Judaism (340-20300 & 344-20300) |
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This course offers an introduction to Judaism as a religious civilization, with a focus on theology, ethics, and ritual practices. Readings include selected texts from the Biblical, rabbinic, medieval, and modern periods. In this course we will consider basic human and religious issues as they have been understood in the classical Jewish tradition: God, good and evil, covenant, death and afterlife, justice and social responsibility. The course examines how these understandings are lived out through practices associated with birth and death, marriage and commitment, sexuality, and the life of study, prayer, and devotion.
Topic 1: Jewish Tradition
Topic 2: Jewish Thought
A. Oneness of God
B. The idea of the chosen people
C. Jewish thought and the Holocaust
Topic 3: Cycles of Jewish Life:
A. The course of the year
B. The course of life
Books & Other Resources
Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, editors, The Jewish Study Bible [available in the reference section of the IC library - BS895 .J4 2004)
Harvey E. Goldberg, Jewish Passages
Nicholas de Lange, Judaism
Irene Eber, The Choice: Poland 1939-1945. This book is also available through the Ithaca College Library subscription to Ebrary - a database of over 25,000 books available electronically. You will need to download the free reader as plug-in to your computer in order to read it (this should take about 2 minutes to do!). After that, you have accesss to any of the books.
Scott-Martin Kosofsky, The Book of Customs: A Complete Handbook for the Jewish Year
Course Reader (CR), for sale in class Ð Readings in the course packet are noted in the course schedule.
The books are also being placed on reserve (other than the Jewish Study Bible and The Choice).
Jewish Studies events Spring 2006
Requirements
1. Attendance (5%): Class attendance is required, unless you have a good excuse (for good excuses, see below in Policies section). 2 unexcused absences are allowed, but above that, your absence will be noted (and deducted from your grade).
2. Participation (10%): this includes asking questions and speaking up during class discussions, participating in small group work (chevruta), active listening to lectures and to classmates, and taking notes. I expect you to come to class having done each dayÕs reading and prepared to say something about it.
Chevruta. In class I will sometimes ask you to read a particular text together with another person, so that you can discuss your own questions about the text and spark each otherÕs ideas. This method is taken from the rabbinic way of studying a text, a method that they called chevruta (fellowship). It stems from the idea that learning is acquired best through the active interaction between self, fellow, and text. Your chevruta partner may have different questions than you do, or different answers. Eventually, you will be asked to join a chevruta group, which will be responsible for presentations in class on issues in Jewish thought, the Jewish lifecycle, and the cycle of the year.
Active Listening. Listening to another person speak is not a passive enterprise. Really to understand another person requires paying attention to his or her words, taking notes on what the other person says, making associations with what you already know, asking questions when you donÕt understand. This is true when you listen to your classmates in small or large group discussions or to my lectures. I expect you to pay attention in class and learn both from your classmates and from my lectures.
Take notes. Do not expect simply to remember everything said in class. If you are unfamiliar with taking notes for a class, please speak to me.
3. Reports on two Jewish cultural events this spring at Ithaca College, Cornell, or in the city of IthacaÐyou must go to two of these during the semester & write a two page report for each (for which you will receive class credit) (5% per event). If you go to more than two and write up your experience, you will get extra credit (1% per event). I will inform you of events as the semester progresses Ð also, pay attention to notice boards and e-mail messages. Going to a Purim celebration OR to a Passover seder (one, not both) may count as one of your cultural events.
4. Exam on Unit 1 of the course (Feb. 2) (10%)
5. Chevruta presentations on topics in Jewish thought (oneness of God, chosenness, or the Shoah) (10%)
6. 5-6 page paper on oneness of God or chosenness, due Mar. 2; this is instead of a midterm examination. No late papers accepted. (20%)
7. Chevruta group in-class presentation on an aspect of Jewish practice (10%); the presentation includes preparation of a 1-2 page handout for the entire class. This will be part of the last unit of the course, on Jewish practice Ð cycle of life and cycle of the Jewish year.
8. Final Examination (25%). This is a cumulative exam. There will be two times for the final exam Ð you can take it at either time. Wednesday, May 3, 7:30 am - 10 am or 1:30 pm - 4 pm.
Policies
1. No plagiarism on papers or cheating on examinations. ALL WRITTEN WORK MUST BE YOUR OWN. Please consult pages 116-118 of the Student Handbook for a complete statement of the Ithaca College policy on plagiarism, including definitions of plagiarism and proper citation of sources. Plagiarism includes using another studentÕs paper to write your own, or lending your paper to another student (do not do this!). I refer proven cases of plagiarism or cheating to the Judicial Affairs office.
2. Attendance in class is required. In order not to be penalized for missing class because of illness or family emergency, you must notify me and provide a written excuse: either a note from the health center or your doctor, or an official notice from the Dean of Students office.
3. Respect for others in the class is required.This includes:
Arrive to class on time.
Turn off your cell-phone before class starts.
Don't eat noisy food in class (e.g., potato chips). If you must eat in class, please throw away your trash after class.
Please do not leave the room during class except in case of dire physical need.
Respect the instructor and your classmates - listen when they speak and avoid whispering or passing notes in class.
4. All written work must be done to pass the class. This includes exams and papers.
5. Students with learning disabilities: please approach me early in the semester and let me know your needs in terms of papers or exams. Also, please have the Office for Support Services send me a letter with your specific needs.
6. If you are having personal or family problems, and find it difficult to complete your assignments Ð please speak to me to set up special arrangements. Please, do not simply stop coming to class!
Schedule of Classes and Readings
Tuesday, Jan. 17: Introduction Ð Who is a Jew? What is Judaism? What does it mean to study Judaism? What does it mean to study Judaism as a ÒreligionÓ? |
Thursday, Jan. 19: A brief sketch of Jewish history Reading: Judaism, pp. 9-22. As you are reading, look at the handout from Tuesday on Jewish history, and also see pp. xii-xiv of Judaism, which also provides a chronology of Jewish history. |
Tuesday, Jan. 24: The biblical and rabbinic traditions through the Middle Ages Reading: Judaism, pp. 52-58, 65-73. |
Thursday, Jan. 26: Modernist Judaism Reading: Judaism, pp. 59-64, 73-83. |
Tuesday, Jan. 31: Torah and Tradition: the Jewish Spectrum Reading: Judaism, pp. 23-34. |
Thursday, Feb. 2: Unit 1 exam in class |
Tuesday, Feb. 7: What is Jewish theology? Biblical roots: the ShÕma Reading: ShÕma Ð the biblical text |
Thursday, Feb. 9: Traditional interpretations of the ShÕma Readings in course reader: |
Tuesday, Feb. 14 Modern understandings of the ShÕma Readings in course reader: |
Thursday, Feb. 16 Israel as the chosen people in the Bible Reading: Ex. 6:6-7, chapter 19; Deuteronomy ch. 28, ch. 30; Isaiah 41-42, 49, 53. |
Tuesday, Feb. 21: The idea of chosenness in rabbinic, medieval, and modern thought |
Thursday, Feb. 23: Chosenness in modern Jewish thought Reading in the course reader: Emil Fackenheim, What is Judaism?, pp. 107-127.
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Tuesday, Feb. 28: evening, Edward Linenthal talk on the US Holocaust Memorial Museum Discussion in class with Professor Linenthal, based on his article, "The Boundaries of Memory: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum" (American Quarterly 46 [1994] 406-433. |
Thursday, March 2: Shoah: Event and Memory Reading: The Choice, pp. 3-53. Midterm Paper due in class |
Tuesday, March 7: Spring Break |
Thursday, March 9: Spring Break |
Monday, March 13, evening: Purim (celebration at Hillel, Temple Beth El, etc.) |
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Tuesday, March 14: Shoah: Event and Memory Reading: The Choice, pp. 54-110. |
Thursday, March 16: Shoah: Event and Memory Reading: The Choice, pp. 111-176 |
Tuesday, March 21: Shoah: Why remember? The Shoah and contemporary genocide in Darfur, Sudan Reading: The Choice, pp. 177-211. American Jewish World Service on genocide in Sudan. |
Thursday, March 23: Cycle of the Year: Worship and the cycle of the Jewish year handout: calendar of the Jewish year |
Tuesday, March 28: Prayer Reading: Judaism, pp. 35-51. |
Thursday, March 30: Shabbat Reading: The Book of Customs, pp. 53-90. |
Tuesday, April 4: Passover movie shown in class: PASSOVER: TRADITIONS OF FREEDOM
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Thursday, April 6: Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur Reading: The Book of Customs, pp. 221-274. Evening, 8:00 p.m., Textor 101: viewing of ÒTrembling Before G-dÓ Ð on gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews |
Tuesday, April 11: Course of Jewish life: Rituals of Birth Reading: Jewish Passages, pp. 28-50, 56-76. |
Thursday, April 13: First day of Passover, no class |
Tuesday, April 18: Rituals of Education (including bar and bat mitzvah) Reading: Jewish Passages, pp. 77-113. |
Thursday, April 20: Gay and lesbian Jews Reading online: Rabbi Steven Greenberg, "Gayness and God." This is the last day of Passover (class will be held - please notify me if you will be missing class) |
Tuesday, April 25: Marriage and sexuality Reading: Jewish Passages, pp. 114-138 (on the marriage ceremony, and the customs surrounding menstruation), 147-160 (on the breaking of the glass at the wedding) |
Thursday, April 27: Evaluation and review |
Wednesday, May 3, 7:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Final Exam |
Wednesday, May 3, 1:30 p.m. -4:00 p.m. Final Exam |
This page maintained by: Rebecca Lesses
Last revised February 27, 2006