Undergraduate Courses in Jewish Studies
In addition to J S courses, the Schusterman Center is also affiliated with courses in Hebrew, Yiddish, and History.
HIS 366N | Religions in the Ottoman Empire
39325
Daniels, Jacob
TTH 2:00PM--3:30PM
Compared to most modern nation-states, the Ottoman Empire was a place of great linguistic and religious diversity. For centuries, Jews, Christians, and Muslims lived as neighbors in cities such as Istanbul, Salonica, Cairo, and Baghdad. Beginning with the 14th century and ending with the 20th, this course explores the following questions: What did religion mean to people in the early-modern era? What status did Jews and Christians have in an Islamic polity? How might we compare Jewish life across empires? What kinds of relations existed between Jews, Muslims, and Christians in Ottoman towns and cities? How did these relations change as Ottoman power waned, vis-a-vis Europe? How did the empire’s non-Muslims respond to nationalist movements that claimed to represent their interests? What can Ottoman history teach us about Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the Middle East and Balkans today?
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YID 612 | Accelerated Second-Year Yiddish
38170
Smith, Adrien
MWF 1:00PM-3:00PM
A continuation of Yid 604, this is an intensive language class that satisfies the undergraduate language requirement in one year.
In this course the students will complete the grammatical overview of Yiddish and will be introduced to Yiddish literature in Yiddish, poetry and prose. We will continue our exploration of Yiddish culture in Eastern Europe and America through film, audio and archival materials. By the end of the semester, students will be able to converse freely with native Yiddish speakers and write short essays.
Internship Class Student looking at Texas Archive Photos
L A 320J | Jewish Studies Internship
30730
Seriff, Suzanne
W 5:00PM-7:00PM
The Schusterman Center’s Jewish Studies Internship Program is designed to give you a chance to explore issues of social justice, test your passion for community service, strengthen your resume, network with community leaders, and study Jewish texts on such issues as poverty, health inequity, workplace justice, and our responsibility to repair the world.
10 Hour per Week Internship with a 3 Hour Course Credit
Ethics and Independent Inquiry Flags
- Fall 2024
HIS 366N | History of Sephardi Jews
38144
Daniels, JacobMWF 1:00PM-2:00PM
Compared to most modern nation-states, the Ottoman Empire was a place of great linguistic and religious diversity. For centuries, Jews, Christians, and Muslims lived as neighbors in cities such as Istanbul, Salonica, Cairo, and Baghdad. Beginning with the 14th century and ending with the 20th, this course explores the following questions: What did religion mean to people in the early-modern era? What status did Jews and Christians have in an Islamic polity? How might we compare Jewish life across empires? How did Ottoman rule shape dynamics within religious communities (and vice versa)? What kinds of relations existed between Jews, Muslims, and Christians in Ottoman towns and cities? How did these relations change as Ottoman power waned, vis-a-vis Europe? How did the empire’s non-Muslims respond to nationalist movements that claimed to represent their interests? What can Ottoman history teach us about Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the Middle East and Balkans today?
YID 604 | Accelerated First-Year Yiddish
37095
Smith, AdrienMWF 1:00PM-3:00PM
This course will help you develop proficiency as a speaker, reader, listener, and writer of Yiddish. Class sessions will emphasize using the language actively with your peers. We also will delve into the culture of Yiddish as it has been shaped and expressed in places as diverse as Eastern Europe, Argentina, Australia, Israel, and New York. Topics include Yiddish literature and folklore (including humor), the Hasidic world, the Jewish labor movement, and Soviet Yiddish culture, among others. In addition to using the textbook, we will sing Yiddish songs, play Hasidic board games, and read and perform Yiddish poems.
HEB 601C | Intensive Hebrew I
39830
Raizen, EstherMWF 9:00AM-10:00AM
TTH 9:30AM-11:00AM
HEB 601C | Intensive Hebrew I
39835
Blitz, AviMWF 2:00PM-3:00PM
TTH 2:00PM-3:30PM
HEB 346 | Israeli Society and Culture
39844
Blitz, AviMWF 12:00PM-1:00PM
This course will explore vignettes from the many facets of contemporary Israeli society through the prisms of journalism, media, film, and literature in the Hebrew language. Students will encounter many aspects of Israeli society—the religious & the secular, the bourgeois & the blue-collar, the Ashkenazim & the Mizrahim—and learn about their history and their place in modern Israeli society. Since class discussions and reading and writing assignments will be in Hebrew, students will advance their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing the language. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify and discuss different sociological issues facing the country; recognize right- and left-wing media outlets; understand the economic and social pressures on the various communities in the country; and have a greater appreciation for the societal makeup of contemporary Israel.
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