Varieties of Judaism in the Modern World * 2007
T, F 12:30-1:50 Dr. Susan Marks
PMC 219 smarks@ncf.edu
Office Hours: Mon 2:30-3:30p.m. PME 221; x 4271
Thurs11:00a.m.-Noon http://faculty.ncf.edu/marks/
Objectives:
Students will explore the great variety of modern self-identifications labeled “Jewish.” In order to understand this diversity we will consider aspects of pre-modern and modern Jewish history through primary texts and secondary sources concerning Europe, Eastern Europe, Turkey, North Africa, the Mid-East and America. We will examine how modern history and modern Jewish history impact one another. We will give special consideration to emerging definitions of “religion,” asking how they fit or challenge the particulars of Jewish practice. We will also consider attempts to articulate Jewish theology/philosophy at these important historical junctions. In order to work towards integrating this vast cross-section of experiences and responses, students will engage in observation of modern Judaisms as well as conduct in-depth library research in one particular area of this panorama.
Expectations:
Regular attendance is required. In order to facilitate review by myself or your peers, assignments must be handed in on time. Class participation counts with successful completion of assignments towards your overall evaluation. Your classmates will come to depend on your comments even as you will come to depend on theirs. If you are a person who does not readily talk in public, I encourage you to come see me during my office hours, and we can devise other ways for you to have input into class discussions.
Responsibilities:
1. Academic integrity.
2. Active participation. Since the seminar style format depends upon regular attendance and participation, three absences will achieve an official warning, and more than three absences will be grounds for an unsatisfactory evaluation. Students should arrive on time, with readings in hand, having done relevant readings before class session as well as any informal writing assignments.
3. Three papers. Each student will prepare three written assignments (one 3-4, one 6-8, and one 9-12 page paper), each involving synthesis, observation and/or research. The final 9-12 page paper will involve drafts and revisions).*
4. A mid-term oral exam.
5. Explorations through informal writing assignments.
*An appropriately formatted hard [paper] copy of formal assignments must be handed in on-time, together with all drafts and doodles. You will be evaluated based on the energy of the original exploration as well as the development in the revision process.
Required Texts:
Borowitz, Eugene. Choices in Modern Jewish Thought. Second edition. New York: Behrman House, 1995 [Borowitz]
Lewis, Bernard. Cultures In Conflict: Christians, Muslims, And Jews In The Age Of Discovery. New York : Oxford University Press, 1995 [Lewis]
Mendes-Flohr and Jehuda Reinharz. The Jew in the Modern World. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1995 [JMW]
and electronic reserve which includes additional articles [* = Reserve Readings]
***Please also check Library Reserve for related books***
Hand out: Comparative Practices Assignment
Tues Sept 4 Prior to Modernity
Read: Lewis, 1-81
Fri Sept 7 Political and Religious Changes
Read: *Scholem, 287-324
JMW, 8-20
Hand out: Modernity and Judaism Assignment
Sat Sept 8th, 8:45am -- Meet in Heiser parking lot. Visit to Temple Beth Sholom
Week 3
Tues Sept 11 Modernity
Read: Borowitz, chapter 1
JMW, 22-26, 36-40, 49-53, 114-121, 128-133, 141-143
*Katz, 25-34
Fri Sept 14 No Class – Rosh HaShannah
Tues Sept 18 Ideas and Movements
Read: Borowitz, chapter 2
JMW, 57-61, 68-9, 85-7, 90-9
*Cohen, 131-160
*Eisen, 1-13, 35-43
Fri Sept 21 Reform Judaism
Read: JMW, 161-173, 177-188, 233, 250-253 256-261
Read and compare: CCAR platforms:
http://ccarnet.org/documentsandpositions/platforms/
Read and explore: URJ – what is Reform Judaism?
Due: Modernity and Judaism Assignment
Week 5
Tues Sept 25 Modern Orthodox
Read: Borowitz, chapter 10
JMW, 197-206
*Soloveitchik, 3-29
*Boyarin, 131-137
Varieties of orthodox
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/363_Transp/08_Orthodoxy.html
Orthodox Union
Fri Sept 28 Class will meet in Sukkah?
Eastern European: Hasidism and Daily Life
Read: JMW, 387-393, 137-138, 372-386
*Weissler, xvii, xxvi, 3-35, 51-65
Tues Oct 2 AntiSemitism and Nationalism/Zionism
Read: Borowitz, chapter 4
*Baeck, 169-185
JMW, 331-334, 363-367, 417-419, 533-539, 546
Hand out: Research Assignment
Fri Oct 5 Jews Arrive in America
Read: JMW, 452-466, 472-491
Sat Oct 6th, 9:30am -- Meet in Heiser parking lot. Visit to Chabad of Bradenton
Tue Oct 9 Conservative Judaism
Read: JMW, 194-7, 492-493, 497-499
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
http://www.uscj.org/index1.html
Fri Oct 12 Secularism and Neo-Traditionalism
Read: *Heschel, 1-10
Suggested: Borowitz, chapter 8
MID-SEMESTER BREAK
Tues Oct 23 The Reconstructionist Movement/ Renewal Movements
Read: Borowitz, chapter 5
*Kaplan, 173-85, 209-224, 535-8
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
*Article tba
Read: *Zenner, 161-172
*Sered, 197-214
*Goitein, 217-231
Fri Oct 26th, 7:20pm -- Meet in Heiser parking lot. Visit to Temple Emanu-El
Tues Oct 30 – Research Tools -- presentation by Librarian Caroline Reed -- PMA 117
Due: Comparative Practices Assignment
Fri Nov 2 Holocaust – visit from Dr Helen Fagin
Dr Fagin is a retired professor of English and former director
of Judaic studies at the University of Miami
Read: Frankl, 15-100
Tues Nov 6 Holocaust
Read: JMW, 646,-649, 656-665, 668-679, 683-690
Borowitz, chapter 9
*Rubenstein and Roth, 159-196
Fri Nov 9 Zionism in the 20th century
Read: Borowitz, chapter 6
*Rosenzweig, 398-417, 435-6
JMW, 532-543, 571-579, 603-626
Tues Nov 13 The State of Israel
Read: Borowitz, chapter 7
*Buber, 3-24, 214-226, 258-263
JMW, 580-582, 593, 626-627, 629-633
*Carmi ed, 532-3, 534, 553-4, 558, 560, 565, 571, 575
Fri Nov 16-Tues Nov 20 No Class – Prof. Marks as SBL
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Tues Nov 27 Recognizing Women Jews & Gay Jews
Read: Borowitz/Umansky, chapter 13
*Alpert, 1-17
*Riv-Ellen Prell, 329-359
Due: Draft of Research paper
Fri Nov 30 Peer Review
Due: PRF for each paper
Read: Two papers from peers
Tues Dec 4 After Modernity
Read: Borowitz, chapter 14
*Steinsaltz, 35-47, 175-181
Final Research Paper due on Tuesday, December 11th by 12:30pm.