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 48 (formerly Literature and Arts A-70). Theodicy, Piety, and the Divine-Human Encounter. The Book of Job and the Joban Tradition
Harvard College/GSAS: 7991
Spring 2012
Peter Machinist (Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations)
Meeting time: M., W., (F.), at 12, and a weekly section to be arranged.
An examination of the biblical book of Job along with related texts, ancient, medieval, and modern, that allow us to establish the literary and philosophical traditions in which Job was composed and the literary and philosophical legacy it has left.
Particular focus on the ways the texts play off one another in literary form and expression and in their treatment of such themes as divine justice, human piety, and the nature of the divine-human encounter.

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 2011
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 engages substantially with Study of the Past. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Literature and Arts C.

Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding 29 (formerly Literature and Arts A-48). Modern Jewish Literature
Harvard College/GSAS: 1250
Spring 2012
Ruth R. Wisse (Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations; Comparative Literature)
Meeting Time: Tu., Th., at 11, and a weekly section to be arranged.
Great works of fiction become universal and remain able to surprise, delight, inform, or otherwise overwhelm current readers. What gives them this power? How do writers become adjectives like Babelian, Bellovian, or Kafkaesque? This course moves through the twentieth century through the literature of a multilingual people, with works in Hebrew, Yiddish, German, Russian, Italian, and English. We see how variously Jewish writers interpret modern history and their own situation within it.

Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding 37. Introduction to the Bible in the Humanities and the Arts
Harvard College/GSAS: 92966
Fall 2011
Gordon Teskey (English)
Meeting time: M., W., at 11, and a weekly section to be arranged.
A course on the structure of the Bible, which William Blake called “the great code of art.” Major themes include the invention of God, the invention of history, and the
invention of the city (or rather, of two cities, that of the devil and that of God). About two-thirds of the Authorized Version (King James) of 1611 will be read.

Ethical Reasoning 15 (formerly Moral Reasoning 54). “If There is No God, All is Permitted:” Theism and Moral Reasoning
Harvard College/GSAS: 1321
Fall 2011
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.

Societies of the World 35. Conditional Equality: The Case of the Jews of Europe in Modern Times
Harvard College/GSAS: 88298
Spring 2012
Jay M. Harris (Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations)
Meeting time: M., W., (F.), at 12, and a weekly section to be arranged.
This course is a study in the relations between majorities and minorities in modern Europe, using the Jews as a focus. It will examine the ways in which the equal status of a minority is negotiated through cultural and political interaction, both subtle and blunt. It will further focus on the role that such negotiations have in the formation of identities of both the majority and the minority. Finally, it will examine the ways in which majorities can exercise control over minorities rendering them conditionally rather than fully equal participants in the national projects of the age.
Note: Students who have taken Historical Study A-44 may not take this course for credit. This course fulfills the requirement that one of the eight General Education courses also engages substantially with Study of the Past. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Historical Study A.

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FRESHMAN SEMINAR

Freshman Seminar 37q. Great Jewish Books
Harvard College/GSAS: 31669
Fall 2011
Shaye J.D. Cohen
Meeting Time: M 1-3, Semitic Museum, Room 304
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.
Note: For Freshmen only.

Freshman Seminar 42k. Comparative Law and Religion
Harvard College/GSAS: 9992
Ofrit Liviatan
Spring 2012 Hours to be arranged
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.
Notes: Open to Freshmen only.

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HARVARD COLLEGE EXPOSITORY WRITING PROGRAM

Expository Writing 20.078. Jewish Identity in American Culture
Harvard College/GSAS: 54207
Spring 2012
Jane A. Rosenzweig
Meeting time: Hours to be arranged
This course will examine representations of Jews in American culture and the evolution of Jewish-American culture since World War II, as well as how shifts in the cultural conversation about minorities in America have affected our understanding of Jewish identity. We will question how recent works of literature, art, film, and television challenge and reinforce Jewish stereotypes, and how they continue to shape our ideas about assimilation, the Holocaust, ethnicity, and religious practice in America.

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BIBLICAL LITERATURE AND HISTORY

Ancient Near East 120a. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament 1: Pentateuch and Former Prophets
Harvard College/GSAS: 6544/Divinity School: 1102
Fall 2011
David Andrew Teeter (Divinity School)
Meeting Time: Tuesday, Thursday 10:00am - 11:30am
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 2012
David 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 225. The Greek Bible in History and Theology: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 2475/Divinity School 1301.
Spring 2012
David Andrew Teeter (Divinity School)
Meeting time: Tu., 4-6
An exploration of social, historical, interpretive, and theological issues associated with the so-called Septuagint and its complex relationship to early Judaism and
Christianity. Emphases include origins, eschatology, messianism, halakhah, NT
backgrounds, and biblical theology.
Prerequisite: Basic reading knowledge of Greek and Hebrew.

Jewish Studies 207. Rewriting Scripture in Jewish Antiquity: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 9572/ Divinity School: 1302
Fall 2011
David Andrew Teeter
Meeting Time: Tuesday 4:00pm - 6:00pm
A study of the exegetical literature of so-called rewritten Bible texts from the Second Temple period, considered in relation to the received Hebrew Bible and its later interpretive traditions. Examination of exegetical techniques, aims, and presuppositions, with attention to higher level compositional strategies, to underlying conceptions of scripture/scriptural authority, and to the dynamics of canon formation. Primary sources will include, among others: Chronicles, the book of Jubilees, the Temple Scroll, Reworked Pentateuch, the Genesis Apocryphon, as well as selected prophetic and hymnic exemplars.
Enrollment: Limited to 15 Prerequisite: Ability to read (unpointed) Hebrew, two years of Hebrew strongly encouraged.

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 124. Myth and Myth-Making in the Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern World
Harvard College/GSAS: 7859/ Divinity School: 1128
Spring 2012
Peter Machinist
Meeting time: M., W., (F.), at 11
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.

Hebrew 200r. Problems in the Literature, History, and Religion of Israel: Seminar
Catalog Number: 3265
Peter Machinist, Richard J. Saley, Andrew Teeter (Divinity School) and members of the Department
Half course (fall term). Th., 3–5.
Topic for 2011-12: TBD
Note: Primarily for doctoral students in Hebrew Bible. Offered jointly with the
Divinity School as 1810.

Hebrew 209r. Literature of Israel: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 1326/ Divinity School: 1824
Spring 2012
Peter Machinist
Meeting time: W., 3-5
Topic: Nahum and the Assyrian Tradition in Biblical Prophecy.

Jewish Studies 150. The Bible in Literature - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 94274/ Divinity School: 1405
Fall 2011
Jordan David Finkin
Meeting Time: Tu., Th., 10-11:30
The Bible continues to be one of the major sources of inspiration in Western literature. Its primal themes, probing meditations, and problematic characters reappear in constantly changing but recognizable forms in the pages of countless novels and poems. In this course we will take a look at a sampling of Biblical characters in both famous and lesser-known works, analyzing how writers use their works as guides to reading and interpreting the Bible, and how their readings of the Bible shed light on their own understanding of the world.

Ancient Near East 165. The Chosen People - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 16825/ Divinity School: 1120
Fall 2011
Michael D. Coogan
Meeting time: Tu., Th., 8:30-10
A consideration of the concept of the biblical motif of divine choice of individuals and groups, with close reading of representative texts in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. Knowledge of Hebrew not required.
Hebrew 237: Jeremiah
Harvard College/GSAS: 83454/ Divinity School: 1121.
Spring 2012
Michael D. Coogan
Meeting time: Tu., Th., 8:30-10
A close examination of the book of Jeremiah, with special attention to its historical context and textual and literary history. Knowledge of Hebrew not required.

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ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF ISRAEL

Ancient Near East 117. Biblical Archaeology
Harvard College/GSAS: 1371/ Divinity School: 1422
Fall 2011
Lawrence E. Stager
Meeting Time: 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: Includes a lab section.

Ancient Near East 118. Syro-Palestinian Pottery
Harvard College/GSAS: 1368
Fall 2011
Lawrence E. Stager
Meeting time: F., 3-5
A basic introduction to the pottery sequence of Palestine and Syria from Neolithic through Roman times, with emphasis on typological attributes having chronological significance. Conducted in the Harvard Semitic Museum laboratory.

Semitic Philology 151. Introduction to Northwest Semitic Epigraphy
Harvard College/GSAS: 2858
Fall 2011
John L. Ellison
Meeting Time: F., 2-4
Readings in Hebrew, Phoenician and other Northwest Semitic inscriptions with an introduction to methods and techniques of Northwest Semitic palaeography, and attention to problems of historical grammar.
Prerequisite: Good working knowledge of Classical (biblical) Hebrew.

Semitic Philology 220r. Northwest Semitic Epigraphy: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 2948
Spring 2012
John L. Ellison
Meeting Time: F., 2-4
Advanced discussion of Northwest Semitic Epigraphy.

Anthropology 1948. Historical Anthropology of Israel/Palestine - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 79167
Spring 2012
Naor Haim Ben-yehoyada
Meeting time: M., W., at 10
This interdisciplinary course examines the historical anthropology of Israel/Palestine and the wider Levant. The main purpose of this course is to understand the country against the connections, conflicts, and flows of people, commodities, and ideas around the Mediterranean. Class discussions include: political and environmental transformations, distant and recent pasts, collective memory, regional conflicts, reproductive practices, demography, migration, urban change, law and legal regimes, and literature. The readings will focus on the interconnectedness of economic, political and cultural phenomena in the country’s history.

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ANCIENT JUDAISM

Jewish Studies 129. Josephus - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 93483/ Divinity School: 1468
Spring 2012
Shaye J.D. Cohen
Meeting time: W., 1-3
A survey of the works of Flavius Josephus, and of modern Josephan scholarship. Knowledge of Greek is desirable but not required.

Jewish Studies 139 (formerly History 1020). Jews and Judaism in the Ancient World
Harvard College/GSAS: 6035/ Divinity School: 1462
Spring 2012
Shaye J.D. Cohen
Meeting time: Tu., Th., 10-11:30
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.

Hebrew 242. Dead Sea Scrolls - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 73835/ Divinity School: 1304
Fall 2011
Jonathan Klawans
Meeting Time: M., 3–5.
Examination of the ancient Hebrew documents discovered in the Judean desert. Their authorship; the theological significance of the Scrolls; their relations to Ancient
Judaism and early Christianity; the controversy over their release and publication. All readings in English translation.

Aramaic 120. Introduction to Jewish Babylonian Aramaic - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 68552
Spring 2012
Eve Feinstein
Meeting time: Tu., Th., 11:30-1
Introduction to the Aramaic of the Babylonian Talmud with readings from talmudic texts.

Classical Philology 292. Hellenism in the East—Colonialism, Assimilation, and Revolt: Seminar - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 37342
Spring 2012
Paul Joseph Kosmin
Meeting time: W., 4-6
This course will discuss the modes of ethnic, religious, and political encounters generated by Alexander the Great’s successor kingdoms, addressing the cultural choices open to both Graeco-Macedonian colonizers and their Babylonian, Iranian, Egyptian, and Jewish subjects.

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MEDIEVAL AND MODERN JEWISH HISTORY

Jewish Studies 65. The Jews in Muslim and Christian Spain - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 92565
Spring 2012
Marc Saperstein
Meeting time: M., W., (F.), at 11
Exam group: 4
A study of the political, social, and cultural history of the Hispano-Jewish community from the seventh-century Visigothic regime and the Muslim conquest of Spain in 711 to the expulsion of the Jews from Christian Spain in 1492. Emphasis on literary and intellectual developments and on the complex relationship of the Jews to Iberian Christendom and Islam, especially during the “Golden Age” (ca. 950-1150).

History 2260. Central Europe: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 6464
Fall 2011
Alison F. Frank
Meeting Time: W., 1-3
Major themes include nationalism, communism, the `Polish question,’ the `Jewish question,’ the political and economic viability of the Habsburg Empire, cultural exchange and diplomatic relations between Austria, Germany and the Russian Empire/Soviet Union. Prerequisite: Reading Knowledge of either German, Polish, Czech, or another Central European language.

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MODERN JEWISH LITERATURE AND CULTURE

Jewish Studies 108 (formerly Yiddish 108). Amerike! Amerika. America! : Jewish Encounters with the United States
Harvard College/GSAS: 6058
Spring 2012
Ruth R. Wisse
Meeting Time: Th., 1-3
Jewish immigration 1881-1914 was proportionally greater and more durable than any other minority’s, given that there was as yet no other established Jewish homeland. Studies points of intersection between Jewish and local “Gentile” culture including in religion, politics, literature, entertainment, and other branches of culture. Uses Yiddish and Hebrew sources in translation as well as English authors Abraham Cahan, Michael Gold, Saul Bellow, Philip Roth, Cynthia Ozick.
Note: Course assumes no knowledge of Yiddish or Hebrew. Readings will be in English. There will be an extra section for Yiddish readers.

Jewish Studies 137. The Sermon as Source for Jewish History and Culture - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 41043, Divinity School: 1401
Spring 2012
Marc Saperstein
Meeting time: M., 1-3
Medieval and modern Jewish sermons as specimens of Jewish literature and as sources for communal history. Special attention will be given to topical sermons responding to dramatic events of the day and to comparison with contemporary Christian preaching. Open to undergraduates and graduate students. No pre-requisites. All texts read in translation.

Literature 163. Jewish Languages and Literature
Harvard College/GSAS: 8627
Spring 2012
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.

Literature 183. Unhappy in their Own Way: Hebrew and Yiddish as a Literary Family - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 10165
Fall 2011
Jordan David Finkin
Meeting time: Tu., Th., 11:30-1
The relationship between modern Hebrew and Yiddish literatures and Jewish culture has famously been described as “two languages, one literature.” This course aims to evaluate that opinion by exploring some of the startling variety in these literatures’ language, forms, and themes. Reading selected works in translation from these two languages together enriches and enhances our understanding of the vibrancy of modern Jewish culture.

Literature 185. Jewish Humor and Its Discontents - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 76794
Spring 2012
Jordan David Finkin
Meeting time: Tu., Th., 11:30-1
Humor has long been noted as a distinctive element of European Jewish culture. While this has been exaggerated as part of Jewish stereotypes, nevertheless humor, jokes, satire, and parody all feature prominently in modern Jewish literatures and culture. This course will look at some of the primary ideas about Jewish humor and how this distinctive Jewish “wit” appears in various texts. We will unpack why Jewish humor is funny and when it is no laughing matter.

Modern Hebrew 158. Milestones in Modern Hebrew Poetry - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 41961
Spring 2012
Jordan David Finkin
Meeting Time: W., 1-4
There has been poetry written in Hebrew since the pre-Biblical period. With the modernization of many Eastern European Jewish communities at the end of the 18th century, the use of Hebrew expanded into new social and cultural arenas, including secular literature. Poetry was a form in which some of the most exceptional talents in Hebrew literature poured their energies. This course will explore some of the more important, influential, or exceptional examples of this poetry from the end of the
Jewish Enlightenment to the establishment of the State of Israel.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of modern Hebrew required. Lectures and discussion in English.

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ETHICS

Jewish Feminist Ethics
Divinity School 1847
Julia Watts Belser
Fall 2011
M 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
This course examines key concepts in Jewish feminist ethics, including tensions between feminist hermeneutics and Jewish law; problems of power, silence, and memory in Jewish history; and feminist methods for engagement with Jewish texts. The course will read the Babylonian Talmud in conversation with feminist literature, theory, and cultural criticism to engage questions of sex, violence, poverty, and environmental crisis.
Note: Eligible for cross-registration with permission of instructor/subject to availability

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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 2011-2012
Peter Machinist
Meeting Time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:00am - 11:00am
A thorough and rigorous introduction to biblical Hebrew, with emphasis on grammar in the first semester 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 2011
Peter Machinist
Meeting Time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:00am - 11:00am
Readings in prose books; review of grammar. Prerequisite: 4010 (Classical Hebrew A) or the equivalent.

Classical Hebrew 120b. Intermediate Classical Hebrew II
Harvard College/GSAS: 8494/ Divinity School: 4021
Spring 2012
Peter Machinist and members of the Department
Meeting time: M., W., F., at 10
Readings in prose and poetic books; review of grammar.

Classical Hebrew 130ar. Rapid Reading Classical Hebrew I
Harvard College/GSAS: 7895/Divinity School: 1625
Fall 2011
David Andrew Teeter
Meeting Time: Thursday 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Advanced reading in selected biblical texts. Prerequisite: 4010 (Classical Hebrew A), 4020 (Classical Hebrew 120a), and 4021 (Classical Hebrew 120b) or the equivalents.

Classical Hebrew 130br. Rapid Reading Classical Hebrew II
Harvard College/GSAS: 7896/Divinity School: 1626
Fall 2011
Peter Machinist
Meeting Time: Thursday 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Advanced reading in selected biblical texts. Prerequisite: 4010 (Classical Hebrew A), 4020 (Classical Hebrew 120a), and 4021 (Classical Hebrew 120b) or the equivalents

Hebrew 135. Introduction to Rabbinic Hebrew - (New Course)
Harvard College/GSAS: 83659
Fall 2011
Eve Feinstein
Meeting time: M., W., 9-10:30
Introduction to Tannaitic and Amoraic Hebrew with readings from talmudic and midrashic literature.

Semitic Philology 140. Introduction to the Comparative Study of Semitic Languages
Harvard College/GSAS: 8602
Spring 2012
Eve Feinstein
Meeting time: Tu., 2-4

Modern Hebrew B. Elementary Modern Hebrew
Harvard College/GSAS: 4810/ Divinity School: 4015
Full Year 2011-2012
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.
Note: 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 2011
Irit Aharony
Meeting Time: M. through F., at 11
Exam Group: 4,13
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 2012
Irit Aharony
Meeting Time: M. through F., at 11
Exam Group: 4,13
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 2011
Irit Aharony and assistant
Meeting Time: M., W., 1–2:30.
Exam Group: 6,7
This course constitutes the third and final 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 2012
Irit Aharony and assistant
Meeting time: Hours to be arranged
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.

Modern Hebrew 241br. Advanced Seminar in Modern Hebrew: Israeli Culture
Harvard College/GSAS: 6949
Fall 2011 (Half course Fall Term)
Irit Aharony
Meeting Time: M., 7-9 p.m. and a weekly discussion section on Th., 1-2:30. EXAM GROUP: 9
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: Discussion, papers, movies and texts presented in Hebrew. Not open to auditors.
Prerequisite: Modern Hebrew 130b, or equivalent.

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YIDDISH COURSES

Yiddish A. Elementary Yiddish
Harvard College/GSAS: 4623
Full Year 2011-2012
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 2011
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 2012
Ruth R. Wisse and staff
Meeting Time: M., W., at 11
Continuation of Yiddish Ba.
Prerequisite: Yiddish Ba or permission of the instructor.

Yiddish Ca. Advanced Yiddish I
Harvard College/GSAS: 8331
Fall 2011
Ruth R. Wisse and staff
Meeting Time: M., W., 1–2:30
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
Harvard College/GSAS: 8968
Spring 2012
Ruth R. Wisse and staff
Meeting Time: M., W., 1-2:30
Continuation of Yiddish Ca.
Prerequisite: Yiddish Ca or permission of the instructor.

Yiddish 200r. Modern Yiddish Literature: Seminar
Harvard College/GSAS: 4263
Spring 2012
Ruth R. Wisse
Meeting time: Th., 2-4
Note: See Jewish Studies 105 and 109.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of Yiddish required.

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HARVARD DIVINITY SCHOOL:
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Women and Deceit in the Hebrew Bible
HDS: 1848
0.50 credits, Spring 2012
Rachel Adelman
Mon 2pm-4pm
Course location to be announced.
From Eve in Genesis to Judith in the Apocrypha, women have been characterized as a subversive force in biblical literature. This course will engage in close readings of biblical texts in which women’s deceptions advance divine goals. Reading biblical texts in light of gender discourse, we will explore how feminist hermeneutics engages with or disengages from traditional exegetical approaches.
Enrollment Limited: Limited to 15 students. Instructor’s permission required.
Open to BTI Students: Yes

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HARVARD LAW SCHOOL:
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Jewish Law: The Legal Thought of Maimonides
Spring term, Block C
T,W 10:00 AM - 11:00 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.

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.

Talmudic Law: the Judicial Process in Jewish Law: Reading Group
Spring term, Block H
M 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Visiting Professor Hanina Ben-Menahem
1 classroom credit LAW-40327A
The reading group will explore procedural and substantive principles underlying the judicial process in Jewish Law, emphasizing its unique features in comparison with the Western legal tradition. Reading material will consist of contemporary scholarship engaged in the interpretation and application of classical models of the judicial process.
The first Monday meeting will be 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. and thereafter 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. every other week.

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