JWST - Jewish Studies
JWST141 American Jewish Experience (3 Credits)
History of the Jews in America from Colonial times to the present. Emphasis on the waves of migration from Germany and Eastern Europe; the changing nature of the American Jewish community and its participation in American social, economic, and political life.Cross-listed with: HIST106.
JWST171 Is Judaism a Religion? (3 Credits)
Jewish identity can be framed in terms of ethnicity, culture, and religious practice, but also in terms of more contemporary social constructions including social action, political engagement, and intellectual pursuit. In the context of such diverse social and individual frames, what does it mean to identify Judaism as a religion? Attention to Jewish society in historical and global perspective will provide a backdrop for a particular focus on contemporary Jews in the United States and Israel.Cross-listed with: RELS171.
JWST187 God, Land, Power, and the People: Moral Issues in the Jewish Historical Experience (3 Credits)
Examines the complicated relationship between theology, nationalism, sovereignty, and the ethical exercise of social control using case studies drawn from the Jewish historical experience. The universal and age-old issues implicit in the exercise of power have gained special moral force for Jews with the creation of the State of Israel, a Jewish and a democratic state with substantial non-Jewish minorities and hundreds of thousands of non-citizen subjects. Can these be reconciled? Jewish efforts over the ages and in recent times to define justice provide concrete examples through which to examine and discuss crucial abstract principles.Cross-listed with: HIST187.
JWST219 Special Topics in Jewish Studies (3 Credits)
Repeatable to: 9 credits if content differs.
JWST225 Religions of the Ancient Near East (3 Credits)
Introduction to ancient Near Eastern religious systems and mythology, from the third millennium BCE through the fourth century BCE. Particular emphasis on Mesopotamia and ancient Israel.Cross-listed with: RELS225, HIST219I.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST225, HIST219I, RELS225, or RELS219A.
Formerly: RELS219A.
JWST230 Inventing Traditions: The Making of Rabbinic Judaism (3 Credits)
Introduces the dramatic literary and cultural (as well as political and demographic) innovations that reshaped Judaism in late antiquity. Examines the fundamental works and genres of rabbinic literature and the religious movement that produced them. Special emphasis on the rabbinic uses of "tradition" to enhance authority and legitimacy, and to foster group identity.Cross-listed with: HIST281, RELS230.
Credit Only Granted for: HIST281, JWST230, RELS219C or RELS230.
Formerly: RELS219C.
JWST233 Why the Jews? Historical and Cultural Investigations (3 Credits)
Examines the history and culture of the Jews from the thirteenth century BCE/BC to the present through an examination of significant themes or problems (such as "religion" or "diaspora") that shape our understanding of the Jewish people. A primary focus in the course will be on texts, artifacts, and other cultural products by Jews and others that illustrate the history of the Jews help understand their cultural heritage.
Restriction: Must not have completed HIST282, HIST283, JWST234, or JWST235. Cross-listed with HIST287.
JWST235 History of the Jewish People II (3 Credits)
Political, economic, social and cultural development within Jewish history from the end of the Middle Ages to the present. Special attention to the twentieth century developments including the Nazi Holocaust and its aftermath, the Zionist movement and the creation of the State of Israel, and the rise of the contemporary American-Jewish community.
Credit Only Granted for: HIST283, HIST283H, JWST235, or JWST235H.
JWST250 Fundamental Concepts of Judaism (3 Credits)
A conceptional introduction to Judaism, analyzing its fundamental concepts from both analytical and historical perspectives. Discussion of "normative" Judaism as well as other conceptions of Judaism. Topics include: God, the Jewish people, authority, ethics, the sacred and the profane, particularism and universalism.Cross-listed with: PHIL234, RELS250.
JWST256 Zionism and Sexual Revolution (3 Credits)
A study of the changes within European Jewish communities that influenced the development of particular fantasies about and representations of gender, love, and sex in Palestine and Israel. We will investigate the broader intellectual and cultural contexts needed to understand the gender and sexual revolutions of the 19th and 20th centuries, and will examine how European and, later, Israeli Jews adopted and adapted these ideas and cultural forms. We will closely analyze a variety of texts (stories, plays, photographs, and films) and will consider the relationship between ideology and aesthetics.Cross-listed with: ISRL256.
Credit Only Granted for: ISRL249N, JWST219G, ISRL256, or JWST256.
Formerly: ISRL249N or JWST219G.
JWST262 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (3 Credits)
Origins of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), with attention to literary formations, archaeology, and social-political settings. Explorations of major questions, including who wrote the Bible, and when; relationships of the biblical tradition to the mythology and religious structures of ancient Israel's near eastern neighbors; and dynamics of politics, religious leadership, and law.Cross-listed with: ENGL262, HEBR298B.
JWST269 Special Topics in Study Abroad II (1-6 Credits)
Special topics course taken as part of an approved study abroad program.
Repeatable to: 15 credits if content differs.
JWST272 Diversify and Multiply: Jewish Culture and the Production of an Identity (3 Credits)
Provides students with a unique exploration of cultural products produced by a diverse array of Jewish creators of literature, comedy and film. The texts, films, and performing arts touch on the central social, economic, and cultural issues of Jews during the ages, and up to the 21st century. This course will explore Jewish creativity throughout history, as well as the Jewish encounter with modernity as a whole. We will be diving into prominent creators such as Tiffany Haddish, Larry David, Sholem Aleichem, Adam Sandler, S. Y. Abramovitsch, Judd Apatow, Philip Roth, Amy Schumer, I. B. Singer, Ben Stiller, Franz Kafka, Dan Levy, and others. Examining their creations will open a window to the diverse methods of construction of modern Jewish identities.Cross-listed with: CMLT242, ISRL249G.
JWST274 Jerusalem in Antiquity: The History of Sacred Space in a Holy City (3 Credits)
Examines the complex history of Jerusalem's status as a holy city, with a focus on constructions of sacred space in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Cross-listed with: RELS274.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST274, RELS274, JWST289J or RELS289J.
Formerly: JWST289J, RELS289J.
JWST275 Urban Dreams and Nightmares: The Jewish Experience of Cities (3 Credits)
Cities give expression to man's power while they highlight human limitations. It is urban social diversity that makes great wealth and thriving culture possible, but it also fixes discrimination behind walls constructed from paper and stone. Nations make cities symbols of the sacred and the glorious, while they ignore the poverty and social alienation that city life breeds. Jews, intensively urbanized for millennia, provide a special vantage point from which to study the beauty and the tragedy implicit in city-building. Our sources will include the Bible, poems, plays and novels but also US Supreme Court rulings and news of riots in Israel. We will survey how Jews have shaped, and been shaped by, the urban challenge over time and space.Cross-listed with: HIST286.
JWST281 Yiddish I (3 Credits)
Introduction to the Yiddish language, with emphasis on speaking, reading, and writing skills. Students will also learn the history of the language, its significance to Jewish culture, its origins and basic structure.Cross-listed with: GERS141.
JWST282 Elementary Yiddish II (3 Credits)
Continuation of JWST281.
Prerequisite: JWST281; or permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies. Cross-listed with: GERS142.
JWST285 Jewish Languages in America (3 Credits)
With a particular focus on language minority intra-group relationships -- the convergences, divergences, feelings of solidarity and tensions of difference within the group--this course will examine the history, current functional use and identity implications of Jewish languages in the United States.Cross-listed with: HEBR298O.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST285, JWST219O or HEBR298O.
Formerly: JWST219O.
JWST289 New Explorations in Jewish Studies (3 Credits)
Investigation of critical and innovative responses in Jewish Studies. Although the topic will vary, the course will encourage intellectual exploration by students of fundamental problems and critical methods.
JWST289E Civil Discourse or Urban Riot: Why Cities Don't (Often) Explode (3 Credits)
An examination of the mechanisms that promote peaceful co-existence in urban societies and a discussion of how and why city streets sometimes become violent.Cross-listed with: HIST135.
JWST290 Can Jews be Arabs? Identity and Crisis for the Jews of Arab Lands in Modern Times (3 Credits)
For centuries, Jews inhabited the Islamic lands of the Middle East and North Africa. Their population has dropped from nearly one million a century ago to several tens of thousands today, mostly in Turkey and Iran. The vibrant and ancient Jewish communities of Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and several other countries were practically gone by 1970. One popular explanation for this exodus is that an "age-old schism between Jews and Muslims," in the words of the prominent historian Martin Gilbert, drove Jewish men and women to leave their historic homelands in the years following the first Arab-Israeli war of 1948. However, recent research into these communities offers a more complex picture of their lives in Islamic lands in the 19th and 20th centuries and subsequent departure.Cross-listed with: HIST290.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST289A, HIST219C or HIST290.
JWST298 Elementary/Introductory Language Module for Jewish Studies (1-3 Credits)
A supplementary language module for students enrolled in designated Jewish Studies classes. Language of instruction English, texts in original language.
Prerequisite: HEBR212 or JWST282; or permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies.
Repeatable to: 9 credits if content differs.
JWST299 Independent Study in Jewish Studies (1-3 Credits)
This lower-level independent study allows students in to work closely with a Jewish Studies faculty member of their choice, pending the prior approval of the faculty member. In this independent study, students will focus on a topic specific to Jewish Studies.
Prerequisite: Permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies.
Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.
JWST304 Critical Approaches to Israeli Culture (3 Credits)
An examination of the intersections of literature, society, philosophy, and politics in the making of modern Israeli culture. Special attention will be paid to the Zionist emphasis on making "new" Jews and its implications when expressed in literature and society.
Formerly: JWST419B and JWST419K.
JWST314 Pedagogy and Instruction in the Hebrew Classroom (3 Credits)
An exploration of applied linguistic theory and issues in Hebrew teaching to current and future Hebrew and Judaic studies teachers. First and second language acquisition theories, past and present language teaching methodologies, effective approaches to teaching and testing in the four skill areas (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), as well as knowledge of the role of identity, context, and affective factors in Hebrew language learning. Taught in English.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST314, JWST419F, or JWST429C.
Formerly: JWST419F and JWST429C.
JWST315 Culture and Identity in Jewish and Hebrew Education (3 Credits)
An in-depth examination of heterogeneous natures of various language learning settings. Social and psychological theories of second language and identity acquisition, anomie and language/identity attrition, and conflicts of class, religion, ethnicity, and power relations that affect Jewish and Hebrew education. Taught in English.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST429P or JWST315.
Formerly: JWST429P.
JWST319 Special Topics in Jewish Studies (1-6 Credits)
Topics in Jewish Studies.
Repeatable to: 12 credits if content differs.
JWST319D Mizrahi Identity in Israel (3 Credits)
It is impossible to understand Israeli society today without examining the Mizrahi experience. Despite the common misconception that Israel is predominantly made up of Jews from European origin, the fact of the matter is that Jews of Mizrahi origin, whose parents and grandparents immigrated to Israel from the Middle East and North Africa, represent a major part of the Israeli population. Moreover, Ashkenazi-Mizrahi relations continue to be a major source of tension in Israeli politics, and issues of race continue to come up on social media and polarize the Israeli society. This course brings to light narratives of Mizrahi identity in Israel and explores the trajectory of the Mizrahi struggle for equality and against racism through its various milestones: the 1959 Wadi Salib Revolt, the Black Panthers Movement in the 1970s, the emergence of the Israeli Sephardi-Orthodox party Shas, and the new wave of Mizrahi activism in the 21st century.Cross-listed with: ISRL330, HIST377.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST319D, HIST377, HIST329Z, ISRL329M, or ISRL330.
Formerly: ISRL329M.
JWST319Y Archaeological Methods and Practice (3 Credits)
A team-taught, interdisciplinary course discussing theories, methods, and ethical issues in the practice of archaeology.
Prerequisite: ANTH240, ARTH200, or CLAS180. Cross-listed with: ANTH305, ARTH305, CLAS305.
Credit Only Granted for: ANTH305, ARTH305, CLAS305, or JWST319Y.
JWST324 Biblical History and Culture (3 Credits)
Study of the political, social, and religious development of the Jewish nation from its inception to its return from exile in Babylonia around 536 C.E. Focus on biblical texts, archeological finds, and source materials from neighboring cultures to reconstruct political history and the development of religious concepts.Cross-listed with: HIST321.
JWST325 Jews and Judaism in Antiquity I: Sixth Century BCE through the First Century CE (3 Credits)
Political, social, and religious history of the Jews from the Persian period to the Judean revolt of 66-70 CE. Special attention to the rise of sectarian and revolutionary movements.Cross-listed with: HIST370.
JWST326 Jews and Judaism in Antiquity II: First through Seventh Century (3 Credits)
Political, social, and religious history of the Jews from the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 CE to the Muslim conquests. Special attention to the political transformations in Judaism under late Roman Christianity, and the rise of the Rabbinic movement.
JWST331 Early Christianity: Jesus to Constantine (3 Credits)
Social and religious history of early Christianity from its origin in the first century to the reign of Constantine.Cross-listed with: HIST320.
JWST332 The Israeli Settler Movement: The Road to One State? (3 Credits)
Explores the Israeli settler movement over the last four decades, from its position on the fringes of Israeli society in the 1970s and 1980s to its rise to prominence in Israeli politics today. Topics will include the history of the Israeli settlement project in the West Bank, the emergence of Gush Emunim and its ideological foundations in Jewish messianism, its violent offshoots, and the influence of the settler movement on the Israeli political system. Study of these topics illuminates some of the most important driving forces of modern history such as nationalism, religious fundamentalism, colonialism and the ability of a determined minority to influence a country's policies.Cross-listed with: HIST381, ISRL344.
Credit Only Granted for: HIST329G, HIST381, ISRL329G, ISRL344, JWST332 or JWST319N.
Formerly: JWST319N.
JWST333 Jews in Early Modern Times 1450-1750 (3 Credits)
Emergence of new powerful population centers, religious and cultural creativity, new forms of community, and radical messianic movements.
Recommended: HIST282 or JWST234. Cross-listed with HIST373.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST333 or HIST373.
Formerly: JWST419C.
JWST334 Mizrahi Identity in Israel (3 Credits)
It is impossible to understand Israeli society today without examining the Mizrahi experience. Despite the common misconception that Israel is predominantly made up of Jews from European origin, the fact of the matter is that Jews of Mizrahi origin, whose parents and grandparents immigrated to Israel from the Middle East and North Africa, represent a major part of the Israeli population. Moreover, Ashkenazi-Mizrahi relations continue to be a major source of tension in Israeli politics, and issues of race continue to come up on social media and polarize the Israeli society. This course brings to light narratives of Mizrahi identity in Israel and explores the trajectory of the Mizrahi struggle for equality and against racism through its various milestones: the 1959 Wadi Salib Revolt, the Black Panthers Movement in the 1970s, the emergence of the Israeli Sephardi-Orthodox party Shas, and the new wave of Mizrahi activism in the 21st century.Cross-listed with: ISRL330, HIST377.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST319D, JWST334, HIST377, HIST329Z, ISRL329M, or ISRL330.
Formerly: ISRL329M.
JWST341 American Jewish Literature (3 Credits)
An exploration of the role played by literature in the development of American Jewish ethnic identity. Primary materials include essays, poetry, plays, short stories, novels, films and music.Cross-listed with ENGL331.
JWST344 Modern Jewish History II: World Jewry Since 1870 (3 Credits)
Social, political, economic, and cultural change in the Jewish world since 1870. Emphasis on emancipation, assimilation, and new forms of Jewish identity in Western and Eastern European Jewry from the 19th Century to the present.Cross-listed with HIST375.
JWST345 The Holocaust of European Jewry (3 Credits)
Roots of Nazi Jewish policy in the 1930's and during World War II: the process of destruction and the implementation of the "final solution of the Jewish problem" in Europe, and the responses made by the Jews to their concentration and annihilation.Cross-listed with: HIST307.
JWST346 Representing the Holocaust (3 Credits)
Different perspectives on how the Holocaust should be represented. Examination of a wide range of texts including fiction, memoirs, critical essays, poems and films in different languages (in translation). Emphasis on the international and comparative nature of Holocaust literary studies and investigation into the propriety of literary representation of historical catastrophe. Consideration of our own role as readers serving as witnesses to an event that has marked itself indelibly in the aesthetic history of the twentieth century.
Credit Only Granted for: ENGL379J, JWST419I, ENGL332, or JWST346.
Formerly: ENGL379J and JWST419I.
JWST347 Tradition and Change: Jewish Religion in the Modern World (3 Credits)
An exploration of the history of the different modern Jewish religious movements that developed in Europe, starting with messianic movements and ending with Reform and Orthodoxy. Emphasis will be placed on the influence of the academic study of Judaism on the development of modern Jewish religious ideologies and practices.Cross-listed with: HIST429X, RELS347.
Credit Only Granted for: RELS347, JWST347, HIST429X, or RELS419R.
Formerly: RELS419R.
JWST369 Special Topics in Study Abroad III (1-6 Credits)
Special topics course taken as part of an approved study abroad program.
Repeatable to: 15 credits if content differs.
JWST370 Before the Holocaust: The Golden Age of Eastern European Jewry (3 Credits)
An exploration of the history of the Jews of Eastern Europe from the period of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth until the Holocaust. Topics to be covered include religious, political, social, and cultural transformation of Jewish life in Eastern Europe in the context of the general political changes in the area.Cross-listed with: HIST419Q.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST419E, JWST370, or HIST419Q.
Formerly: JWST419E.
JWST372 Jewry of Muscle: Zionism and Jewish Masculinity (3 Credits)
Part of the Zionist cultural project involved creating a new Jewish masculinity that would replace the diasporic "sissy Jew" with a strong, healthy new "Jewry of Muscle." Using literary and cinematic sources, we will analyze how these Zionist and Israeli cultural productions served to build (and sometimes undermine) this new model of Jewish masculinity.Cross-listed with: ISRL372.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST319K, ISRL329K, JWST372 or ISRL372.
Formerly: JWST319K or ISRL329K.
JWST373 Sexuality in Jewish Literature and Culture (3 Credits)
Provides students with a unique exploration of texts and films created by various Jewish authors and filmmakers, and the way they dealt with questions of gender and sexuality. The texts and films touch on the central social, economic, and cultural issues of European, American, and Israeli Jewry during the middle ages, and up to the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. It will explore how the categories of gender and sexuality changed and were represented in rich and contrasting ways according to the authors' social norms and ideological convictions. Focusing on sexuality and gender in Jewish culture can help us better understand Jewish social norms, creativity, and history, in particular modern Jewish literatures, visual medias, and the Jewish encounter with modernity as a whole. We will be reading prominent writers and filmmakers such as Sholem Aleichem, Philip Roth, S. Y., Jill Soloway, Abramovitsch, Todd Solondz, Celia Dropkin, I. B. Singer, Sholem Ash, Boaz Davidson, Judd Apatow, Tseruyah Shalev, and others. This is a discussion-based course; however, it also emphasizes developing the skills of analytical and abstract thinking and critical writing about texts and other cultural productions. This course does not require proficiency of any foreign language or any specific historical knowledge.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST319L or JWST373.
Formerly: JWST319L.
JWST375 Jews and Representations of Race (3 Credits)
Attention to the evolution of Western concepts of "race" from late medieval to modern times requires addressing the meaning of the term "race." How did constructions of Jewish "racial" identities fit into this broader discussion? As Christian Europe's primary minority for centuries, "the Jews" provide evidence for constructions of race as a means of grouping populations culturally and materially. How did Jews interact with the racial discourse of diverse time periods, and how did they negotiate their political realities by both adopting and challenging aspects of the rhetoric of antisemitism as well as the rhetoric of "whiteness" versus "blackness"?Cross-listed with: ISRL375.
Credit Only Granted for: ISRL375, JWST375, ISRL349Z, or JWST319M.
Formerly: ISRL349Z or JWST319M.
JWST386 Experiential Learning in Jewish Studies (3 Credits)
The Jewish Studies Program's internship program. Pre-professional experience in research, analysis, and writing related to Jewish Studies in a variety of work settings.
Prerequisite: Permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies.
Restriction: Junior standing or higher.
JWST408 Honors Seminar in Jewish Studies (3 Credits)
An in-depth exploration of a theme in Jewish history, literature, culture or thought. Course subject and readings will vary from year to year, but will generally cut across periods, locations, or disciplines. Students are expected to engage the course material critically and to use the seminar as an opportunity to develop an independent research agenda.
Prerequisite: Permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies.
Restriction: Junior standing or higher.
JWST409 Research Seminar in Jewish Studies (3-4 Credits)
A capstone course for Jewish Studies. Guides students through advanced source material and subject matter, research skills, and presentation techniques. A substantive paper based on independent research and analysis is one expected outcome.
Prerequisite: Must have completed two upper-level courses in an appropriate area of Jewish Studies; or permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies.
Repeatable to: 9 credits if content differs.
Formerly: JWST309.
JWST418 Honors Thesis Research in Jewish Studies (3-6 Credits)
Guided research on a thesis under the supervision of the Jewish Studies faculty.
Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.
JWST419 Special Topics in Jewish Studies (3 Credits)
Repeatable to: 9 credits if content differs.
JWST429 Advanced Topics in Jewish Studies (3-4 Credits)
Special topics at an advanced level for Jewish Studies. Primarily intended for majors and graduate students.
Repeatable to: 12 credits if content differs.
JWST430 Dead Sea Scrolls (3 Credits)
A study of the Dead Sea Scrolls in their ancient and modern settings, and in terms of contemporary scholarly interpretations of their meaning. Interpretations of the historical significance of these documents, their connections to ancient Jewish sectarian movements, and their implications for our understanding of Judaism, Christianity, and the history of the Bible.
Prerequisite: Must have completed one JWST course or one RELS course; or permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies. Cross-listed with RELS430.
JWST432 Jews in Medieval Times 1000-1450 (3 Credits)
Social and cultural life of Jewish communities spread throughout Islam and Christendom. Major topics include the Gaonate, kehila organizations, legal, rationalist, and mystical thought, and the context of rising animosity against Jews linked to the Crusades and changing Church doctrines.
Recommended: HIST282, HIST330, HIST331, or JWST234. Cross-listed with: HIST476.
JWST452 The Golden Age of Jewish Philosophy (3 Credits)
Jewish philosophy from Maimonides in the 12th century to the expulsion of the Jews from Spain at the end of the 15th Century. Topics include the limitations of human knowledge, creation of the world, foreknowledge and free will, and the existence of God.
Prerequisite: 3 credits in PHIL courses; or permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies; or permission of ARHU-Philosophy department. Cross-listed with: PHIL417.
JWST459 Readings in Medieval Hebrew (3-4 Credits)
Readings and analysis of Hebrew texts and literature from the Middle Ages. Language of instruction in English; all texts in Hebrew.
Repeatable to: 9 credits if content differs.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST459 or JWST466.
Formerly: JWST466.
JWST468 Readings in the Hebrew Bible (3-4 Credits)
Readings in the Hebrew text of the Bible. Emphasis in close reading, grammar analysis, and modern interpretations of the Bible. Language of instruction English; all texts in Hebrew.
Prerequisite: HEBR313; or permission of instructor.
Repeatable to: 9 credits if content differs.
Formerly: HEBR441 and HEBR442.
JWST469 Readings in Rabbinic Hebrew (3-4 Credits)
Readings in classical rabbinic texts and related corpora. Emphasis on grammar and reading skills as well as critical analysis of the material. Language of instruction: English; all texts in original language.
Prerequisite: HEBR313; or permission of instructor.
Repeatable to: 9 credits if content differs.
JWST471 Modern Hebrew Literature in Translation (3 Credits)
An exploration of modern Hebrew prose, poetry, and literary essays written from the 1880s through the present in Europe, Palestine, and Israel. An investigation of the challenges confronting authors such as Mendele Mokher Sforim, Avraham Mapu, Chaim Nahman Bialik, Dvorah Baron, S.Y. Agnon, and David Fogel as they tried to create a contemporary secular literature out of an ancient sacred language. All texts in English translation.
JWST478 Readings in Modern Hebrew (3 Credits)
Variable topics in Modern Hebrew Literature.
Prerequisite: HEBR313; or permission of instructor.
Restriction: Junior standing or higher.
Repeatable to: 12 credits if content differs.
JWST491 Judaism and the Construction of Gender (3 Credits)
The study of Jewish culture, religious practice, communal authority, and literature through the frame of such critical categories of analysis as gender, sexuality, masculinity, power, ethics, and the feminine.
Prerequisite: 1 course in JWST; or 1 course in LGBT; or 1 course in WMST or WGSS. Cross-listed with: WGSS491.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST491, WMST491 or WGSS491.
Formerly: WMST491.
JWST492 Sex, Gender, and Jewish Identity (3 Credits)
An exploration of Jewish embodiment, including dynamics related to biological sex, culturally-framed gender, and sexuality. Topics of discussion may include transgender and intersex Jews, stereotypes and gender performance, modesty, genetics, and body alteration. Focus is on contemporary Jewish culture, framed within the larger historical and textual tradition.
Prerequisite: 1 course in WGSS; or 1 course in JWST; or 1 course in LGBT; or permission of instructor. Cross-listed with: LGBT448W, WGSS492.
Credit Only Granted for: JWST492, JWST409G, LGBT448W, WMST498W or WGSS492.
Formerly: WMST498W and JWST409G.
JWST498 Advanced Language Module for Jewish Studies (1-3 Credits)
A supplementary language module for students enrolled in designated Jewish Studies classes. Language of instruction English, texts in original language.
Prerequisite: HEBR212 or JWST282; or permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies.
JWST499 Independent Study in Jewish Studies (1-3 Credits)
Prerequisite: Permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies.
Repeatable to: 6 credits if content differs.