Survey of antisemitism through its various stages of historical development, from ancient times to the present. Primary focus on the intellectual, religious, political, and social roots of Jew-hatred. Special attention to its impact on Jewish life and thought, and to the range of Jewish re-sponses to anti-semitism. Topics include: the Jews in Graeco-Roman society; medieval Christendom and Islam; the emergence of modern political and racial anti-semitism. (Gen.Ed. HS, DG)
- Teacher: Ralph Melnick
Historically, the figure of the "Jew" has been thought of as male. Making male experience normative has in turn shaped how Judaism itself has been understood. Shifting the basic terms and focus to include attention to women, gender, and sexuality significantly re-shapes our understanding of both Judaism and of Jewish culture/history. This course not only "fills in the blanks" of the missing women of Jewish history and tradition, but attends to questions of contemporary forms of Jewish women's and men's gendered lives, identities and sexualities. Beginning with the Bible, the course proceeds historically, concluding with contemporary views of and debates surrounding matters of gender and sexuality.
- Teacher: Susan Shapiro
This course focuses on a wider range of philosophical and theological responses to the Holocaust, primarily-but not only-in the Jewish tradition. It also addresses issues of thinking about the Holocaust in the context of other oppressions and genocides, for example, American slavery. It addresses as well more contemporary events, such as the war in Ukraine. This course uses the resources of art, literature, podcasts, videos, and film.