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FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES:
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CORE CURRICULUM

Literature and Arts A-48. Moral Imagination in Modern Jewish Literature
Catalog Number: 1250
Ruth R. Wisse
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 11, and a weekly section to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 13
Studies Jewish experience of the 20th century as interpreted by eight major writers including Sholem Aleichem, Kafka, Isaac Babel, I. B. Singer, and Saul Bellow. Focuses–not exclusively–on how moral imagination is refracted through language, subject, genre, and style. What is the moral dimension of fiction? How does language affect nature of morality? How does literature cross cultural boundaries? Introductory course requiring no prerequisites.
Note: This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the General Education requirement for Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding.

Literature and Arts C-70. From the Hebrew Bible to Judaism, From the Old Testament to Christianity
Catalog Number: 5275
Shaye J.D. Cohen
Half course (fall term). M., W., (F.), at 10, and a weekly section to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 3
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: Expected to be omitted in 2010–11. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the General Education requirement for Culture and Belief. This course fulfills the requirement that one of the eight General Education courses also engages substantially with Study of the Past.

Moral Reasoning 54. “If There is No God, All is Permitted”: Theism and Moral Reasoning
Catalog Number: 1321
Jay M. Harris
Half course (fall term). M., W., (F.), at 12, and a weekly section to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 5
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 2010–11. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the General Education requirement for Ethical Reasoning.

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FRESHMAN SEMINAR

*Freshman Seminar 30u. Ancient Interpretive Traditions and the Great Stories of the Bible
Catalog Number: 78445 Enrollment: Limited to 15.
John L. Ellison
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
This seminar will explore some of the great stories of the Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament), such as the creation story, the story of the "fall of man," and the flood. We will and look at how these stories have been interpreted and understood over time. Readings will be taken from the Hebrew Bible (in English), the Christian Bible (New Testament) which interprets the great stories, and from early Christian and Rabbinic traditions.
Note: For Freshmen only.

*Freshman Seminar 42s. Jews on the Tube: Images and Integration in American Jewry
Catalog Number: 4921 Enrollment: Limited to 15.
Rachel L. Greenblatt
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Traces the representation and self-representation of Jews in radio, television, and cinema, focusing on questions of integration, assimilation, and Jewish identity. How were Jews portrayed in radio, television, and film? When Jews were artists, actors, directors, and producers, how did they portray themselves? Explores American Jewish history to understand media depictions of Jews and to compare them to non-Jewish historical precedents. How did media portrayals evolve as American Jewish life evolved throughout the 20th century?
Note: Open to Freshmen only.
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DRAMATIC ARTS

Dramatic Arts 113. The History and Practice of Non-Traditional Theater in America - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 14394
Instructor to be determined
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
This Fall, the A.R.T. will re-launch its venue at Zero Arrow as an emporium of "non-traditional theater." Using the Zero Arrow space as our classroom, we will explore, analyze, conceive and present "non-traditional theater" inspired by circus, revival meetings, concert saloons, dime museums, wild west shows, grand guignol, nightclub theater, vaudeville, Yiddish theater, burlesque and professional wrestling. At the end of the semester, there will be a final theatrical performance at Zero Arrow.
Note: See PANDORA! http://www.theboxnyc.com.
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GENERAL EDUCATION

Culture and Belief

Culture and Belief 27 (formerly Jewish Studies 55). Text and Context: Jews and their Books in Pagan, Christian and Muslim Surroundings
Catalog Number: 2338
Rachel L. Greenblatt (Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations)
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 12
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 seventeenth 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, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Literature and Arts C. This course fulfills the requirement that one of the eight General Education courses also engages substantially with Study of the Past.
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GOVERNMENT

*Government 98jn. Politics and Society in Israel - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 15439 Enrollment: Limited to 16.
Reuven Y. Hazan
Half course (fall term). Tu., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
This course analyzes the interrelationship between politics and society in Israel since its establishment. The emphasis is on explaining how the political institutions and social cleavages have functioned over time. It addresses such topics as: The uniqueness of Israeli politics; the social divisions; the origins and development of the political system; electoral history; government formation then and now; religion and politics; Israeli Arabs; political change and social transformation in the 1990s; and recent developments.

Government 1094. The Jewish Political Tradition - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 19726
Eric M. Nelson
Half course (spring term). M., W., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
The Jews existed as a stateless people for nearly two thousand years. Yet, throughout this period, they continued to make rich contributions to the theory and practice of politics. This course will examine the history of Jewish political thought, beginning with the Hebrew Bible itself and concluding with the birth of Zionism. Special attention will be paid to the influence of Jewish political writing in Christian Europe and in the early American republic.

Government 1732. The Origins of Modern Wars
Catalog Number: 7668
Stephen Martin Walt (Kennedy School)
Half course (spring term). M., W., (F.), at 1. EXAM GROUP: 6
This course explores the causes of war. It examines the different theories that have been devised to explain organized violence between states (or groups seeking to control a state), and evaluates these competing theories by exploring several major conflicts of the past 100 years: World War I, World War II, the Cold War, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the recent wars in the Persian Gulf. The course also considers the phenomenon of ethnic conflict, the implications of nuclear weapons and the question of whether large-scale war is becoming "obsolescent."
Note: This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Historical Study A.
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LITERATURE and COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

Literature 163. Jewish Languages and Literature
Catalog Number: 8627
Marc Shell and Members of the Faculty
Half course (spring term). 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.

Comparative Literature 252. The Literatures of Medieval Iberia: Approaches and Debates in their Comparative Study - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 38202
Luis M. Girón Negrón
Half course (fall term). W., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 9
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.
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HISTORY

*History 70g. Modern Jewish Religious Movements - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 61092 Enrollment: Limited to 12.
Robert Liberles (Ben Gurion University)
Half course (spring term). M., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
This course will study some of the more prominent religious movements that have significantly impacted modern Jewish religious life. In contrast to the usual emphasis on ideological positions, we will emphasize the broader context of social phenomena. We will discuss Sabbatianism, Reform, Neo-Orthodoxy, and Conservative Judaism. Students may also select other movements for individual projects, as for example, Reconstructionism, the Havurah movement, or Gush Emunim.

*History 81f (formerly History 1127). Women’s Voices in Medieval and Early Modern Europe
Catalog Number: 7597 Enrollment: Limited to 15.
Rachel L. Greenblatt 5537
Half course (fall term). Th., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
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.

History 1020 (formerly History 1091). Jews and Judaism in the Ancient World
Catalog Number: 6035
Shaye J.D. Cohen
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 10–11:30. EXAM GROUP: 12, 13
A survey of Jewish history in antiquity from the Persian period (5th century BCE) to the Byzantine period (5th century CE). Topics include: political accommodation and resistance, Hellenism, the Hasmoneans and Herod the Great, the effects of Roman rule, Pharisees, Qumran, Christians, unity and diversity, the destruction of the temple and its aftermath, the emergence of rabbinic Judaism, homeland and diaspora.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1462.

History 1025. Overlapping Spheres: Jewish Life in Early Modern Europe - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 76199
Rachel L. Greenblatt and Robert Liberles (Ben Gurion University)
Half course (spring term). M., W., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3
Participants in this course will use primary and secondary sources to examine multiple aspects of the ways Jews lived among their Christian neighbors during this exciting crossroads between traditional society and the beginnings of what we later called "modernity." We will look at the period from approximately 1500 to 1750, characterized by the advent of print, the Protestant challenge to Catholic hegemony, increasing use of the written vernacular, and the rise of capitalism, absolutism and toleration.

History 1891. Understanding the Middle East since 1945: The Basic Socio-Economic and Political Structures - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 56932
E. Roger Owen
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 12
The aim of the course is to set out the main structures and processes which underlie the contemporary political and economic systems in the Middle East, including the Arab countries, Iran, Israel and Turkey. For the Arab countries these include the development of the ’security state’ with its associated practices of crony capitalism, managed elections and controlled opposition, as well as a particular style of conducting intra-Arab relations. For the non-Arabs, pluralism, civil/military relations and political religion.

History 2266. The Holocaust: Seminar - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 56805
Samuel D. Kassow (Trinity College)
Half course (fall term). W., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
Intensive investigation of the historiography of major topics of Holocaust scholarship including the genesis of the Final Solution, Jewish responses and the reactions of so-called "bystanders."
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NEAR EASTERN LANGUAGES AND CIVILIZATIONS

Ancient Near East 117. Biblical Archaeology
Catalog Number: 1371
Lawrence E. Stager
Half course (fall term). F., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
Archaeology and texts, such as the Bible, used to reconstruct aspects of social, economic, and religious life (from courtier to commoner) in ancient Israel during the Iron Age.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1422. Includes a lab section.

Ancient Near East 120a. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament 1: Pentateuch and Former Prophets
Catalog Number: 6544
Andrew Teeter (Divinty School)
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 10 - 11:30 and one hour to be arranged.
A critical introduction to the literature and theology of the Hebrew Bible, considered in light ofthe historical contexts of its formation and the interpretive contexts of its reception withinJudaism and Christianity. The course, the first part of a divisible, year-long sequence, will focuson the major biblical narrative traditions, the Pentateuch and Former Prophets.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1102.

Ancient Near East 120b. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament 2: Latter Prophets and Writings - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 22968
Andrew Teeter (Divinty School)
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 10-11:30 and one hour to be arranged.
A critical introduction to the literature and theology of the Hebrew Bible, considered in light ofthe historical contexts of its formation and the interpretive contexts of its reception withinJudaism and Christianity. The course, the second part of a divisible, year-long sequence, willfocus on the Latter Prophets and the Writings.
Note: Offered jointly with the Dvinity School as 1103.

Ancient Near East 124. Myth and Myth-Making in the Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern World
Catalog Number: 7859
Peter Machinist
Half course (fall term). M., W., (F.), at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
An exploration of the nature and function of myth in the context of the ancient Near East. The course focuses on selected mythic texts from various Near Eastern cultures and consider them in the light of general approaches to myth developed in Western scholarship. Particular attention is given to the issue of myth in the Hebrew Bible.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1128/3410.

Ancient Near East 126. History of the Religion of Ancient Israel
Catalog Number: 1672
Peter Machinist
Half course (spring term). M., W., (F.), at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
The study of ancient Israelite religion and culture in comparative historical context. Topics examined include conceptions of divinity, prophecy, law, kingship, and cult. Through such topics the aim is to see how Israel related to other cultures of the ancient Near East and, thus, of what value the study of the other cultures has in understanding the character of Israelite religion itself.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1110.

Ancient Near East 132. Ancient Jewish Wisdom Literature
Catalog Number: 9522
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Half course (spring term). M., W., 10–11:30.
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.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1416.
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
Catalog Number: 3291
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). M., W., 10–11:30.
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.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1417.
Prerequisite: Ancient Near East 120 or an equivalent introduction to the historical-critical study of the Hebrew Bible.
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Postbiblical Jewish Studies

Jewish Studies 104. Introduction to Yiddish Culture
Catalog Number: 8611
Yuri Vedenyapin
Half course (spring term). W., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 9
Exploration of a thousand years of Jewish culture, from the earliest settlements in Germany and Poland to the present. Examination of its geographical, intellectual, and artistic breadth through the history of the Yiddish language, selections of Yiddish literature, the press, film, theater, and klezmer music. Analysis of Jewish mysticism and superstitions; food and dress; rituals and beliefs; gender, family, and sexuality. Particular attention given to the relevance of Yiddish culture today and its influence on the arts and politics in the U.S., Israel, Eastern Europe, and around the world.
Note: All course readings and lectures will be in English. No knowledge of Yiddish is required. May be taken Pass/Fail.

Jewish Studies 105. Modern Yiddish Poetry - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 67625
Ruth R. Wisse
Half course (fall term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Introduction to Yiddish poetry 1890s-1970s, tracing its trends and movements through close study of major works in various genres-lyric, dramatic, narrative, epic. Includes poems written in Europe, America, and Israel. Uses bilingual editions with transliteration and voice recordings to examine issues and theories of translation.
Note: No prior knowledge of Yiddish required-though may be acquired.

Jewish Studies 109 (formerly Yiddish 109). The Yiddish Novel Under Tsars and Stripes
Catalog Number: 6009
Ruth R. Wisse
Half course (spring term). Th., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Studies the emergence of the Yiddish novel as a major literary form in Russia, Poland, and the US. Begins with the pioneer of modern Yiddish and Hebrew prose, Mendele Mocher Sforim, includes Sholem Aleichem, Sholem Asch, David Bergelson, Der Nister, and the family Singer: Israel Joshua, Isaac Bashevis, and Esther Kreitman. Highly compressed development of the genre reflects great artistic, ideological, and thematic variety.
Note: All works available in English translation. There will be an extra section for Yiddish readers.

Jewish Studies 111. Modern Jewish Thought
Catalog Number: 5461
Jay M. Harris
Half course (spring term). M., 2–4.
A study of significant Jewish thinkers in the modern period and their reflections on the past and present meaning of Judaism. All thinkers studied against the background of premodern Jewish thought and the challenges posed by modern Western philosophical systems.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3682.

Jewish Studies 140. Deconstruction and Questions of Jewish Identity: Seminar
Catalog Number: 2198
Avi Matalon
Half course (fall term). Tu., 6–8 p.m. EXAM GROUP: 18
Examines the work of philosopher Jacques Derrida (1930–2004) and the method of deconstruction. Focuses on Derrida’s writings that touch on questions of identity, as developed in his prolific career.

Jewish Studies 144. History and Memory: Modes of Jewish Discourse
Catalog Number: 7216
Rachel L. Greenblatt
Half course (spring term). W., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
Focus on close readings of selected pre-Enlightenment Jewish historical writings, with consideration of relevant theoretical and methodological frameworks. Readings will be available in the original Hebrew and Yiddish and in English translations.

Jewish Studies 149. Topics in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Exegesis at Qumran - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 54969
Andrew Teeter (Divinty School)
Half course (spring term). Th., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
This course explores the diverse functions of scripture within the literature of the Dead Sea Scrolls, focusing in particular on the forms and methods of interpretation attested, considered in light of other varieties of interpretation in early Judaism. Sessions will be devoted to reading, translation and discussion of primary sources in Hebrew, as well as to discussion of relevant secondary literature.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School.
Prerequisite: Two years of Biblical Hebrew strongly recommended.

Jewish Studies 168. Eighth-Century Prophets - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 14062
Michael D. Coogan
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 10–11:30.
A close examination of the books of Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah 1-39, in their historical and social contexts.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1104.

*Jewish Studies 170. Job and the Problem of Suffering - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 80691
Michael D. Coogan
Half course (fall term). F., 9–11.
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.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1106.

*Jewish Studies 200r. Guided Readings in Jewish History
Catalog Number: 4478
Shaye J.D. Cohen
Half course (fall term). W., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
Topic for 2008-09: Boundaries and Identities. Readings of Jewish texts, ancient to modern, that deal with the question of the Other and the Self: what is the boundary between Jews and non-Jews, and between Judaism and non-Judaism?
Note: Required of all entering graduate students in Jewish Studies; open to others with the permission of the instructor.

Jewish Studies 206. The Origins of Mishnaic Law
Catalog Number: 2808
Shaye J.D. Cohen
Half course (spring term). W., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
A study of the emergence of Jewish law in antiquity. Theme for 2009: The development of Sabbath law from the Bible to the Mishnah.
Note: Open to undergraduates with the permission of the instructor. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3935.
Prerequisite: Ability to read Qumranic and Mishnaic texts in the original.

Graduate Courses of Reading and Research

*Jewish Studies 300. Reading and Research in Postbiblical Jewish Studies
Catalog Number: 1544
Shaye J.D. Cohen 4180, Jay M. Harris 2266, Bernard Septimus 7160 (on leave fall term), and Ruth R. Wisse 3177
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Hebrew Language Courses

Classical Hebrew A. Elementary Classical Hebrew
Catalog Number: 8125
Peter Machinist
Full course (indivisible). M., W., F., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3
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.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4010.

Classical Hebrew 120a. Intermediate Classical Hebrew I
Catalog Number: 5545
Peter Machinist and members of the Department
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3
Readings in prose books; review of grammar.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4020.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew A or equivalent.

Classical Hebrew 120b. Intermediate Classical Hebrew II
Catalog Number: 8494
Peter Machinist and members of the Department
Half course (spring term). M., W., F., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3
Readings in prose and poetic books; review of grammar.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4021.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew 120a or equivalent.

Classical Hebrew 130ar. Rapid Reading Classical Hebrew I
Catalog Number: 7895
Instructor to be determined
Half course (fall term). Th., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1625/4030.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew A, 120a, and 120b, or equivalent.

Classical Hebrew 130br. Rapid Reading Classical Hebrew II
Catalog Number: 7896
Instructor to be determined
Half course (spring term). Th., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1626/4031.
Prerequisite: Classical Hebrew 130a or equivalent.

Modern Hebrew B. Elementary Modern Hebrew
Catalog Number: 4810
Irit Aharony
Full course (indivisible). M. through F., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3, 12
For students with no previous instruction in Hebrew and for those who have had some unsystematic exposure to the language. The course emphasizes the development of all skills necessary for reading, speaking, comprehension and writing, and offers students a glimpse of Israeli culture.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4015.

Modern Hebrew 120a. Intermediate Modern Hebrew I
Catalog Number: 1711
Irit Aharony
Half course (fall term). M. through F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4, 13
Continuation and development of Modern Hebrew B. Reading materials include literary texts, newspapers and on line publications. The course also offers an exposure to various facets of Israeli high and popular culture.
Note: Conducted primarily in Hebrew. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4040.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew B or passing of special departmental placement test.

Modern Hebrew 120b. Intermediate Modern Hebrew II
Catalog Number: 2563
Irit Aharony
Half course (spring term). M. through F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4, 13
Continuation of Modern Hebrew 120a.
Note: Conducted primarily in Hebrew. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4041.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew 120a.

Modern Hebrew 125. Advanced Modern Hebrew I: "All About Boys and Girls"
Catalog Number: 4985
Anna Grinfeld
Half course (fall term). M., W., 1–2:30. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
Continuation of Intermediate Modern Hebrew 120a and 120b. The course goal is to further develop practical skills in the language. The course will explore various topics in Israeli society and culture through a variety of texts and audio visual materials.
Note: Conducted in Hebrew. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 4042.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew 120a, 120b, or equivalent.

Modern Hebrew 130r. Advanced Seminar in Modern Hebrew
Catalog Number: 8127
Irit Aharony
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 1–2:30. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
A deep survey of foundational elements in Israeli culture: texts, movies, songs and other media. The goal of the course is to both enhance the student’s proficiency in the language and their knowledge of the culture of the land.
Note: Discussion, papers, and texts presented in Hebrew.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew 125 or equivalent.

Modern Hebrew 136ar (formerly Modern Hebrew 136r). Hebrew for Academic Reading
Catalog Number: 3383
Anna Grinfeld
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 3–4:30. EXAM GROUP: 17, 18
Hebrew for academic reading is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students with a strong background knowledge of Hebrew, seeking to master reading skills in a range of Hebrew texts in the fields of Jewish studies, Middle Eastern studies, government, literature, religion, and history. Some selections of the reading material will be decided by the individual needs and interests of the students.
Note: Conducted in Hebrew.
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Hebrew Literature and History Courses

Hebrew 130. Scriptural Interpretation in Ancient Israel: Inner-Biblical Exegesis - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 53182
Andrew Teeter (Divinty School)
Half course (spring term). Th., 1–3.
An examination of the forms, methods, and aims of scriptural interpretation within the HebrewBible itself. Sessions will combine consideration of recent scholarship on "inner-biblicalexegesis" with close readings of biblical texts (narrative, legal, prophetic, apocalyptic, hymnic)in Hebrew. Note: Two years of Biblical Hebrew strongly recommended.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1308. Two years of Biblical Hebrew strongly recommended.

Hebrew 140. The Poetics of Midrash: Approaches to Rabbinic Hermeneutics - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 84646
Jonathan Schofer (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). Tu., 1–3.
This seminar examines the forms and contents of late ancient rabbinic midrash or biblical interpretation, addressing both legal and non-legal forms. Each session will include consideration of both primary sources and recent scholarship. The course will center on studies of midrash as a form of literature by Boyarin, Fishbane, Fraade, Kugel, Stern, and Yadin.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as
Prerequisite: Two years of Hebrew, any period, is strongly recommended

Hebrew 143. Deuteronomy - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 68289
Andrew Teeter (Divinty School)
Half course (fall term). Th., 1–3.
A critical and exegetical study of Deuteronomy, carried out through a close reading of the bookin Hebrew. Special attention given to the literary form, hermeneutic aims, and theological profile of the work, considered in relation to other scriptural and non-scriptural traditions.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1306.
Prerequisite: Biblical Hebrew

Hebrew 177. Introduction to Critical Talmud Scholarship
Catalog Number: 6485
Bernard Septimus
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Designed to introduce students to the philological, historical and source-critical methods used in the contemporary academic study of Talmud and Midrash, through the study of selected passages.
Prerequisite: Ability to prepare a Talmudic text.

*Hebrew 200r. Problems in the Literature, History, and Religion of Israel: Seminar
Catalog Number: 3265
Lawrence E. Stager, Peter Machinist and members of the Department
Half course (fall term). Th., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 17, 18
Topic for 2009-10: TBA
Note: Primarily for doctoral students in Hebrew Bible. Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1810.

Hebrew 217. The Medieval Torah Commentary: A Practical Introduction: Seminar
Catalog Number: 5883
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Half course (spring term). W., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
An introduction to the use of medieval Jewish biblical commentaries as a resource for modern exegetes. Some comparison of the medieval hermeneutical presuppositions with those of the distinctively modern forms of biblical study.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1836.
Prerequisite: Three years of college-level Hebrew (any period).

Hebrew 218. Joseph and Esther: Seminar
Catalog Number: 0880
Jon D. Levenson (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). W., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
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.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1802.
Prerequisite: Three years of Hebrew or the equivalent.

Graduate Courses of Reading and Research

*Hebrew 300. Classical Hebrew Language and Literature
Catalog Number: 7831
Shaye J.D. Cohen 4180, Jo Ann Hackett 2389, John Huehnergard 7697, Peter Machinist 2812, and Lawrence E. Stager 1468

*Hebrew 350. Postbiblical Hebrew Language and Literature
Catalog Number: 4408
Shaye J.D. Cohen 4180, Jay M. Harris 2266, and Bernard Septimus 7160 (on leave fall term)
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Yiddish

Yiddish A. Elementary Yiddish
Catalog Number: 4623
Yuri Vedenyapin
Full course (indivisible). M., W., (F.) at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3
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
Catalog Number: 6023
Yuri Vedenyapin
Half course (fall term). M., W., 11–12:30. EXAM GROUP: 4, 5
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
Catalog Number: 1239
Yuri Vedenyapin
Half course (spring term). M., W., at 11-12:30.
Continuation of Yiddish Ba.
Prerequisite: Yiddish Ba or permission of the instructor.

Yiddish Ca. Advanced Yiddish I
Catalog Number: 8331
Yuri Vedenyapin
Half course (fall term). M., W., 1–2:30. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
Emphasis on building advanced vocabulary from the three main lexical components, Germanic, Hebrew-Aramaic, and Slavic, and further development of writing, reading, and speech. Continued exploration of the main Yiddish dialects. Introduction to various styles of Yiddish literature, journalism, theater, film, and song, particularly from the nineteenth century to the present, including contemporary sources from both secular Yiddish culture and the Yiddish-speaking "ultra-orthodox" communities of New York, Jerusalem, and elsewhere.
Note: Additional sections at different times may be added as needed.
Prerequisite: Yiddish Bb or permission of the instructor.

Yiddish Cb. Advanced Yiddish II
Catalog Number: 8968
Yuri Vedenyapin
Half course (spring term). M., W., 1–2:30. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
Continuation of Yiddish Ca.
Prerequisite: Yiddish Ca or permission of the instructor.

Yiddish 200r. Modern Yiddish Literature: Seminar
Catalog Number: 4263
Ruth R. Wisse
Half course (spring term). Th., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Note: See Jewish Studies 105 and 109.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of Yiddish required.

*Yiddish 300. Yiddish Language and Literature
Catalog Number: 7833
Ruth R. Wisse 3177
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THE STUDY OF RELIGION

Religion 11. World Religions Today: Diaspora, Diversity and Dialogue
Catalog Number: 4811
Diana L. Eck
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3
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?
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 3220.

Religion 1411. Seminar: Saints, Sanctity, and Society in Ancient and Medieval Christianity
Catalog Number: 6249 Enrollment: Limited to 15.
Kevin J. Madigan (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
An historical introduction to the field of Christian hagiography. Topics include interpretive method, martyrdom and sanctity, sanctity and monasticism, shrines and pilgrimage, gender and sanctity, relics and veneration, canonization and the politics of sanctity. Some attention given to Jewish martyrology and parallels in other world religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 2233.

Religion 1414. Gospel Stories of Wo/men
Catalog Number: 6902
Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). Tu., 1–3, and hour to be arranged.
The course will introduce a critical feminist rhetorical reading of "gospel" stories about wo/men in order to assess whether they are "good news" for wo/men. Special attention will be given to the significance of social locations, critical methods, and historical imagination for the interpretation and significance of these stories about Jewish wo/men for contemporary religious self-understandings and ministerial praxis. Lectures, group discussions, and group projects seek to foster a participatory, democratic style of learning.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1503/2557.

Religion 1423. First Images of Christ—Earliest Christologies of the New Testament
Catalog Number: 8983
François Bovon (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). Th., 1–3, and weekly section to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Will discuss the earliest forms of christology and their history. Starting from the Jewish messianic expectations of the first century CE., it will investigate the prophetic perspective of Jesus and christological concepts of the first Christian congregations.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 1479. Field trip to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston to be arranged.
Prerequisite: Introduction to the New Testament or equivalent.

Religion 2550. Women and Religion in Contemporary America: Seminar
Catalog Number: 8927
Ann D. Braude (Divinity School)
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Surveys contemporary developments in Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities. Topics include religion and women’s political engagement, including evangelical and Mormon movements; the modernization of orthodoxies, including Judaism and Catholicism; and the body as a site of conflict, exploration, and expression of the intersecting categories of religion, gender, and American identity.
Note: Offered jointly with the Divinity School as 2328. Expected to offered again 2011-12.

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HARVARD DIVINITY SCHOOL:
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1469 Reading Midrash
Catalog Number: HDS 1469_3677
John T. Townsend
Half Course, Fall 2009
Time to be arranged. First meeting September 4, 3-5pm
Location to be announced.
This introduction to the world of midrash will consist of reading and interpreting midrashic literature. The course is designed for those with a minimum of two to three years of Hebrew. Translation assignments will be adjusted for individual students, according to their abilities in Hebrew. The readings this year will begin with Tanhuma Buber and continue with Abba Gorion (on Esther). Those who wish will also have the option of reading a little Midrashic Aramaic.

1536 Apocalypic Literature
Catalog Number: HDS 1536
Giovanni Bazzana
Half Course
Fall 2009
M., W., @ 11 and hour to be arranged
Location to be announced.
The main focus of this course will be on the apocalyptic literature from the second temple and early Christian periods. The phenomenon of apocalyptic writing had its roots in second temple Judaism and exercised a profound influence on early Christianity with the redaction of a major work, included in the New Testament Canon, the Apocalypse of John. The course will not be limited to the reading of apocalyptic texts, but it intends to address the main themes that characterize historical research and the exegesis, as the definition of the apocalyptic genre, the counter-hegemonic elements in the texts, or the role of violence, which often informs apocalyptic imagery.

HDS 2159_4235 Advanced Greek: Martyrdom
Catalog Number: HDS 2159_4235
Annewies van den Hoek
Half Course
Spring 2010
M., F., 9:30-11
Location to be announced.
In Antiquity both Judaism and Christianity generated powerful stories about groups and individuals who refused to cooperate with the authorities and paid for their disobedience with death. In Christianity these accounts became an important genre of literature, which in addition to its fictional elements has great documentary value. The course aims at reading not only written martyr records and accounts, but also literary texts that reveal differing opinions about martyrdom in Antiquity. The course will attempt to place these debates and narratives in their social and historical context. The Greek will be of a reasonable degree of difficulty. Prerequisite: 4221 or the equivalent.

HDS 4221Intermediate Greek II
Catalog Number: HDS 4221
Annewies van den Hoek
Half Course
Spring 2010
M., F., 11-12:30
Location to be announced.
Selected readings of early Christian and Hellenistic Jewish authors, ranging from the Apostolic Fathers, Apologists, hagiographic, apocryphal, and gnostic materials to Irenaeus, Clement, Origen, Philo, and Josephus. The texts will be placed in their literary and historical context. Grammatical tools will be provided to facilitate the reading. Designed both for those who wish to have only a limited experience of readings in the original language and also for those who plan further study of Greek, e.g., in Advanced Greek (4230). Prerequisite: Intermediate Greek I or equivalent.

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HARVARD LAW SCHOOL:
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Jewish Law's Responses to Gentile Law: Internal Views of External Influences: Advanced Reading Group
Spring term, Block H
M 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Visiting Professor Hanina Ben-Menahem
1 classroom credits LAW-40325A
This reading group will explore halakhic self-reflection on external influences on Jewish law. We will not address the actual impact of external influences on the halakha (which, it goes without saying, is significant). Rather, we will explore the language Jewish law uses to describe its own perception of its relation to Gentile law. We will see that halakhic responses to the outside legal culture range from total opposition to occasional acceptance. Readings will include primary and secondary sources in Hebrew and English. A reading knowledge of Hebrew is a prerequisite.
*After the first session, classes will meet bi-weekly for two hours.

Jewish Law: The Legal Thought of Maimonides
Spring term, Block C
T,W 10:20 AM - 11:20 AM
Visiting Professor Hanina Ben-Menahem
2 classroom credits LAW-40320A
This class will examine Maimonides' legal corpus--including his explicitly legal works, the Code and the responsa; the philosophical Guide for the Perplexed; and the interpretative Commentary on the Mishnah--and the jurisprudential assumptions on which it rests. Though we will be focusing on
the legal thought and jurisprudential strategies of one individual, Maimonides is so central to the development of Jewish law that in studying his approach, a wide range of topics pertaining to Jewish law in general will of necessity be touched upon. Students will thus acquire a broad understanding of various theoretical and socio-pragmatic aspects of Jewish law. A reader with all the material in English translation will be provided.

Holocaust Litigation
Winter term, Block B
M,T,W,Th,F 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Visiting Assistant Professor Morris Ratner
3 classroom credits LAW-38098A
This course follows the plaintiff class actions filed in the 1990s to recover for Nazi-era wrongs, from inception to settlement. The cases, against Swiss, German, Austrian, and French entities, produced a combined total of more than $7 billion in settlements which are in the process of being allocated to victims of Nazi persecution. The aim of the course is to give students a real-world example of how a major category of international human rights litigation is actually prosecuted and settled. The class will explore the practical/business, substantive legal, ethical, and procedural aspects of this complex, multi-party litigation. Lessons from the course will apply to other kinds of mass/complex litigation matters. Readings will include (1) historical texts, (2) pleadings and other documents generated in the course of the litigation, and (3) relevant case law, statutes, and international agreements.

Talmudic Law for Beginners
Spring term, Block E
M 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Visiting Professor Hanina Ben-Menahem
2 classroom credits LAW-46680A
The Talmud, covering all areas of law--civil, criminal and ritual--is the foundational text of Jewish law. This seminar seeks to introduce the student who has little or no background in Talmud to the fascinating world of talmudic law, by systematically studying twelve selected passages dealing with explicitly legal questions. In class, students will be actively engaged in analyzing the texts, which will be provided in English translation.

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HARVARD EXTENSION SCHOOL:
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RELI E-1010 World Religions Today: Diaspora, Diversity and Dialogue (13481)
Fall term
Diana L. Eck, PhD, Fredric Wertham Professor of Law and
Psychiatry in Society and Professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies, Harvard University.
Course tuition: noncredit and undergraduate credit $950, graduate credit $1,850.
Online only, beginning Sept. 3.
Printable version This course is 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? The recorded lectures are from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences course Religion 11. (4 credits)

RELI E-1028 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) (13388)
Fall term
Shaye J. D. Cohen, PhD, Nathan Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy,
Harvard University.
Class times: Tuesdays beginning Sept. 1, 5:30-7:30 pm.
Course tuition: noncredit and undergraduate credit $950, graduate credit $1,850.
Online option available.
Printable version This course surveys the major books and ideas of the Hebrew Bible (commonly called the Old Testament). The course also treats the historical contexts in which the books of the Bible emerged, and the Bible's role as canonical scripture in Judaism and Christianity. All readings done in translation; no prior knowledge is assumed.
(4 credits)

RELI E-1047 Religion, the Arts, and Social Change (23093)
Spring term
Diane L. Moore, PhD, Professor of the Practice in Religious Studies and Education,
Harvard Divinity School.
Class times: Wednesdays beginning Jan. 27, 7:35-9:35 pm.
Course tuition: noncredit $600, undergraduate credit $900, graduate credit $1,800.
Course taught via live video conference.
Printable version Through historical and contemporary case studies, this course examines the intersection of religion and politics through the lens of the arts. What do particular artistic expressions reveal about religious influences and worldviews within specific social and historical contexts? How do political assumptions about religion and culture influence artistic expression? Literature, poetry, visual art, music, theater, and dance from around the world are explored. Case studies may include the Christian Passion, the veil, Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Nazi Germany, the cold war, apartheid in South Africa, and the Afro-Brazilian experience. Cross-global cases may also be explored through the lenses of immigration, gay and lesbian rights, global warming, and gender equality. Students present their own artistic creations at the last class. (4 credits)

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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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