child survivor. Only in 1988 two Israeli-born pop singers -- haunted children of survivors -- broke the continuous practice of concealing the past and its emotional aftermath in the watershed documentary Because of That War. The process of breaking the silence intensified in the last two decades; the "Second Generation" burst forth artistically with writers like Etgar Keret, Amir Gutfreund and Savyon Liebrect who told what their parents were unable to utter.
This course will analyze the transformation of Israeli literature and cinema from instruments of suppression into means for dealing with the national trauma. The class is conducted in Hebrew and the texts are read in the original. The content of this course changes from year to year; therefore students may take it for credit more than once. Seminar. Fulfills Literatures of the World, Arts & Letters Sector (all classes) and Cross Cultural Analysis - Class of '10 and after. (COLL 227, HEBR 359, COML 359, CINE 359, JWST 556, HEBR 659) |
| Time: TR 10:30-12:00 |
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| JWST 390.301 |
Senior Research Seminar |
Staff |
| JWST 390 is required of all students majoring in the Interdisciplinary Jewish Studies major, but
all majors and minors in the various departmental programs are encouraged to take the
seminar. Students will conduct independent research and complete a 20-30 page paper.
Permission of instructor required to enroll. |
| Time: TBA |
| JWST 438.401 |
Readings in Yiddish Literature |
Hellerstein |
| This course will survey modern Yiddish literature through readings of Yiddish prose and poetry from the end of the 19th century through the late 20th century. The class will be conducted in both Yiddish and English. Reading knowledge of Yiddish is required, although some texts will be available in English translation. Authors include I.L. Peretz, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Moyshe-Leyb Halpern, and Kadya Molodowsky. (YDSH 108, YDSH 408) |
| Time: TR 10:30-12:00 |
| RELS 438.640 |
The Song of Songs in Ancient, Medieval and Modern Interpretation |
Treat |
| This seminar introduces students to the development of Jewish and Christian biblical interpretation by focusing on ancient, medieval, and modern interpretations of the Song of Songs. Students will encounter a variety of important Jewish and Christian interpreters in English translation, guided by appropriate secondary materials. The Song of Songs is part of Jewish Scripture. It appears to be a collection of poetry on the theme of human love. Studying the developing interpretations of the Song of Songs gives one an unusual opportunity to examine the history of significant ideas in Western culture. The course will touch on issues of gender and religious language, on allegory and interpretation, on mystical and feminist readings of scripture, and on the interplay of the ascetic and the erotic in religion. The course has no prerequisites. Readings will be made available in English. Students will do original research in the primary sources. Seminar. |
| Time: W 6:00-9:00 |
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| JWST 490.401 |
The Transformation of Jewish Culture in Early Modern Europe |
Ruderman |
| The course addresses the issue of periodization of the early modern period as a distinct cultural epoch in Jewish history. It deals roughly with the history of Jewish culture from 1492-1750 in both Western and Eastern Europe, especially Italy, Holland, Eastern Europe, and the Ottoman empire, focusing primarily on intellectual and cultural history. The course will consider both the broad trends and common markers of the period as well as specific texts and authors that illustrate these trends. Reading in Hebrew and in other European languages is highly desirable. Contact the instructor for any additional clarification, and for all undergraduate students, permission to enroll in the seminar. Seminar (HIST 490, RELS 429) |
| Time: T 3:00-6:00 |
| JWST 490.402 |
Thought, Text and Action in Early Hasidism |
Teller |
| This course examines the interplay of the theological idea and the social act through the mediation of the written (and spoken) text in 18th and early 19th century Hasidism. We will focus on the kabbalistic roots of the thought of some of the early Hasidic masters, such as the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid of Mezritch, Elimelekh of Lezansk, and Nahman of Braclaw. We will then examine the ways their thought was given expression in stories, letters, sermons, prayer, and polemical literature. Finally, we will relate Hasidic social activities and forms, in the realms of social organization, religious practice and custom to the textual expressions of Hasidic theology in order to see how this modern socio-religious movement was able to create itself anew from within the Jewish tradition. Seminar. (RELS 429.402, COML 584.402, GRMN 581.402) |
| Time: W 3:30-6:30 |
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| JWST 751.401 |
The Making of Rabbinic Judaism |
Stern |
The seminar has a double purpose: first, to trace the formation of Rabbinic Judaism as a culture and religious society from the Second Temple period into Late Antique Palestine and Sassanian Babylonia; and second, to expose its participants to the variety of contemporary scholarly views on each of its topics. The sessions and readings will be divided between historiographical, sociological (e.g. rabbis and other Jews; Jews and Gentiles; men and women), and intellectual-religious issues (e.g. halakhah and aggadah, Rabbinic "theology," esotericism). The one thing the seminar does NOT cover is the history of Rabbinic literature itself. The seminar does not require knowledge of Hebrew. All readings are in English, and while many of them include primary sources, which hopefully will be the subject of discussion in the seminar, nearly all readings will be drawn from modern scholarship. The course will be conducted as a seminar, with weekly student presentations. This course is primarily intended for graduate students; undergraduates interested in enrolling must apply to the instructor, and permission will be granted only under special circumstances. (NELC 751) |
| Time: T 10:00-12:00 |
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| Illustrations for the Meshal ha-kadmoni. Second edition. Venice, 1546. |
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