TH Turning Points in Jewish History

Transcription

1 TH Turning Pints in Jewish Histry Fall 2010, Tuesday 2-3:50, McGuinn 303 Prf. Ruth Langer Office: 21 Campanella Way #331 Phne: Office Hurs: Tues 4:30-5:30, Thursday 10:30-11:30 r by appintment Jewish histry stretches frm creatin t tday. This curse will fcus n the majr turning pints which shape tday's Jewish wrld, fcusing n majr intellectual and thelgical trends, figures, and events frm the develpment f rabbinic Judaism t the twentieth century. Thrugh this, students will cme t have a basic understanding f the utlines f Jewish religius, cultural and intellectual histry, f the nature f the Jewish experience as a minrity culture in the Christian and Muslim wrlds, and f the shapes f cntemprary Judaism. TEXTS: A Histrical Atlas f the Jewish Peple : Frm the Time f the Patriarchs t the Present (Hardcver) by Eli Barnavi (Schcken, 1994), ISBN Mst additinal readings will be psted n the curse's Blackbard Vista (BV) site as pdf files r will be available via the internet. Students may access BV via their Agra accunts. Cnsider the syllabus psted n BV t be yur fficial syllabus as it may well be updated as the semester ges n depending n the interests f the class. REQUIREMENTS: Attendance at class is mandatry. If yu knw in advance that yu cannt attend, please just let Prfessr Langer knw. Participatin: Yur active cntributins t class discussins are expected. This includes psting a brief reflectin n the readings n the BV Discussins page by 10AM n the day f class. Use these pstings t ask questins, t reflect n issues raised in the readings that intrigue yu, r as a chance t think mre deeply abut sme aspect f the curse. In additin, make sure that what yu write demnstrates that yu have indeed prepared fr class. Prf. Langer will d her best t respnd t yur reflectins, either in class r n the discussin page if the issue is f general cncern t the class, r privately by . Weekly pstings will nt be graded but will receive feedback. Yu are als encuraged t respnd t yur classmates' pstings. Yur ttal cntributins t in- class and BV discussins will cnstitute 30% f yur grade (20% fr graduate students). Papers and Exams: Jewish Studies minrs and undergraduates: Midterm Prject: Write a fcused paper f wrds that explres further ne f the units r a theme that has cme up in mre than ne unit f the first half f the curse. Yu are encuraged t cnsult n yur tpic and bibligraphy befre writing yur paper. (30% f grade)

2 Final: take hme, pen bk final, due Mnday December 20, 5PM. (40% f grade) Graduate Students: Midterm Prject: reflectin paper f wrds elabrating n a tpic r theme cvered in the first half f the curse. This reflectin might be in the frm f a prpsal fr a mre elabrate research paper, cmplete with an anntated bibligraphy. Other alternatives, apprpriate t yur specific prgram and interests, may be suggested. (30% f grade) Final Prject: A research paper n a tpic relevant t the curse. A prpsal must be submitted by Nvember 15. Cnsultatin with Prf. Langer n bibligraphy and scpe f the paper is strngly advised, as well as n questins that emerge in the prcess f writing. Due at the scheduled exam time f the curse. Length: pages (MA students), pages (PhD students). (50% f grade). Academic Integrity is an abslute requirement. Plagiarism r cheating will be reprted. Please see the university's plicy fr mre infrmatin. SYLLABUS: I. 9/7 II. 9/14 III. 9/21 Intrductin: Origins f Israel Barnavi, vi- xiii (Intrductins I, II, III), skim thrugh p. 27. Jewish Life in Late Antiquity: What Makes One a Jew? Barnavi, Shaye J.D. Chen, The Beginnings f Jewishness: Bundaries, Varieties, Uncertainties (University f Califrnia Press, 1999), Chapters 1-2 (undergraduates) r 1-3 (graduates - - entire bk recmmended). Seth Schwartz, Imperialism and Jewish Sciety, 200 BCE- 600 CE (Princetn, 2001) Len Feldman, Jew and Gentile in the Ancient Wrld (Princetn, 1993) Daniel Byarin, Brder Lines: The Partitin f Judae- Christianity (U. f Penn, 2004) The Rise f Rabbinic Leadership: The Crwn f Trah Barnavi, Shaye J.D. Chen, Frm the Maccabees t the Mishnah (Westminster Press, 1987), Ch. 7, "The Emergence f Rabbinic Judaism." Rest f bk recmmended. Lawrence H. Schiffman, Texts and Traditins: A Surce Reader... (Ktav, 1998), Sectins10:3 and 12:4.

3 Lawrence H. Schiffman, Frm Text t Traditin: A Histry f Secnd Temple and Rabbinic Judaism (Ktav, 1991) [Texts and Traditins is published as a accmpaniment t this - - als recmmended] Gedaliah Aln, The Jews in their Land in the Talmudic Age (Harvard, 1989) Jacb Neusner, There We Sat Dwn: Talmudic Judaism in the Making (Ktav, 1972) Lee. I. Levine, The Rabbinic Class f Rman Palestine in Late Antiquity (Yad Izhak Ben- Zvi, Jewish Thelgical Seminary, 1989) Essential Papers n the Talmud (NYU 1994) IV. 9/28 Class in Prf. Langer's Sukkah V. 10/5 Rabbinic Judaism: The Fall Hly Days The Biblical Calendar: Leviticus 23, Numbers 28-29, Deuternmy 15:19-16:17 Rsh Hashanah: Mishnah Rsh Hashanah Ym Kippur: Leviticus Ch. 16, Mishnah Yma Ch. 8 (recmmended Chs. 1-7) Sukkt: Mishnah Sukkah Jews in the Wrld f Islam: The Emergence f Jewish Philsphy Barnavi, 90-97, Saadia Gan, The Bk f Beliefs and Opinins, trans. S. Rsenblatt (Yale, 1948), xxiii- 37, "Intrductin" and "Intrductry Treatise" Isadre Twersky, A Maimnides Reader (Behrman, 1972), (beginning f Mishneh Trah), , (selectins frm Guide fr the Perplexed) Isaac Husik, A Histry f Medieval Jewish Philsphy Shlm Pines ed. (U. f Chicag) f the Guide fr the Perplexed VI. 10/12 Jews in the Wrld f Islam II: Secular and Religius Petry Barnavi, , , , Raymnd P. Scheindlin, Wine, Wmen and Death: Medieval Hebrew Pems n the Gd Life (Jewish Publicatin Sciety, 1986), 3-13, Raymnd P. Scheindlin, The Gazelle: Medieval Hebrew Pems n Gd, Israel and the Sul (Jewish Publicatin

4 Sciety, 1991), 3-29, Len J. Weinberger, Jewish Hymngraphy: A Literary Histry (Litman, 1998) [mst literature n this tpic is in Hebrew!] Israel Zinberg, A Histry f Jewish Literature (Jewish Publicatin Sciety, ) Vivian Mann, Jewish Texts n the Visual Arts (Cambridge, 2000) VII. 10/19 VIII. 10/26 Jews in Medieval Christian Eurpe: A Lachrymse Histry Barnavi, 98-99, , , , The Christian Teaching f Cntempt fr Jews and Judaism: A Primary Surce Sampler - read the texts linked there fr the medieval perid. writings f Jeremy Chen and/r Rbert Chazan Jacb Katz, Exclusiveness and Tlerance Essential Papers n Judaism and Christianity in Cnflict (NYU, 1991) Kabbalah Barnavi, (backgrund n the early mdern perid) Arthur Green, A Guide t the Zhar, Ch. 3 Teachings f the Kabbalists: The Ten Sefirt (Recmmended: the entire bk) The Zhar, Pritzker editin, trans. Daniel C. Matt, Vl. 1: , Jseph Dan, The Heart and the Funtain: An Anthlgy f Jewish Mystical Experiences (Oxfrd, 2002), Intrductin, Chs. 12, 13, 17. (Recmmended, the entire bk) Essential Papers n Kabbalah (NYU, 1995) Gershm Schlem, Majr Trends in Jewish Mysticism and many ther bks. Mshe Idel, Kabbalah: New Perspectives, and many ther bks. Isaiah Tisby, The Wisdm f the Zhar. (translatins f Zhar passages with sme cmmentary and gd general intrductins t each sectin) 11/2 MIDTERM DUE

5 IX. 11/2 X. 11/9 XI. 11/16 XII. 11/23 Messianism: Shabbetai Zvi Barnavi, , R.J.Zwi Werblwsky, Messianism in Jewish Histry (rpt. frm Jurnal f Wrld Histry 11 (1968)), in Essential Papers..., Gershm Schlem, Sabbetai Sevi: The Mystical Messiah, (rpt. frm bk f same name, trans. Werblwsky, Princetn University Press, 1973), in Essential Papers Essential Papers n Messianic Mvements and Persnalities in Jewish Histry (NYU 1992) - ther articles Gershm Schlem, The Messianic Idea in Judaism Raphael Patai, The Messiah Texts Hasidism Barnavi, Shmuel Ettinger, The Hasidic Mvement - Reality and Ideals, (rpt. frm Jurnal f Wrld Histry, 11 (1968)), in Essential Papers..., Aarn Wertheim, Traditins and Custms in Hasidism, (rpt. frm Halakht ve halikht ba- hasidut, 1960), in Essential Papers, Essential Papers n Hasidism, Origins t Present (NYU, 1991) - ther articles. Emancipatin and Enlightenment I: Jining the Western Wrld and Mving West Barnavi, , , , , Frm Haven t Hme: 350 Years f Jewish Life in America - explre the Library f Cngress' n- line exhibit, especially its time line and "sectins" Frm Haven t Hme: 350 Years f Jewish Life in America, ed. Grunberger (Library f Cngress, 2004) - articles in the exhibit catalgue Jnathan D. Sarna, American Judaism: A Histry (Yale, 2004). Emancipatin and Enlightenment II: The Emergence f the Mdern Mvements and Secular Jewish Culture (Religius and Natinal)

6 Barnavi, Shlem Aleichem, The Old Cuntry, trans. Julius and Frances Butwin (Crwn, 1946), "The Twn f the Little Peple," "Mdern Children," "Hdel." American Refrm Rabbinic Platfrms: cmpare these dcuments and trace the changes. Fiddler n the Rf (vide f the musical, r script f the play). Mrdecai Kaplan, Judaism as a Civilizatin Michael A. Meyer, Respnse t Mdernity XIII. 11/30 XIV. 12/7 12/20 5PM The Hlcaust: Its Repercussins in Subsequent Jewish Life Barnavi, , Michael Wyschgrd, "Sme Thelgical Reflectins n the Hlcaust," in Living After the Hlcaust: Reflectins by Children f Survivrs in America, ed. Steinitz and Sznyi (Blch, 1979), Michael Wyschgrd, "Faith and the Hlcaust," in Abraham's Prmise: Judaism and Jewish- Christian Relatins (Eerdmans, 2004, riginally published in Judaism 20:3 [1971], ), James E. Yung, "When a Day Remembers: A Perfrmative Histry f Ym Hashah" in Hlcaust Memrials and Meaning (Yale, 1993), Thelgical respnses by Emil Fackenheim, Richard Rubenstein, Yitz Greenberg Return t Zin: The Restratin f the State f Israel Barnavi, , , , , , Hatikvah (Zinist anthem, nw Israel's natinal anthem) Hatikvah at Bergen Belsen 1945 Lyrics f Nami Shemer's sngs (bigraphy): Jerusalem f Gld, Fr All These Things, Tmrrw, Lawrence Jffe, "Sundtrack t the State," The Jewish Quarterly 195 (Autumn 2004). Additinal Israeli music TBA Essential Papers n Zinism (NYU, 1996) FINAL due

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