RN216 Judaism

(Spring 2005)

Instructor: Michael Zank

Office: 147 Bay State Road, 4th Floor, Room 407

Hours: Wed 10-12 and by appt.

 

Course Description

This intro to Judaism offers a combination of things, namely, it.

• provides basic information on Jewish practice, tradition, and history,
• offers a social-historical perspective on tradition and modernization,
• introduces to rabbinic legal text and reasoning,
• discusses different contemporary ways of connecting with the Jewish tradition.

 

Grading

Homework: Definitions of Judaism (10%)

Quiz on the basics: 20%

Midterm: 20%

Paper on the Challenge of Modernity: 20% (due 4/5)

Final Exam: 20% (Date: May 10, 9-11, Room SMG210)

Participation: 10%

 

Week One

Defining Judaism

1/18 Intro

Homework: Compare/contrast three encyclopedic definitions of Judaism, including from the Encyclopedia of Religion (ed. Mircea Eliade). On 2-3pp, highlight some of the the subtle differences between these definitions, attending in particular to dates (when does Judaism begin?) and other defining factors (e.g., which are the key dates/groups/texts/events in its development, how does the religion relate to history/society of the Jews and or other groups).

1/20 Definitions of Judaism and Their Discontents

Read: William Scott Green "Old Habits Die Hard" (courseinfo pdf)

Week Two

The Basics

1/25 (=TU Bish'vat; New Year for trees)

Read: Solomon, Judaism, pp. 1-53

1/27

Read: Solomon, Judaism, pp. 54-97

Week Three

Judaism as a civilization: a social historical approach

Read: Jacob Katz: Tradition and Crisis Part I (The Basis of Existence) (pp. 1-62)

2/1 [In-class quiz on the basics]

2/3 Discussion of Katz Part I

Week Four

Judaism as a civilization: a social historical approach

Read: Jacob Katz: Tradition and Crisis Part II (The Kehila) (pp. 63-180)

2/8 The Kehila (Katz ch. 9-13)

2/10 Family and Institutions (Katz ch. 14-19)

Week Five

Judaism as a civilization: a social historical approach

Read: Jacob Katz, Tradition and Crisis Part III (The Beginning of Breakdown) (pp. 181-236)

2/15 The Impact of Historic Events (Katz ch. 20-21)

2/17 Haskalah (Katz ch. 22-24)

Week Six: 2/22 (Monday schedule)

2/24 Midterm examination

Week Seven

Classical Judaism and Its Social-Political Functions I

Rabbinic Torah: Law, Imagination, Continuity

3/1 Readings from Mishnah and Talmud (courseinfo pdf)

3/3 Readings from Midrash literature (courseinfo pdf)

Spring Recess 3/5-13

Week Eight

Classical Judaism and Its Social Functions II

Medieval Spirituality: Bonding and the Bliss of Privileged Access

3/15 Readings from the philosophical tradition (courseinfo pdf)

3/17 Readings from the mystical tradition (courseinfo pdf)

Week Nine

Modernity: Identity formation under the condition of fragmentation

Read: Katz, Out of the Ghetto pp. 1-103

3/22 Katz ch. 1-3

3/24 (=13 Adar. Fast of Esther; day before Purim) Katz ch. 4-6

Week Ten

Modernity: Identity formation under the condition of fragmentation

Read: Katz, Out of the Ghetto pp. 104-219

3/29 Katz ch. 7-9

3/31 Katz ch. 10-12

Write a paper (5-8pp) on the transformation of Judaism in Modernity

(due 4/5)

Week Eleven

Searching for Judaism: as an accoutrement of urban American identity

4/5 Eisenberg, Boychiks in the Hood

4/7 Schiffman, generation j

Week Twelve

Searching for Judaism: Zionism and other forms of Jewish secularism

Readings: TBA

4/12 Zionism

4/14 Secular Judaism

Week Thirteen

Searching for Judaism: Finding meaning in the tradition (an orthodox voice)

Read: Norman Lamm, Shema

4/19 Lamm, Part I

4/21 Lamm, Part II and III

(3/24-30=15.-21.Nisan=Passover/Pessah)

Week Fourteen

Searching for Judaism: Finding meaning in the tradition (a non-orthodox voice)

Read: Green, Seek my Face, Speak my Name

4/26 Green, Introduction, Parts 1 and 2

4/28 Green, Parts 3 and 4

Week Fifteen

5/3 Conclusion