Jewish Studies courses include all courses with a JWST or HEBR course number, and cognate courses in other departments, listed below.
There are three categories of Jewish Studies courses: Texts, Language, and Jewish History. A Minor in Jewish Studies is 5 credits: 1 credit from each of these three categories, plus 2 credits from any category.
TEXTS
Hebrew Bible RELS 210* 0.5 credit
TIME: Fall 2003, Mondays 11:30-1:00 and Thursdays 1:00-2:30
DESCRIPTION: Introduction to Hebrew Bible in light of the political, cultural and religious history of ancient Israel and Judah.
PREREQUISITE: Second-year standing (or above) or 1.0 credit in Religious Studies or Jewish Studies at the 100-level or above.
INSTRUCTOR: William Morrow, morrow@post.queensu.ca
FOR MORE INFORMATION contact the Department of Religious Studies, 533-2106.
Judaism in its Classical Period RELS 228* 0.5 credit
TIME: Fall 2003, Tuesday 2:30-5:30
DESCRIPTION: Texts of classical rabbinic Judaism, halakhah (law) and aggadah (lore).
PREREQUISITE: Second-year standing (or above), or 1.0 credit in Religious Studies at the 100-level or above.
INSTRUCTOR: Herbert Basser, basserh@post.queensu.ca
FOR MORE INFORMATION contact the Department of Religious Studies, 533-2106.
Topics in Jewish Mysticism JWST 220* 0.5 credit
TIME: Fall 2003, Monday evenings, 7-10 PM
ROOM: Theological Hall 203
DESCRIPTION: An investigation of biblical, apocalyptic, rabbinic, post-rabbinic, kabbalistic, and modern modes of Jewish mysticism.
PREREQUISITE: Second-year standing or 1.0 credit in Religious Studies or Jewish Studies at the 100 level or permission of instructor.
INSTRUCTOR: Justin Jaron Lewis, 533-6359, JJL@post.queensu.ca
Jewish Philosophy PHIL 267* 0.5 credit
TIME: Fall 2003, Monday 10:00-11:30 and Wednesday 8:30-10:00
DESCRIPTION: An examination of key Jewish thought from Philo to Fackenheim, exploring such themes as the relationship between philosophy and religion, developments within Jewish philosophy, non-Jewish influences on Jewish thought and vice-versa. Contributions to contemporary philosophical work such as those in bioethics and postmodernism are also considered.
PREREQUISITE: 1.0 credit in philosophy or Jewish Studies, or permission of instructor.
INSTRUCTOR: Jackie Davies, jd9@post.queensu.ca
FOR MORE INFORMATION on timetable and location, contact the Department of Philosophy, 533-2182
Hasidism JWST 290* 0.5 credit
TIME: Winter 2004, Thursdays 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
ROOM: Theological Hall 203
DESCRIPTION: Hasidic Jews, known for their distinctive garb and traditionalism, belong to perhaps the most successful religious movement in modern Judaism. Study of this religious culture through its own texts as well as historical and anthropological perspectives. Origins; spirituality; storytelling; roles of men and women; impact on contemporary Judaism.
PREREQUISITE: 0.5 credit in Jewish Studies, or permission of instructor. Course content will presume some prior knowledge of Judaism.
INSTRUCTOR: Justin Jaron Lewis, 533-6359, JJL@post.queensu.ca
Jewish Tradition in Literature in English ENGL 210* 0.5 credit
TIME: Winter 2004, Thursday evenings 7-10 PM
DESCRIPTION: Explores how powerful and troubling Biblical narratives are revised in American Jewish history, and how they contribute to the literary construction of American Jewish identity in poetry and prose by contemporary writers such as Cynthia Ozick and Art Spiegelman.
INSTRUCTOR: Roxanne Harde
FOR MORE INFORMATION on timetable, room, prerequisites and instructor contact the Department of English, 533-2153.
LANGUAGE
This year’s Hebrew courses are at an intermediate level. Beginners’ Hebrew (Introduction to Biblical Hebrew, HEBR 191, 1.0 credit) should be offered in 2004-2005.
If you would be interested in an introductory language course in Yiddish, to be offered in 2004-2005, please let us know (judaism@post.queensu.ca).
Intermediate Biblical Hebrew HEBR 292* 0.5 credit
TIME: Fall 2003, Monday 1:30-2:30, Wednesday 12:30-1:30, Friday 11:30-12:30
ROOM: Theological Hall 415
DESCRIPTION: Readings in Biblical Hebrew prose and poetry. For more information, click here.
PREREQUISITE: HEBR 191 or permission of instructor
INSTRUCTOR: William Morrow, morrow@post.queensu.ca
Conversational Hebrew HEBR 290* 0.5 credit
TIME: Winter 2004, Tuesday evenings, 7-10 PM
ROOM: Theological Hall 203
DESCRIPTION: Everyday modern Hebrew communication and comprehension. Participation in conversations, student presentations. Practice outside of class is expected.
PREREQUISITE: Any HEBR course or permission of instructor. As taught this year the course will be primarily for those who can already carry on a conversation in Hebrew and wish to improve their fluency and knowledge of the language.
INSTRUCTOR: Herbert Basser, basserh@post.queensu.ca
JEWISH HISTORY
The Jewish World JWST 135 1.0 credit
TIME: Fall-Winter 2003-2004, Thursdays 2:30-5:30
ROOM: Theological Hall 203
DESCRIPTION: How does an ancient religious tradition remain vital in the face of shifting cultural morals and beliefs? The course is organized both historically and thematically, beginning with the Bible and moving to the modern day, examining how particular concepts have been understood throughout Jewish history: among others, Jewish peoplehood, commandments, good and evil, status of women, Land of Israel.
PREREQUISITE: None.
INSTRUCTOR: Elliot Malamet
The Levant from the Late Bronze Age to the Coming of Rome
CLST 208* 0.5 credit
TIME: Winter 2004, Mondays 10:30-11:30, Wednesdays 9:30-10:30, and Fridays 8:30-9:30
DESCRIPTION: Social, cultural and political history of the Eastern Mediterranean littoral from the 15th to the 1st centuries BCE; particular emphasis on the problems of the early Jewish state.
INSTRUCTOR: Caroline Falkner, falknerc@post.queensu.ca
FOR MORE INFORMATION on timetable, room, prerequisites and instructor, contact the Department of Classics, 533-2745
The Jewish Experience in North America HIST 327 1.0 credit
TIME: Fall-Winter 2003-2004, Tuesday 2:30-5:30
DESCRIPTION: A study of the social, cultural, political and economic history of the Jewish people in the United States and Canada from the 1650s to the 1960s.
INSTRUCTOR: Gordon Dueck
FOR MORE INFORMATION on timetable, room, prerequisites and instructor, contact the Department of History, 533-2150.
The Holocaust of European Jewry 1933-45 HIST 295* 0.5 credit
TIME: Fall 2003, Tuesdays 4:00-5:30 and Thursdays 2:30-4:00
DESCRIPTION: The background to and processes of the destruction of the Jews of Europe between 1933 and 1945. Themes to be covered include: modern anti-semitism, Jewish communities in the inter-war era, Nazi racial policies, the Judenrat, the organization of the death camps, the attitudes of the Christian churches, the role of collaborators, the ideology of mass murder, and the questions of "compliance", "resistance", and "silence".
INSTRUCTOR: Gerald Tulchinsky, tulchins@post.queensu.ca
FOR MORE INFORMATION on timetable, room, prerequisites and instructor, contact the Department of History, 533-2150.
Violence and Peacemaking in the Arab-Israeli Conflict
HIST 294* 0.5 credit
TIME: Winter 2004, Friday 8:30-11:30
DESCRIPTION: The history of violence and attempts at peacemaking in the Arab-Israel conflict, from its beginnings in the twilight years of the Ottoman Empire to the "Oslo (1993) peace process" and the renewed conflict beginning in autumn 2000.
INSTRUCTOR: Houchang Hassan-Yari, hassan-yari-h@rmc.ca
FOR MORE INFORMATION on timetable, room, prerequisites and instructor, contact the Department of History, Department of History, 533-2150.
By arrangement with both the instructor and the Director of Jewish Studies, courses in other programs and departments may be taken for Jewish Studies credit if the course content is relevant and the student’s major work is on a Jewish Studies theme. Several courses in the Department of Religious Studies may be suitable.
Updates will be posted to our website at a later date regarding the probable selection of courses for 2004-2005, and new courses that will be added to the program.
