Courses - Spring 2025
JWST187
God, Land, Power, and the People: Moral Issues in the Jewish Historical Experience
Cross-listed with: HIST187, ISRL187.
Credit only granted for: HIST187, JWST187 or ISRL187.
Examines the complicated relationship between theology, nationalism, sovereignty, and the ethical exercise of social control using case studies drawn from the Jewish historical experience. The universal and age-old issues implicit in the exercise of power have gained special moral force for Jews with the creation of the State of Israel, a Jewish and a democratic state with substantial non-Jewish minorities and hundreds of thousands of non-citizen subjects. Can these be reconciled? Jewish efforts over the ages and in recent times to define justice provide concrete examples through which to examine and discuss crucial abstract principles.
JWST282
Elementary Yiddish II
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: JWST281; or permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies.
Cross-listed with: GERS142.
Credit only granted for: GERM149Z, GERS142 or JWST282.
Continuation of JWST281.
JWST319A
Special Topics in Jewish Studies; Jews and Sports: Identities, Nationalisms, and Masculinities
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with HIST329Q. Credit only granted for JWST319A or HIST329Q.
Modern Jewish culture is marked by competing visions of Jewish masculinity, from the traditional learned scholar to the muscle Jew of the 19th century. Athleticism plays an important role in this cultural formation. Attention to Jewish engagement in and with sports including boxing, baseball, basketball, and soccer allows for a better understanding of modern Jewish identity and its development and challenges.
Modern Jewish culture is marked by competing visions of Jewish masculinity, from the traditional learned scholar to the muscle Jew of the 19th century. Athleticism plays an important role in this cultural formation. Attention to Jewish engagement in and with sports including boxing, baseball, basketball, and soccer allows for a better understanding of modern Jewish identity and its development and challenges.
JWST319P
Arts & Humanities in Social Innovation, Change, and Justice: Do Good Now
Cross-listed with: ARHU380.
Credit only granted for: ARHU380, BSOS388B, JWST319P, or PLCY388D.
The course serves as the core course for the Arts-and-Humanities track in PLCY's minor in "Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation." Students will be introduced to the role that the Arts and Humanities can play in social innovation and social change, while exploring various mechanisms for achieving impact with a focus on advancing social justice, equity and systems change. This course deepens understandings of nonprofit leadership, entrepreneurship and social innovation by guiding students through the creation and implementation of social change projects and ventures of their choice.
JWST319W
Special Topics in Jewish Studies; Israeli Slang
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with HEBR398W and ISRL349W. Credit only granted for HEBR398W, ISRL349W, or JWST319W.
Examination of the history, linguistics, politics and sociology of Modern Israeli Hebrew slang, including influences from popular American culture, technology, the military, Arabic and immigrant group languages. Taught in English; course materials in Hebrew with translation.
Examination of the history, linguistics, politics and sociology of Modern Israeli Hebrew slang, including influences from popular American culture, technology, the military, Arabic and immigrant group languages. Taught in English; course materials in Hebrew with translation.
JWST324
Archaeology and the Quest for Ancient Israel
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with: HIST321.
Credit only granted for: HIST321 or JWST324.
The Hebrew Bible/Old Testament tells the story of "Biblical Israel" in ways that overlap with but are not identical to the evidence for "ancient Israel" provided by archaeological sources. Close attention to archaeology and inscriptional evidence allows for an understanding of biblical literature in light of its ancient Near Eastern context. Primary focus is on the Iron Age (ca. 1200-540 BCE), whose archaeology and inscriptions will be explored alongside biblical texts set during the this period but often written much later. Class discussion will address modern controversies regarding ancient Israel, including questions of origins (what does proto-Israelite mean?), problems of historiography (minimalist vs. maximalist), and archaeological dating (low chronology vs. high chronology).
JWST333
Martyrs & Merchants, Lawyers & Mystics, Magicians & Messiahs: Jews Between Medieval and Modern Times
Recommended: HIST287 or JWST233; HIST 332; .
Cross-listed with: HIST373.
Credit only granted for: JWST333 or HIST373.
In an era marked by traumatic expulsions, inquisitorial barbarism, and enforced ghettoization, Jews reinvented themselves. Through their international networks of trade, Jews learned how to negotiate with kings and to govern new, large urban communities in new lands. They took advantage of the printing press to reorganize their literary traditions of law, biblical studies and mysticism, and created new hierarchies of religious status. And they flocked to hear new kinds of enthusiast preachers, celebrating the man they saw as the messiah finally come. We will together explore the contradictory forces that ultimately gave birth to the modern Jew.
JWST341
American Jewish Literature
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with ENGL331.
Credit only granted for: ENGL331 or JWST341.
An exploration of the role played by literature in the development of American Jewish ethnic identity. Primary materials include essays, poetry, plays, short stories, novels, films and music.
JWST345
The Holocaust of European Jewry
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with: HIST307.
Credit only granted for: HIST307 or JWST345.
Roots of Nazi Jewish policy in the 1930's and during World War II: the process of destruction and the implementation of the "final solution of the Jewish problem" in Europe, and the responses made by the Jews to their concentration and annihilation.
JWST372
Jewry of Muscle: Zionism and Jewish Masculinity
Cross-listed with: ISRL372.
Credit only granted for: JWST319K, ISRL329K, JWST372 or ISRL372.
Formerly: JWST319K or ISRL329K.
Part of the Zionist cultural project involved creating a new Jewish masculinity that would replace the diasporic "sissy Jew" with a strong, healthy new "Jewry of Muscle." Using literary and cinematic sources, we will analyze how these Zionist and Israeli cultural productions served to build (and sometimes undermine) this new model of Jewish masculinity.
JWST386
Experiential Learning in Jewish Studies
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: Permission of ARHU-Meyerhoff Program & Center for Jewish Studies.
Restriction: Junior standing or higher.
The Jewish Studies Program's internship program. Pre-professional experience in research, analysis, and writing related to Jewish Studies in a variety of work settings.
JWST418
Honors Thesis Research in Jewish Studies
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg
JWST419C
Special Topics in Jewish Studies; Representing the Holocaust
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with CINE469E. Credit only granted for CINE469E or JWST419C.
An examination of cinematic representations of the Jewish Holocaust in the 20th century, within the overlapping contexts of three critical lines of investigation: the efficacy and social function of aesthetic representation; the expressiveness of film in relation and contrast to other media (graphic literature, prose & poetry, photography); and genocide as a broad cinematic theme (Rwanda, Cambodia, slavery and native genocidein the Americas).
An examination of cinematic representations of the Jewish Holocaust in the 20th century, within the overlapping contexts of three critical lines of investigation: the efficacy and social function of aesthetic representation; the expressiveness of film in relation and contrast to other media (graphic literature, prose & poetry, photography); and genocide as a broad cinematic theme (Rwanda, Cambodia, slavery and native genocidein the Americas).
JWST419E
Special Topics in Jewish Studies
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with HIST418E. Credit only granted for HIST418E or JWST419E. Seminar that explores the relationship between the state and the Jews and Jews and the state in Europe and America since the late eighteenth century when Jews started the process of integration into the societies in which they lived. It will look at state policy toward Jews, how Jews re sponded to state policy, and how they mobilized politically to effectissues of concern to Jews. We will also compare different states and why Jews in those states chose different forms of political activity. Scholarly readings and discussion, along with a research project based on primary sources.
JWST427
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Prerequisite: JWST225, RELS225, HIST219I, or permission of the instructor.
Recommended: JWST262, ENGL262, or HEBR298B.
Cross-listed with: RELS427.
Credit only granted for: JWST419G, RELS419G, RELS427 or JWST427.
Formerly: JWST419G.
One of the most famous tales from the ancient world, the Epic of Gilgamesh inspires readers with tales of friendship and loss, mortality, and the search for meaning. The story itself grew and changed over time and took on new meanings. Through study of the epic, its development over time, and the sources it drew from, this class will examine the meaning of the Gilgamesh epic and its impact on ancient Mesopotamian culture.
JWST498
Advanced Language Module for Jewish Studies
Credits:
1 - 3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: HEBR212 or JWST282; or permission of department. Contact department or instructor for details.
A supplementary language module for students enrolled in designated Jewish Studies classes. Language and instruction English, texts in original language.
A supplementary language module for students enrolled in designated Jewish Studies classes. Language and instruction English, texts in original language.
JWST499
Independent Study in Jewish Studies; Independent Study in Jewish Studies
Credits:
1 - 3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: permission of department.
JWST499C
Independent Study in Jewish Studies; The Hebrew Text of the Book of Kings
Credits:
1 - 3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
JWST609
Supervised Instruction-Practicum in Jewish Studies
Credits:
1
Grad Meth:
S-F
JWST799
Masters Thesis Research
Credits:
1 - 6
Grad Meth:
S-F
Prerequisite: permission of department.
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University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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