Jewish Studies

Barbara C. Johnson, Associate Professor and Coordinator

This is one of the individual and interdisciplinary studies programs of the School of Humanities and Sciences.

Jewish studies approaches the history and culture of the Jewish people from a multicultural and interdisciplinary perspective. The goals of the Jewish studies minor are to foster greater knowledge about Jewish history, religion, and culture and to explore who Jews are in their geographic and cultural diversity, and how they have interacted with other peoples politically, economically, socially, ideologically, philosophically, and artistically. In order to understand Jewish history, it is necessary to investigate economic, political, and social forces that affected the lives of Jews in varied cultural settings for thousands of years. The study of Jewish cultures includes religious beliefs and practices, philosophy, literature, folklore, visual arts, music, and the media.

The Jewish studies minor will be useful for students going on to graduate study in any of a number of disciplines, with or without a Jewish studies focus. In addition, it will be useful for students contemplating professional careers related to Jewish religion, education, or community service (e.g., as rabbis, cantors, Jewish educators, social workers, or administrators of Jewish

communal programs). More generally, it will be a useful minor for a wide variety of students pursuing careers in which multicultural awareness is important.

The minor in Jewish studies will require 18 credit hours of work, including a basic language proficiency in Hebrew or another Jewish language (Yiddish or Judeo-Espanol).

Requirements for the minor in Jewish studies

Three credits in one of the following

340-20100	Jews in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds
340-20200	Jews in the Modern World
	Total	3

Three credits in one of the following

340-10300	Hebrew Scriptures
340-20300	Judaism
307-32400	Literature of the Bible
	Total	3

Select 12 credits from the following courses, with at least 3 credits in each of two categories

Social science and history

340-20100	Jews in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds
340-20200	Jews in the Modern World
339-23500	Jewish Cultures: A Worldwide View
339-23610	American Jewish Life
339-36500	Israel: Ethnicity, Politics, and Culture
310-33900	Political Economy of the Middle East
310-40100	Politics seminar when appropriate topic
310-40200	Politics seminar when appropriate topic
319-38900	Special topics in speech communication when appropriate topic

Religious studies

340-10300	Hebrew Scriptures
340-20300	Judaism
340-32300	Gender and Sexuality in Judaism
340-33300	Jewish Mysticism
344-27500	Selected topics in religion when appropriate topic
344-37500	Selected topics in religion when appropriate topic
340-42000	Internship in Jewish Studies
340-49100	Independent Study in Jewish Studies

Language, literature, and the arts

316-20200	Intermediate Hebrew II
316-39900	Independent Study in Hebrew
307-21100	American Jewish Writers
307-32400	Literature of the Bible
307-37400	Shakespeare and the Jews
558-32100	Chamber Ensemble when appropriate focus
	Total	12
	Total required for minor	18

Additional requirements

1. Minor students must successfully complete 316-10100 with a grade of at least C- or demonstrate equivalent proficiency via a placement test to be administered by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. Students may petition the coordinator to substitute another Jewish language (Yiddish or Judeo-Espanol) in place of Hebrew, in which case testing for placement shall be done in conformance with testing of such proficiencies for any language by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.

2. No more than 6 credits from a student's major department or 3 credits from a student's second minor will count toward the Jewish studies minor.

3. No more than 3 credits of internship or independent study will count toward the Jewish studies minor.

4. At least 6 credits toward the minor must come from courses at level 3 or above.

5. At least 9 credits toward the minor must be taken at Ithaca College.