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Judaic Studies Current Courses

Spring 2024

Course Code Title/Instructor Meets
HEBR 102-01 Elementary Modern Hebrew
Instructor: Sally Bronner
Course Description:
Introduction to the modern Hebrew language. Alphabet, phonics and grammatical structures. Emphasizes development of reading comprehension, composition and conversational skills.Prerequisite: 101 or the equivalent.
10:30 AM-11:20 AM, MTWRF
EASTC 108
Courses Offered in JDST
Course Code Title/Instructor Meets
JDST 107-01 Jews, Christians and Pagans in the Time of Jesus
Instructor: Peter Schadler
Course Description:
Cross-listed with RELG 107-01. A critical examination and attempt to understand the New Testament as the written traditions which articulated the faith, expectations, and actions of the early Christians as they responded within Jewish and Greek culture to the historical events of their day, and especially as they responded to the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. This course is cross-listed as RELG 107.
12:30 PM-01:20 PM, MWF
EASTC 411
JDST 240-01 Women, Gender and Judaism
Instructor: Andrea Lieber
Course Description:
Cross-listed with RELG 240-01 and WGSS 201-08. This course examines issues of gender in Jewish religion and culture. Starting with the representation of women in the Bible and other classical Jewish texts, we study the highly differentiated gender roles maintained by traditional Jewish culture, and examine the role American feminism has played in challenging those traditional roles. We will also study gender issues in contemporary Israeli society, such as the politics of marriage and divorce, public prayer and gender in the military. Some knowledge of Judaism and Jewish history is helpful, but not required as a prerequisite for this course. This course is cross-listed as RELG 240.
01:30 PM-02:45 PM, MR
ALTHSE 207
JDST 262-01 Zionism: Ideology, Institutions, Cultures & Contestations
Instructor: Neil Diamant
Course Description:
Cross-listed with MEST 262-01 and POSC 290-03. This course aims to provide students with a multi-dimensional understanding of Zionism as a political ideology that found its expression in the creation of a state, the establishment of a particular set of economic and cultural institutions as well as in the creation of new conceptions of land, space, and group interaction. At once a future-oriented revolutionary ideology and revivalist movement based on the idea of returning to an ancient homeland, the significance of Zionism in 20th and 21st centuries cannot be understated. Zionism (or rather, Zionists), produced a state Israel whose foundation has roiled politics in the Middle East until today. This course will look at the particular historical circumstances that gave rise to Zionism in the late 19th century, Zionist institutions, political culture and dominant historical narratives. The course will conclude with a detailed examination of more contemporary critics of Zionism both from within Israel and outside of it.This course is cross-listed as MEST 262 and POSC 290.
03:00 PM-04:15 PM, MR
STERN 103
JDST 500-01 History of Jewish Life at Dickinson
Instructor: Andrea Lieber
Course Description:

Courses Offered in MEST
Course Code Title/Instructor Meets
MEST 262-01 Zionism: Ideology, Institutions, Cultures & Contestations
Instructor: Neil Diamant
Course Description:
Cross-listed with JDST 252-01 and POSC 290-03. This course aims to provide students with a multi-dimensional understanding of Zionism as a political ideology that found its expression in the creation of a state, the establishment of a particular set of economic and cultural institutions as well as in the creation of new conceptions of land, space, and group interaction. At once a future-oriented revolutionary ideology and revivalist movement based on the idea of returning to an ancient homeland, the significance of Zionism in 20th and 21st centuries cannot be understated. Zionism (or rather, Zionists), produced a state Israel whose foundation has roiled politics in the Middle East until today. This course will look at the particular historical circumstances that gave rise to Zionism in the late 19th century, Zionist institutions, political culture and dominant historical narratives. The course will conclude with a detailed examination of more contemporary critics of Zionism both from within Israel and outside of it.This course is cross-listed as POSC 290 and JDST 262.
03:00 PM-04:15 PM, MR
STERN 103
Courses Offered in POSC
Course Code Title/Instructor Meets
POSC 290-03 Zionism: Ideology, Institutions, Cultures & Contestations
Instructor: Neil Diamant
Course Description:
Cross-listed with JDST 262-01 and MEST 262-01. This course aims to provide students with a multi-dimensional understanding of Zionism as a political ideology that found its expression in the creation of a state, the establishment of a particular set of economic and cultural institutions as well as in the creation of new conceptions of land, space, and group interaction. At once a future-oriented revolutionary ideology and revivalist movement based on the idea of returning to an ancient homeland, the significance of Zionism in 20th and 21st centuries cannot be understated. Zionism (or rather, Zionists), produced a state Israel whose foundation has roiled politics in the Middle East until today. This course will look at the particular historical circumstances that gave rise to Zionism in the late 19th century, Zionist institutions, political culture and dominant historical narratives. The course will conclude with a detailed examination of more contemporary critics of Zionism both from within Israel and outside of it.
03:00 PM-04:15 PM, MR
STERN 103
Courses Offered in RELG
Course Code Title/Instructor Meets
RELG 107-01 Jews, Christians and Pagans in the Time of Jesus
Instructor: Peter Schadler
Course Description:
Cross-listed with JDST 107-01. A critical examination and attempt to understand the New Testament as the written traditions which articulated the faith, expectations, and actions of the early Christians as they responded within Jewish and Greek culture to the historical events of their day, and especially as they responded to the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. This course is cross-listed as JDST 107.
12:30 PM-01:20 PM, MWF
EASTC 411
RELG 240-01 Women, Gender and Judaism
Instructor: Andrea Lieber
Course Description:
Cross-listed with JDST 240-01 and WGSS 201-08. This course examines issues of gender in Jewish religion and culture. Starting with the representation of women in the Bible and other classical Jewish texts, we study the highly differentiated gender roles maintained by traditional Jewish culture, and examine the role American feminism has played in challenging those traditional roles. We will also study gender issues in contemporary Israeli society, such as the politics of marriage and divorce, public prayer and gender in the military. Some knowledge of Judaism and Jewish history is helpful, but not required as a prerequisite for this course. This course is cross-listed as JDST 240.
01:30 PM-02:45 PM, MR
ALTHSE 207
Courses Offered in WGSS
Course Code Title/Instructor Meets
WGSS 201-08 Women, Gender and Judaism
Instructor: Andrea Lieber
Course Description:
Cross-listed with JDST 240-01 and RELG 240-01.
01:30 PM-02:45 PM, MR
ALTHSE 207