THE COURSES LISTED BELOW ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PLEASE CHECK THE HARVARD UNIVERSITY FAS REGISTRAR'S WEBSITE FOR ANY AND ALL UP-TO-DATE CHANGES OR CANCELATIONS. THANK YOU!

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GENERAL EDUCATION (CORE CURRICULUM)

Culture and Belief

Culture and Belief 23 (formerly Literature and Arts C-70). From the Hebrew Bible to Judaism, From the Old Testament to Christianity
Harvard College/GSAS: 5275
Fall 2012
Shaye J.D. Cohen (Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations)
Meeting Time: M., W., (F.), at 10, and a weekly section to be arranged.

The Hebrew Scriptures, what Christians call the “Old Testament” and Jews call the “Bible,” are the basis of both Judaism and Christianity. In this course we shall survey how this work of literature, through interpretation and re-interpretation, spawned two different cultural systems. Topics to be surveyed include: canon and prophecy; exegesis and Midrash; Shabbat and Sunday; temple, synagogue, church; the Oral Torah and the Logos; sin and righteousness; messiah and redemption.
Note: This course fulfills the requirement that one of the eight General Education courses also engage substantially with Study of the Past. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Literature and Arts C.

Culture and Belief 27 (formerly Jewish Studies 55). Among the Nations: Jewish History in Pagan, Christian and Muslim Context
Harvard College/GSAS: 2338
Fall 2012
Rachel L. Greenblatt (Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations)
Meeting Time: M., W., (F.), at 11, and a weekly section to be arranged.

Can we trace an “authentic” Jewish identity through history, as distinct from many “cultures” of Jews in the multitude of times and places in which they have lived? This course provides an overview of major trends in Jewish civilization from biblical times through the early modern era (to approximately the 17th century), with this and related questions in mind, by engaging in close readings of traditional Jewish sources on the one hand and seeking contextual understandings of Jews and Judaism within various non-Jewish settings on the other.
Note: Required of all secondary concentrators in Jewish Studies, unless excused by the DUS. This course fulfills the requirement that one of the eight General Education courses also engage substantially with Study of the Past. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Literature and Arts C.

Culture and Belief 43. The World of Yiddish
Harvard College/GSAS: 94372
Spring 2013
Ruth R. Wisse (Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations; Comparative Literature)
Meeting Time: Tu., Th., at 11, and a weekly section to be arranged.

The strange fate of Yiddish—the vernacular of European Jews and their descendants—parallels that of its speakers, who generated an exceptionally lively culture but were murdered in an exceptional Holocaust. We study this archetypal diaspora language as a vehicle of Jewish tradition and modernization through its literature, folklore and humor, repertoire of song and drama, and aspects of its language and history. Course traces Yiddish communities from Western to Eastern Europe to America and contemporary Israel, assuming no prior knowledge of either the language or Judaism.
Note: This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Foreign Cultures or Literature and Arts C, but not both.

Ethical Reasoning 15 (formerly Moral Reasoning 54). “If There is No God, All is Permitted:” Theism and Moral Reasoning
Catalog Number: 1321
Spring 2013
Jay M. Harris (Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations)
Meeting Time: M., W., (F.), at 12, and a weekly section to be arranged.

This course will examine the ways in which a concept of God has informed Western moral discourse trying to help students engage the literature as they consider why one might think “if there is no God, all is permitted” and why one might think if there is a God, human moral achievement is impossible.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2013–14. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Moral Reasoning.

United States in the World 32 (formerly Religion 1007). The World’s Religions in Multicultural America: Case Studies in Religious Pluralism
Harvard College/GSAS: 8833 Enrollment: Limited to 56.
Diana L. Eck (South Asian Studies; Study of Religion)
Fall 2012
Meeting Time: Tu., Th., 11:30-1, and a weekly section to be arranged.

An exploration of the dynamic religious landscape of the US with special focus on Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh traditions in the most recent period of post-1965 immigration. How are faith and freedom negotiated in a more complex society? In what contexts do minority religious communities encounter long-dominant Christian and Jewish communities? How is America changing as religious communities struggle with civic, constitutional, ethical, and theological issues, especially in the post-9/11 period? Readings, films, discussion, and class projects will focus on particular cases and controversies.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3847. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the General Education requirement for United States in the World or Culture and Belief, but not both. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Literature and Arts C.

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FRESHMAN SEMINAR

Freshman Seminar 37q. Great Jewish Books
Harvard College/GSAS: 31669 Enrollment: Limited to 15.
Fall 2012
Shaye J.D. Cohen
Meeting Time: W., 1–3.

This course is an entry into the world of Judaism, from antiquity to modern times, through reading and analyzing great Jewish books. These books address some of the large questions in the history of Judaism: what exactly is Judaism? What does it mean to be Jewish? How does Judaism compare with other religions? Authors and books include Josephus, the Mishnah, Judah HaLevi, Maimonides, the Zohar, Spinoza, Herzl, and Mordecai Kaplan.

Freshman Seminar 42k. Comparative Law and Religion
Harvard College/GSAS: 9992 Enrollment: Limited to 12.
Spring 2013
Ofrit Liviatan
Meeting Time: Th., 1–3.

Investigates the use of legal processes in addressing religion-based conflicts, a leading source of tension in modern societies. The seminar will explore theoretical approaches to accommodating religious diversity and examine existing models of religion-state relationships. Drawing on legal cases from the US, Turkey, India, Israel, Spain, Canada, and England, the seminar will also familiarize participants with contemporary debates involving religion: the wearing of Islamic headscarf, religion and education, the funding of religious institutions, etc.

Note: All above seminars open to Freshman Only.

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BIBLICAL LITERATURE AND HISTORY

Ancient Near East 107. History and Historiography in the Ancient Near East
Harvard College/GSAS: 0665/ Divinity School: 1427
Fall 2012
Peter Machinist
Meeting Time: M., W., (F.), at 3.

Conceptions of history and the practice of historical writing in the ancient Near East. Discussions based on a comparative study of texts from a variety of cultural traditions, such as the Hittites, Mesopotamia, ancient Israel/ Hebrew Bible, and Second Temple Judaism, together with classical Greece.

Ancient Near East 111. Law in the World of the Bible
Harvard College/GSAS: 6397/ Divinity School: 1129
Spring 2013
Peter Machinist and D. Andrew Teeter (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Hours to be arranged.

An examination of what law was and how it operated in ancient Israel through its primary expression in the Hebrew Bible. Attention to the wider contexts of law in the ancient Near East, especially Mesopotamia, in which Biblical law originated, and to the legacy of Biblical law in the subsequent traditions of early Judaism.

Ancient Near East 120a. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament 1: Pentateuch and Former Prophets
Harvard College/GSAS: 6544/ Divinity School: 1102
Fall 2012
D. Andrew Teeter (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Tu., Th., 10–11:30.

A critical introduction to the literature and theology of the Hebrew Bible, considered in light of the historical contexts of its formation and the interpretive contexts of its reception within Judaism and Christianity. The course, the first part of a divisible, year-long sequence, will focus on the major biblical narrative traditions, the Pentateuch and Former Prophets.

Ancient Near East 120b. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament 2: Latter Prophets and Writings
Harvard College/GSAS: 22968/ Divinity School: 1103
Spring 2013
D. Andrew Teeter (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Tu., Th., at 10-11:30, and a section to be arranged.

A critical introduction to the literature and theology of the Hebrew Bible, considered in light of the historical contexts of its formation and the interpretive contexts of its reception within Judaism and Christianity. The course, the second part of a divisible, year-long sequence, will focus on the Latter Prophets and the Writings.

Ancient Near East 127. Prophecy in Ancient Israel
Harvard College/GSAS 6739/ Divinity School: 1125
Fall 2011
Peter Machinist
Meeting Time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 11:00am - 12:00pm
A study of the phenomenon and history of Israelite prophecy, as recorded in the Hebrew Bible, in the light of prophecy elsewhere in the ancient Near East and in other cultures. Pertinent sociological, literary, and religious issues will be explored.

Ancient Near East 132. Ancient Jewish Wisdom Literature
Harvard College/GSAS: 9522/ Divinity School: 1416
Spring 2013
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Tu., Th., 11:30–1.

A close critical reading and interpretation of works thought to derive from the Wisdom tradition of ancient Israel, through the Second Temple period. The workings of the world and the ways of God as they appear in works such as Proverbs, Job, Qohelet, Ben Sira, some Psalms, the Wisdom of Solomon, Fourth Maccabees, and Pseudo-Phocylides as well as narratives such as the Joseph story, Esther, and Daniel. Egyptian and Mesopotamian antecedents and parallels briefly considered. Emphasis on matters of worldview and literary form.
Prerequisite: Ancient Near East 120 or an equivalent introduction to the historical-critical study of the Hebrew Bible.

Ancient Near East 134. Genesis: Narrative Artistry and Theological Meanings
Harvard College/GSAS: 3291/ Divinity School: 1417
Fall 2012
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Tu., Th., 11:30–1.

A close critical reading in English of the book of Genesis with an eye both to the storytellers’ techniques and to the moral and theological dimensions of the text. Emphasis will be given to literary and religious rather than historical and editorial issues.
Prerequisite: Ancient Near East 120 or an equivalent introduction to the historical-critical study of the Hebrew Bible.

Ancient Near East 157. Material Culture, Society and Ideology: The Archaeology of Society in the Monarchic Period of Ancient Israel - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 19227
Fall 2012
Avraham Faust (Bar-Ilan University)
Meeting Time: M., W., at 1.

This course seeks to study ancient Israelite society during the Iron Age through an examination of archaeological evidence and written sources. The course aims to help achieve a better understanding of Israelite society, as well as to use this understanding as a case study in anthropological archaeology. Among the issues to be discussed are: socioeconomic stratification, family structure, community organization, urban planning, ideology, cosmology, ethnicity and processes of social change.

Ancient Near East 210. Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 5492/Divinity School: 1819
Fall 2012
Richard J. Saley
Meeting Time: Tu., 3–6.

This course focuses on the art of recovering the text of the Hebrew Bible using Hebrew and Greek manuscripts as well as other early textual witnesses.
Prerequisite: At least two years of Hebrew and one year of Greek; some knowledge of Aramaic, Latin, and Syriac is helpful but not required.

Ancient Near East 222. History of the Study of the Hebrew Bible: From the Renaissance to the Present: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 8086/Divinity School: 1425
Spring 2013
Peter Machinist
Meeting Time: W., 3–5.

Surveys Hebrew biblical scholarship since the Renaissance, focusing on particular scholars and their representative and seminal works. The central theme is the emergence of and reactions to a historical-critical understanding of the Bible.
Prerequisite: A background in the study of the Hebrew Bible. Recommended also is some acquaintance with biblical Hebrew and at least one of the following: French, German, modern Hebrew.

Jewish Studies 170. Job and the Problem of Suffering
Harvard College/GSAS: 80691/Divinity School: 1106
Fall 2012
Michael D. Coogan (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Tu., Th., 8:30–10.

An examination of the book of Job and its poetic treatment of the human condition. The course will also consider other biblical and ancient Near Eastern texts that deal with the issue of evil in the world from a religious perspective, and later readings and retellings of Job by Frost, MacLeish, Wiesel, Fackenheim, and others.

Hebrew 130. Scriptural Interpretation in Ancient Israel: Inner-Biblical Exegesis
Harvard College/GSAS: 53182/Divinity School: 1308
Fall 2012
D. Andrew Teeter (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Tu., 4–6.

An examination of the forms, methods, and aims of scriptural interpretation within the Hebrew Bible itself. Sessions will combine consideration of recent scholarship on “inner-biblical exegesis” with close readings of biblical texts (narrative, legal, prophetic, apocalyptic, hymnic) in Hebrew.
Note: Two years of Biblical Hebrew strongly recommended.

Hebrew 218. Joseph and Esther: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 0880/Divinity School: 1802
Spring 2013
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Th., 2–4.

A close critical reading of Genesis 37-50 and the Book of Esther in Hebrew. Emphasis on literary design and religious messages and on the influence of the story of Joseph upon the Book of Esther.
Prerequisite: Three years of Hebrew or the equivalent, and a good acquaintance with the historical-critical method.

Hebrew 235. The Binding of Isaac (Aqedah): Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 0170/Divinity School: 1808
Fall 2012
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Th., 2–4.

An examination of Genesis 22 and its afterlife in ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and the Qur’an. Ample consideration of the interpretation and expansion of the story in modern theology and of critical responses to the story.
Prerequisite: Three years of Hebrew or the equivalent, and acquaintance with historical critical methods.
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ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF ISRAEL

Ancient Near East 228. The History and Archaeology of Jerusalem - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 61843/ Divinity School: 1421
Spring 2013
Lee I. Levine (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Meeting Time: Hours to be arranged.

Jerusalem as urban center and sacred center in the one thousand years between Kings David and Herod. By examining archaeological and literary sources, the course will focus on the major events and figures that forged the city’s political, social, and religious life.

Ancient Near East 230. Ethnicity and Boundary Maintenance in Ancient Israel of the Iron I Period: Israelites, Philistines and Canaanites - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 85856
Spring 2013
Avraham Faust (Bar-Ilan University)
Meeting Time: Th., 1–3.

The main aims of the course are to discuss the emergence of ethnic groups in and around the land of Israel during the early Iron Age, with a focus on Israel’s ethnogenesis, and to analyze the ethnic negotiations among Israelites, Philistines and Canaanites. The course will also address various theoretical and conceptual issues related to ethnicity, including how and when ethnicity emerges, the interrelations between it and other social processes, as well as the thorny problems involved in the identification of ethnicity in the archaeological record. Some previous knowledge of ancient Near Eastern history and archaeology assumed.

Semitic Philology 140. Introduction to the Comparative Study of Semitic Languages
Harvard College/GSAS: 8602
Spring 2013
Instructor to be determined
Meeting Time: Tu., 2–4.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of two Semitic languages.

Semitic Philology 152. Introduction to Ugaritic
Harvard College/GSAS: 2777
Fall 2012
John L. Ellison
Meeting Time: F., 2–4.
Introduction to Ugaritic grammar, with readings in mythological, epistolary, and administrative texts.
Prerequisite: Good working knowledge of Classical (biblical) Hebrew.

Semitic Philology 200r. Comparative Semitic Grammar: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 0168
Spring 2013
Instructor to be determined
Meeting Time: Hours to be arranged.
Topic for 2011-12: To be determined. Prerequisite: Semitic Philology 152

Semitic Philology 220r. Northwest Semitic Epigraphy: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 2948
Spring 2013
John L. Ellison
Meeting Time: F., 2–4.
Topic for 2012-13: Advanced discussion of Ugaritic grammar and texts..
Prerequisite: Semitic Philology 152.
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ANCIENT JUDAISM

Jewish Studies 138. The Synagogue and Jewish Community - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 10321/ Divinity School: 1436
Spring 2013
Lee I. Levine (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Meeting Time: Hours to be arranged.

The history and significance of the synagogue in antiquity during the first seven centuries of the common era. By examining both literary and archaeological sources, the course will address the place of the synagogue within the Jewish community as well as its liturgical dimensions, organization, leadership, art, and architecture.

Hebrew 200r. Problems in the Literature, History, and Religion of Ancient Israel: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 3265/Divinity School: 1810
Fall 2012
Peter Machinist, Richard J. Saley, D. Andrew Teeter (Divinity School) and members of the
Department.
Meeting Time: Th., 4–6.

Topic for 2012-13 to be determined. Note: Primarily for doctoral students in Hebrew Bible.

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MEDIEVAL AND MODERN JEWISH HISTORY

History 70k. Jewish History and the Question of Diaspora (with Rena Lauer) - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 19891 Enrollment: Limited to 12.
Fall 2012
Erez Manela 4762
Meeting Time: Th., 1–3.

An introduction to the social history of Jews and Jewish communities in premodern Christian Europe through the lens of the people who study them in our modern world: scholars of Jewish History. Topics include: identity and diaspora; how segregated were Jews?; stereotypes of Jews and money; women and gender; expulsion and memory; and the relationship between contemporary concerns and medieval historiography.
Note: Instructor: Rena Lauer

History 81f. Women’s Voices in Medieval and Early Modern Europe
Harvard College/GSAS: 7597 Enrollment: Limited to 15.
Fall 2012
Rachel L. Greenblatt 5537
Meeting Time: W., 1–3.

Seeks out the voices of Jewish, Protestant and Catholic women, with an emphasis on women’s writings, and examines methods for uncovering information about women’s lives when their own voices are absent from the historical record. Considers ideal images and the daily realities of both men’s and women’s gendered roles in such areas as life-cycle rituals, livelihood and spirituality.

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MODERN JEWISH LITERATURE AND CULTURE

Jewish Studies 80. American Jews and the Television Age
Harvard College/GSAS: 84167
Spring 2013
Rachel L. Greenblatt
Meeting Time: Hours to be arranged.

Examines the involvement of Jews in American mass entertainment, especially television, during the twentieth century. At a time when Jews were active in both the business and creative ends of the new media that came to dominate fields as seemingly diverse as popular culture and political discourse, Jewish leading characters were largely absent from prime time network television. Are there relationships among Jewish involvement in mass entertainment, the simultaneous absence of Jewish characters onscreen, and the role of television in American culture?

Jewish Studies 201. Bible, Literature, Culture: The Song of Songs: Seminar - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 93844
Fall 2012
Ilana Pardes (Hebrew University)
Meeting Time: Tu., 1–3.

The Song of Songs as a locus for reflection about love, both literal and allegorical. The Song of Songs in the writings of thinkers such as Herder, Rosenzweig, Alter, Fisch, Trible, and Kristeva. The reception of the Song of Songs, from Jewish and Christian allegorical readings to American literature and culture (from Whitman’s “Song of Myself” to Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon) and Israeli literature and culture (from Rachel Blustein’s “Locked Garden” to Daliah Rabikovitch’s “Intoxication”).

The Modern Middle East 115. The Arab-Zionist conflict, 1882-1948 - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 64675
Spring 2013
Benny Morris
Meeting Time: Hours to be arranged.

A survey of the conflict between the native Arab population of Palestine and the incoming Zionist settlers, from the first wave of Jewish immigration in 1882 until the outbreak of the First Arab-Israeli war in 1948. Topics include: mutual Arab and Zionist perceptions; the causes of friction and violence; the impact of the First World War, the post-war settlement, Arab attacks on the settlers (1920, 1921 and 1929), the Arab Revolt of 1936-1939, the impact of the second World War, and the countdown to the Arab-Israeli War of 1948.

The Modern Middle East 215. The Arab-Israeli War of 1948 - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 49568
Spring 2013
Benny Morris
Meeting Time: Hours to be arranged.

This seminar will treat in depth the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 on the basis of contemporary documentation, British American, UN, and Israeli. Topics include: the UN partition resolution of November 1947 and its diplomatic background; the civil war between the Arab and Jewish communities in Palestine; the invasion by the armies of the Arab states in May 1948; the consequences of the war.

Literature 153 (formerly Comparative Literature 153). Saul Bellow and the New York Intellectuals
Harvard College/GSAS: 2506
Spring 2013
Ruth R. Wisse
Meeting Time: 1-3, and a weekly section to be arranged.
Studies Bellow’s major works in the context of the intellectual and literary community that constituted America’s first European style “intelligentsia.” Considers work of Isaac Rosenfeld, Delmore Schwartz, Lionel Trilling, Irving Howe, writers of Partisan Review and Commentary.
Note: Class is conducted in a modified seminar format.

Literature 163. Jewish Languages and Literature
Harvard College/GSAS: 8627
Spring 2013
Marc Shell and Members of the Faculty
Meeting Time: Tu., 1-3, plus an additional hour to be arranged.

What is a Jewish language? What is Jewish literature? General topics are alphabetization, translation, oral tradition and diaspora. Languages worldwide include Hebrew as well as Judeo-Spanish, -Aramaic, -Arabic, -French, -Greek, -Italian, -Persian, -Spanish, -Malayalam, Yiddish, and other secular Jewish languages. Readings usually include love stories, medical and philosophic texts, and writings on science, travel, and music. Guest scholars visit most weeks. No language requirement. Note: Language credit can be arranged.

Literature 193. "What’s Love Got to Do With It"; Lost Poetry of the Middle Ages and Early Modernity - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS 60925
Spring 2013
Luis M. Girón Negrón
Meeting Time: W., 3–5.

Does love have a history? The course explores the literary history of love poetry in Europe and the Middle East from the Middle Ages through the 17th century. Reading selections from Latin and Romance love lyric (Provençal, Galician-Portuguese, French, Catalan, Spanish, the ‘jarchas’), Arabic and Hebrew muwashshahat, the Italian dolce stil novo, Sufi and Christian mystical poetry, the Petrarchan sonnet and its heirs (Portugal, England, Spain), Dante’s Vita nuova and erotic narrative verse (Juan Ruiz, Ibn Hazm, ‘Roman de la Rose’). Discussions framed by overview of premodern theories of love and recent scholarly debates on the origins of amour courtois.

Literature 197. Secularism and its Discontents: From Agnon to Amichai - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 39617
Fall 2012
Ilana Pardes
Meeting Time: Th., 3–5.

This course will focus on two of the hermeneutic giants of modern Hebrew literature: S.Y. Agnon and Yehuda Amichai. Special attention will be given to the following questions: To what extent do these writers call upon us to reconsider the role of secularism in Israeli culture? To what extent does religion remain a decisive component in the very definition of modernity for both? What are the aesthetic implications of their respective redefinition of what counts as sacred and what counts as secular? We will also consider the approaches of Agnon and Amichai within the broader context of Jewish thinking thought on the question of secularism — primarily essays by Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem.

Comparative Literature 252. The Literatures of Medieval Iberia: Approaches and Debates in their Comparative Study
Harvard College/GSAS: 38202
Fall 2012
Luis M. Girón Negrón
Meeting Time: W., 4–6.

The cultural interactions in premodern Spain between Muslims, Christians and Jews shaped the literary history of Arabic, Hebrew and the Ibero-Romance vernaculars. Our seminar examines selected scholarly debates on the comparative study of these literatures.

Government 94of. Law and Politics in Multicultural Democracies
Harvard College/GSAS: 14911 Enrollment: Limited to 16.
Fall 2012
Ofrit Liviatan
Meeting Time: Th., 1–3.

Examines the role of law in the governance of cultural diversity drawing on examples from the USA, Western Europe, India and Israel. Central themes at the intersection of law and politics will be explored, including: the impact of courts on rights protections, law’s function as a venue of conflict resolution, and courts’ relationship with other political institutions. Specific attention will be given to contemporary controversies such as Islamic veiling, abortion and same sex marriage.

History 72b. On Display: Commemoration, Collection and Public Spaces (c. 1600-2000)
Catalog Number: 9970 Enrollment: Limited to 12.
Spring 2013
Rachel L. Greenblatt
Meeting Time: Th., 2–4.

Traces the collection, commissioning, creation and display of artworks and objects from their development in religious and royal settings of the early modern period to their uses in nation-building and self-representation in the twentieth-century. Topics include monuments and urban spaces in Christian-Jewish polemics, collections as displays of political power, and museums as sites of national, cultural and ethnic identity. Geographical focus on Central Europe, but Western Europe and North America will also be considered.

Religion 11. World Religions Today
Harvard College/GSAS: 4811/Divinity School: 3220
Spring 2013
Diana L. Eck
Meeting Time: M., W., F., at 10.

An introduction to five of the world’s religious traditions --Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim-- through the voices of modern adherents and interpreters of the tradition. Readings from Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, Emil Fackenheim, Pope John Paul II, Tariq Ramadan, and others. How do people in each tradition articulate their faith in the context of globalization, pluralism, and the issues of today? What are the tensions within traditions? What are the dialogues between traditions?

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MUSIC

Music 194r. Special Topics - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 98795
Spring 2013
Instructor to be determined
Meeting Time: Tu., 12–3.

Music in Jewish Life. Approaches to music in Jewish cultural and religious life with subject matter spanning historical epochs, crossing geographic boundaries, and incorporating diverse musical styles. The course will incorporate presentations by visiting Starr Fellows on campus at the Center for Jewish Studies during spring 2013 to pursue projects on the course theme. Requires an independent research project and class presentations. Open to both upper level undergraduates and graduate students by permission of instructor.

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CLASSICAL AND MODERN HEBREW LANGUAGE COURSES

Classical Hebrew A. Elementary Classical Hebrew
Harvard College/GSAS: 8125/ Divinity School: 4010
Full Year 2012-2013
Peter Machinist
Meeting Time: M., W., F., at 10.

A thorough and rigorous introduction to biblical Hebrew, with emphasis on grammar in the first term, and translation of biblical prose in the second. Daily preparation and active class participation mandatory.

Classical Hebrew 120a. Intermediate Classical Hebrew I
Harvard College/GSAS: 5545/ Divinity School: 4020
Fall 2012
D. Andrew Teeter (Divinity School) and members of the Department
Meeting Time: M., W., F., at 10.
Readings in prose books; review of grammar.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew A or equivalent.

Classical Hebrew 120b. Intermediate Classical Hebrew II
Harvard College/GSAS: 8494/ Divinity School: 4021
Spring 2013
D. Andrew Teeter (Divinity School) and members of the Department
Meeting Time: M., W., F., at 10.
Readings in prose and poetic books; review of grammar.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew 120a or equivalent.

Classical Hebrew 130ar. Rapid Reading Classical Hebrew I
Harvard College/GSAS: 7895/ Divinity School: 1625
Fall 2012
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Th., 1–3.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew A, 120a, and 120b, or equivalent.

Classical Hebrew 130br. Rapid Reading Classical Hebrew II
Harvard College/GSAS: 7896/ Divinity School: 1626
Spring 2013
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Th., 1–3.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew 130a or equivalent.

Classical Hebrew 138. Historical Grammar of Biblical Hebrew
Harvard College/GSAS: 4415
Spring 2013
Instructor to be determined
Meeting Time: Hours to be arranged.

This course will trace the changes in Hebrew grammar in its ancient phases through the study of inscriptional, biblical, and extra-biblical texts.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew 130 or equivalent.

Modern Hebrew B. Elementary Modern Hebrew
Harvard College/GSAS: 4810/Divinity School: 4015
Full Year 2012-2013
Irit Aharony
Meeting Time: M. through F., at 10.

The course introduces students to the phonology and script as well as the fundamentals of morphology and syntax of Modern Hebrew. Emphasis is placed on developing reading, speaking, comprehension and writing skills, while introducing students to various aspects of contemporary Israeli society and culture.
Not open to auditors. Cannot be taken pass/fail. Cannot divide for credit.

Modern Hebrew 120a. Intermediate Modern Hebrew I
Harvard College/GSAS: 1711/Divinity School: 4040
Fall 2012
Irit Aharony
Meeting Time: M. through F., at 11.

The course reinforces and expands knowledge of linguistic and grammatical structures, with emphasis on further developing the four skills. Readings include selections from contemporary Israeli literature, print media, and internet publications. Readings and class discussions cover various facets of Israeli high and popular culture.
Note: Conducted primarily in Hebrew.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew B or passing of special departmental placement test.

Modern Hebrew 120b. Intermediate Modern Hebrew II
Harvard College/GSAS: 2563/Divinity School:4041
Spring 2013
Irit Aharony
Meeting Time: M. through F., at 11.
Continuation of Hebrew 120a.
Note: Conducted primarily in Hebrew. Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew 120a.

Modern Hebrew 130a (formerly Modern Hebrew 125a). Advanced Modern Hebrew I
Harvard College/GSAS: 4985
Fall 2012
Irit Aharony and assistant
Meeting Time: M., W., 1–2:30.

This course constitutes the third year of the Modern Hebrew language sequence. The course emphasizes the development of advanced proficiency in all skills. Readings include texts of linguistic and cultural complexity that cover contemporary Israeli literature and culture.
Note: Conducted in Hebrew. Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew 120a, 120b, or equivalent level of proficiency.

Modern Hebrew 130b (formerly Modern Hebrew 125b). Advanced Modern Hebrew II
Harvard College/GSAS: 28788
Spring 2013
Irit Aharony and assistant
Meeting Time: M., W., 1–2:30.

This course is a continuation of Hebrew 130. Texts, films, and other materials expose students to the richness and complexity of the contemporary sociolinguistics of Israeli society.
Note: Conducted in Hebrew. Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew 130a, or equivalent level of proficiency.

Modern Hebrew 241br. Advanced Seminar in Modern Hebrew: Israeli Culture
Israeli Culture
Harvard College/GSAS: 6949
Spring 2013
Irit Aharony
Meeting Time: M., W., 1–2:30.

This course constitutes the final level of Modern Hebrew language studies. The course offers representative readings and screenings from contemporary Israeli literature and cinema, and it forms bases of discussion on major cultural and linguistic themes through academic readings.
Note: Discussions, papers, movies and texts presented only in Hebrew. Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew 130b or equivalent.

Hebrew 135. Introduction to Rabbinic Hebrew
Harvard College/GSAS: 83659/ Divinity School: 4036
Fall 2012
Instructor to be determined
Meeting Time: M., W., 9–10:30.

Introduction to Tannaitic and Amoraic Hebrew with readings from talmudic and midrashic literature. Prerequisite: Two semesters or the equivalent of Hebrew, preferably biblical.
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YIDDISH COURSES

Yiddish A. Elementary Yiddish
Harvard College/GSAS: 4623
Full Year 2012-2013
Ruth R. Wisse and staff
Meeting Time: M., W., (F.), at 10.

Introduction to the Yiddish language, as written and spoken in Eastern Europe, the Americas, Israel, and around the world, and to the culture of Ashkenazic Jews. Development of reading, writing, speaking, and oral comprehension skills. Course materials include rich selections from Jewish humor, Yiddish songs, and films of Jewish life past and present.
Note: For students with little or no knowledge of Yiddish. Additional sections at different times may be added as needed.

Yiddish Ba. Intermediate Yiddish I
Harvard College/GSAS: 6023
Fall 2012
Ruth R. Wisse and staff
Meeting Time: M., W., at 11.

Further development of reading, writing, speaking, and oral comprehension skills. Introduction to features of the main Yiddish dialects: Polish/Galician, Ukrainian/Volhynian, and Lithuanian/Belorussian. Course materials include selections from modern Yiddish fiction, poetry, songs, the press, and private letters, as well as pre-WWII and contemporary Yiddish films. Occasional visits from native Yiddish speakers.
Note: Additional sections at different times may be added as needed.
Prerequisite: Yiddish A or equivalent.

Yiddish Bb. Intermediate Yiddish II
Harvard College/GSAS: 1239
Spring 2013
Ruth R. Wisse and staff
Meeting Time: M., W., at 11.

Continuation of Yiddish Ba.
Prerequisite: Yiddish Ba or permission of the instructor.

Yiddish 200r. Modern Yiddish Literature: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 4263
Spring 2013
Ruth R. Wisse
Meeting Time: Th., 2–4.

Note: See Jewish Studies 105 and 109.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of Yiddish required.

Yiddish 300. Yiddish Language and Literature
Harvard College/GSAS: 7833
Ruth R. Wisse 3177 (on leave fall term)

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HARVARD LAW SCHOOL:
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Jewish Law in the Making: Formalism and Realism in Jewish Legal Tradition
Visiting Professor Adiel Schremer
Fall 2012
Course Meets: Th, F 10:00am - 12:00pm
2 classroom credits

This seminar will focus on the process of decision-making in Jewish legal tradition. Following a close analysis of the two major theoretical accounts of adjudication, Formalism and Realism, we will address the question, to what extent is halakhic decision-making a formalistic process? Various halakhic texts, from early rabbinic times to the present, will be discussed, and the complexity of considerations that halakhic authorities make in their judicial deliberations will be highlighted.
This course will meet the first six weeks of the term.

Israel/Palestine Legal Issues
Professor Duncan Kennedy
Fall 2012
Course Meets: Th, F 10:00am - 12:00pm
4 classroom credits

This course will examine a wide variety of legal issues raised in the various stages of conflict in Israel/Palestine. These will be evenly divided between issues arising inside Israel proper and issues arising with respect to the Occupied Territories. For each issue, there will be some background readings and then presentation of opposing legal positions, often with a U.S. case to give a comparative perspective. Issues covered will involve Israeli civil and constitutional law and international law; areas will include local government, land, water, education, and taxation, as well as more familiar issues around the legality of the occupation and its military framework. Two classes will be devoted to the legal analysis of violent resistance and terrorism.

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This publication is for informational purposes only.  The listing of a course in this online
directory does not necessarily imply endorsement by the Center for Jewish Studies,
nor does the absence of a course necessarily imply the lack of endorsement.
The goal of this publication is to aid the process of course selection by students interested
in Jewish Studies, and we apologize for inadvertent inclusions and exclusions.
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