Ginsburg Ingerman Overseas Students Program Ben-Gurion University of the Negev The Jewish Heritage 13-5-268 Fall and Spring Semester Dr Nicham Ross Email: [email protected] Phone / Mobile: 052-6334238 Office hours: Monday, 16:00-18:00 Office location: Building #: 72 Room #: 561 Course Description: In the course, we will discuss some of the the major practices, beliefs, and traditions of Judaism and throughout, we will ask what is Judaism? Students will examine how Jewish communities across history have shaped their practices and beliefs within their own specific historical circumstances. Further, students will explore how Jewish self-identity, textual traditions, and religious practices combine to define “Judaism.” Students will interact with primary sources, including the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, and the Zohar. Course Objectives: Through guided reading in the classroom and at home, students will learn how to read Jewish religious and historical documents. Students will understand the historical development and the literature of rabbinic Judaism Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students should be capable of recognizing: 1. The primary themes and characteristics of the Jewish religion 2. The main changes that Judaism underwent from biblical times until our day 3. The meaning and significance of major Jewish holidays and customs 4. The relationship between the history of the Jewish people and their beliefs and practices 5. The manner that Judaism contended with a plurality of opinions and tendencies throughout the ages Course Structure: Total # of Credits: 2 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System—will be calculated by the OSP) Teaching Method: The course will be conducted through a combination of formal lectures and class discussion. The lectures will be based on weekly reading assignments. In addition to these readings, primary sources will handed out, studied and discussed in class. Course Requirements Compulsory attendance: YES No previous courses required Structure of Final Course Grad 1. Participation & Student presentation 10% 2. Final Exam \ Paper 90% Note: - Final paper handed in late, will not be graded! - Penalties and course policies should be clearly articulated (i.e. students will have their final grade lowered an entire grade level if they miss more than 2 class meetings unexcused) Time required for individual work: in addition to attendance in class, the students are expected to do their assignment and individual work: 1 hour of reading each week 2 hours of work on your individual presentation 5 hours of work on the final paper Those expectations are approximate and correlate with the module's ECTS. Course Schedule Layout: Class 1 – Lecture title: Introduction: Judaism: not merely a religion Readings: Jacobs, The Jewish experience: 1-6 Class 2 – Lecture title: Torah: written-Torah and oral-Torah Readings: Jacobs, the Jewish experience: 73-74, primary source: from Chazal Additional recommended Bibliography for this unit Neusner, Jacob, The oral Torah:‎ the sacred books of Judaism: an introduction, San Francisco 1986‎ Class 3 – Lecture title: Exile (Galut): A Religious Revolution Readings: Jacobs, the Jewish experience: 28-29 Phillip Sigal, “The Formation and Evolution of Rabbinism”, in his: Judaism: The Evolution of a Faith, pp. 90-95. primary source: Class 4 – Lecture title: Law (Halakhah): the Mishna and the Gmara Readings: Jacobs, the Jewish experience: 77 Class 5 – Lecture title: A Culture of Interpretation Readings: Jacobs, the Jewish experience: 74 Class 6 – Lecture title: Holidays: The Jewish Calender Readings: Jacobs, the Jewish experience: 123-144 Additional recommended Bibliography for this unit: The rhythm of Jewish time:‎ an introduction to holidays and life-cycle events/ ‎ edited by Vicki L. Weber.‎. West Orange, N.J. Class 7 – Lecture title: Traditions and Ceremonies Readings: Roy Rosenberg, “The Jewish Household”, in his: The Concise Guide to Judaism, 1990, pp. 154-179 Jonathan Magonet, “Life Cycle Moments”, in his: Judaism: The Explorer’s Guide, pp. 193-210. Class 8 – Lecture title: Between Faith and Rationality: Jewish Philosophy and Theology Readings: Jacobs, the Jewish experience: 107-112 Maimonides, The 13 Fundamental Principles of the Jewish Faith Maimonides, The Guide for the Perplexed Class 9 – Lecture title: Judaism on other religions and nations Readings: Jacobs, the Jewish experience: 31-33, 160 Milton Steinberg, “Israel and the Nations”, in his: Basic Judaism, pp. 98-115 Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot M'lakhim 10:9 The Heart of Jewish Mysticism, pp. 1-17. Class 10 – Lecture title: Jewish Mysticism and Messianism Readings: from the Zohar on Exile and Redemption Daniel Matt, The essential Kabbalah Raphael Shuchat, “Understanding the Afterlife and Messianism: A Kabbalistic Approach”, in his: Jewish Faith in a Changing World, pp. 105-116. Class 11 – Lecture title: The Impact of Modernity Readings: Jacobs, the Jewish experience: 93-97 Class 12 – Lecture title: Contemporary Judaism: Events and Denominations Readings: Jacobs, the Jewish experience: 98, 113-121, 169-180 Roy Rosenberg, “Modern Judiasm” in his: The Concise Guide to Judaism, 1990, pp. 122-153 Additional recommended Bibliography for this unit: De Lange, Nicholas R., An introduction to Judaism, Cambridge Neusner, Jacob , Judaism in modern times :‎ an introduction and reader‎, Cambridge, Mass. 1995 Class 13 – Lecture title: Jerusalem: A Guided Tour Class 14 – Lecture title: A Summary Meeting Course Textbook Jacobs, Steven Leonard, The Jewish experience:‎ an introduction to Jewish history and Jewish life, Minneapolis 2010 Additional recommended Bibliography: o Stefon, Mat, Judaism :history, belief, and practice, New York 2012 o Leaman, Oliver, Judaism :an introduction, London 2011 o De Lange, Nicholas R., An introduction to Judaism, Cambridge 2000 o Solomon, Norman, Judaism :‎ a very short introduction, Oxford 1996 o Neusner, Jacob, The way of Torah :‎ an introduction to Judaism, Belmont, Calif, 1979 .