The riches of Jewish Tradition to all and everyone.
JDS103: Intro to Judaism
Tues/Thurs 12:30pm-1:50pm
Clemens 217
Class# 16984
This course is a survey of Judaism and its rich legacy, including philosophical, theological, social, and political values and practices of Judaism as they developed over time. By surveying a broad range of sources from the Bible to contemporary films and considering the experiences of Jews around the world, students will become familiar with fundamental aspects of Jewish history, culture, and thought.
JDS 199: Myth and Law
Professor Catlin
Tues/Thurs
9:30am-10:50am
Clemens 708
Class #16332
Law and myth are key components of many human societies. Laws tell us what to do; myths tell us who we are and where we come from. But what gives them their peculiar power? Why can laws compel us to act against our will? What, for instance, gives a document from the 18th century, the United States Constitution, its authority over the country? How do myths continue to determine our identities as members of communities¿national, ethnic, religious¿even when we understand them to be fictions? Why, for example, do people continue to believe in debunked narratives about racial hierarchy or unprovable claims about group origins? Furthermore, how do law and myth relate to each other? Is there an element of myth in the law? What happens when law and myth come into conflict? Can law be used to challenge myth, or myth to criticize the law? In this 3-credit UB Seminar, we¿ll consider these and similar political, social, and ethical questions through the collaborative reading, discussion, and performance of selections from texts such as Greek tragedy, modern fiction, political philosophy, the Bible and biblical interpretation, and contemporary social thought. Students who take this UB Seminar will be well-prepared for future coursework in the humanities, social sciences, and arts, including (for example): Jewish Studies, Law, Legal Studies, English, Philosophy, Global Gender and Sexuality Studies, Political Science, Anthropology, Theatre, and foreign languages.
JDS 199: Modern Revolutions : Industrial, Political, Social
Professor Cohen
Mon/Weds/Fri
1:00pm-1:50pm
Bell 325
Class # 22901
What are political revolutions? How have they changed our world? Evolution occurs by gradual small changes, revolution by radical changes. The Industrial Revolution wiped out the medieval world and its traditions, established standardization and commodification, accelerated time and compressed space through machines and technology. In its wake comes the prospect of widespread prosperity, political freedoms and democracy, and cultural enlightenment, which have inspired for all subsequent political revolutions, for and against. This course examines the American, French, Russian and Fascist revolutions to better understand how we have become who we are today
JDS 199: Modern Revolutions : Industrial, Political, Social
Professor Cohen
Mon/Weds/Fri
2:00pm-2:50pm
Bell 325
Class # 23651
What are political revolutions? How have they changed our world? Evolution occurs by gradual small changes, revolution by radical changes. The Industrial Revolution wiped out the medieval world and its traditions, established standardization and commodification, accelerated time and compressed space through machines and technology. In its wake comes the prospect of widespread prosperity, political freedoms and democracy, and cultural enlightenment, which have inspired for all subsequent political revolutions, for and against. This course examines the American, French, Russian and Fascist revolutions to better understand how we have become who we are today
JDS199: Justice
Professor Dolgopolski
Tues/Thurs
11:00-12:20pm
Clemens 708
Class # 16583
"A law that is not just is not law" said recently a protester against racial discrimination. This argument exemplifies a problem we will address in this course through reading, discussing, theatrically staging, and critically applying the work of the best writers and thinkers, both ancient and contemporary, who addressed the problem of justice in relationship to equality, law, and freedom. In that way, we will conduct a comparative study of the relationship between justice, law, and society in pagan, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Thought.
JDS199: Origins of Good and Evil
Professor Dolgopolski
Tues/Thurs
2:00pm-3:20pm
Clemens 219
Class # 23519
In this course, “The Origin of Good and Evil,” we will consider how our understanding of right and wrong, good and evil originate in two archetypes for how to think about ethical questions: Plato’s Republic and the Hebrew Bible. The existence of good and evil has been strongly challenged in the modern era by contemporary philosophy and science. We will read examples of such critiques in the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, and Hannah Arendt suggesting that one should view good and evil through the prism of power, sexuality, and bureaucracy.
JDS 199: Violence and Religion
Professor Zirkle
Mon/Weds/Fri
10:00am-10:50am
Clemens 708
Class# 22902
From the Crusades to current warring in the Middle East, tremendous violence has been committed in the name of religion. But what is the relationship if any between religious beliefs and practices and violent acts carried out in the name of religion? Has religion contributed to greater peace or to greater violence in society? To answer these questions, we will examine religious sources, films, political texts, and historical documents from a variety of religious traditions and geographical contexts. Through our exploration of the interrelationships between violence, religion, and peace, students interested in international politics, history, religion, and gender and sexuality will gain critical insight into dynamics which continue to shape twenty-first century societies and cultures.
JDS 275: History of Antisemitism
Professor Pines
Mon/Weds/Fri
11:00-11:50am
Clemens 708
Class #20831
The course examines the history of antisemitism from antiquity to the present by focusing on central questions such as: What is the definition of antisemitism and what are its historical origins? How did anti-Jewish attitudes develop over time in non-Jewish societies? What are the main historical events associated with antisemitism? And what role does antisemitism play in the world today? The course will examine antisemitism as a central phenomenon of Western history and survey its different manifestations in the pagan world of antiquity, medieval Christian society, as well as in modern Europe and North America.
JDS313: World Religions
Professor Zirkle
Mon/Wed/Fri
9:00-9:50am
Clemens 322
Class #23652
In what ways are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam religions—or something else? In this course, we will examine Judaism from Ethiopia to Iraq, Christianity from Nagasaki to Palestine, and Islam from Tehran to Los Angeles. Students will become familiar with the narratives, practices, and beliefs unique to these three religions. We will also explore the status and contributions of women within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and compare Jewish, Christian, and Muslim accounts of the end of times (eschatology). Students will develop a deeper understanding of these movements by delving into a wide range of sources including sacred texts, literature, travel journals, and films.
Fall 2024 Hebrew Courses
HEB 101 Elementary Modern Hebrew 1
Lilia Dolgopolskaia
Monday Wednesday Friday
10:00-11:25am
Clemens 219
Class #13679
The beginning course of Modern Israeli Hebrew. Essentials of grammar, syntax and conversational practice; elementary reading, writing, common expressions used in daily life, along with introductory knowledge about Israeli culture.
HEB 201 Intermediate Hebrew 1
Lilia Dolgopolskaia
Monday Wednesday Friday
12:00-12:50pm
Clemens 219
Class #22905
Further development of language skills: listening comprehension, oral efficiency, intermediate grammar and syntax, reading and writing. Topics include phone conversations, movies, dating, and free time. Involves further work with authentic reading and listening materials