Established in 1973, the Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies promotes academic study of Jewish culture, history, and politics for all students at the University of Florida. The Center offers a major and a minor program; some of our students engage in a double or dual major with other programs. In addition, students can take individual classes or certificate programs in European Jewish Studies, Holocaust Studies, or Israel Studies consisting of fifteen credit hours each. The Center’s curriculum encourages critical thinking, textual analysis, research, oral argumentation, and writing. The Center also has a number of scholarships.
Vampire Cinema
JST 3930(28658), LIT 4930(26150) by Dragan Kujundzic
T | Periods 10-11 (5:10 PM – 7:05 PM) R | Period 11 (6:15 PM – 7:05 PM)
Vampires, werewolves, ghosts and apparitions from Bram Stoker, to Francis Ford Coppola and Anne Rice. The course will address issues of vampire and Empire (the imperial politics behind vampirism), vampirism and psychoanalysis, vampirism and modernism, vampirism and cinema, queer, gay and lesbian vampires, vampires of East and Central Europe, vampirism and anti-Semitism, vampirism and religion, vampirism and nationalism, history of blood in religion, film and literature, etc.
Jewish-American Cinema
JST 3930(28657), LIT 4930(26151) by Dragan Kujundzic
T | Period 9 (4:05 PM – 4:55 PM) R | Periods 9-10 (4:05 PM – 6:00 PM)
Counts for Holocaust Studies Certificate
The course will introduce students to the rich history of Jewish-American cinema and the latest critical and theoretical literature about it. It will be organized thematically, and chronologically, starting with the topics of Jewish Diaspora, emigration to the US, the first sound film, and then films about the Holocaust, comedy, Israeli and World Cinema. During the course, we will screen and discuss films involved with the representation of the Jews.
Hebrew Scripture
JST 3930(28314), REL 2210(28252) by Robert Kawashima
MWF | Period 8 (3:00 PM – 3:50 PM)
Counts for Israel Studies Certificate
History, literature, and beliefs of the Israelites from the Biblical text in the light of modern scholarship.
Apocalypticism
JST 3930(28310), REL 3294(28255) by Robert Kawashima
MWF | Period 5 (11:45 AM – 12:35 PM)
Explores Jewish and Christian apocalypticism through a survey of apocalyptic texts from the Hebrew Bible, Second Temple Jewish literature (including the Dead Sea Scrolls), and the New Testament.
Jews in the Muslim World
JST 3930(28452), HBR 4930(20717), MEM 3931(29620), REL 3938(29600) by Yehoshua Ecker
M | Period 7 (1:55 PM – 2:45 PM) F | Periods 7-8 (1:55 PM – 3:50 PM)
Counts for Israel Studies Certificate
The Arab-Muslim conquests of the 7th century brought most Jews in the world under one political entity. This reality has drastically altered in the past 100 years. This survey of about 1,400 years offers an overview of a crucial period in Jewish history. It uses the political history and chronology of the Muslim world as a scaffold for outlining and contextualizing the Jewish experience within this world, and the impact of this experience on Jews beyond it.
Ottoman Palestine 1517-1917
JST 3930(28453), HBR 4930(29619), MEM 3931(29621), REL 3938(29601) by Yehoshua Ecker
M | Periods 9-10 (4:05 PM – 6:00 PM) F | Period 5 (11:45 AM – 12:35 PM)
Counts for Israel Studies Certificate
Focusing on the region that would become the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict, this course explores the region under four centuries of Ottoman (Turkish) imperial rule. It was a religious center, a pilgrimage site, a destination, visitors and immigrants, but also a coveted geopolitical asset. We will look at Ottoman regional realities, the workings of the Ottoman state and society, and the interactions of imperial, local, and foreign trajectories, during the tumultuous centuries of Ottoman imperial rule.
Arab World in Documentary Film
JST 3930(28454) by Yehoshua Ecker
W | Periods 8-10 (3:00 PM – 6:00 PM)
How has the documentary film represented the Arab world? This course will examine classic documentaries concerning the Middle East. Students will deconstruct images of Arab society and determine the extent to which these films have shaped views of the Arab world today.
Russian-Jewish Literature
JST 3930(28656), LIT 3173(28602) by Jason Wagner
MWF | Period 8 (3:00 PM – 3:50 PM)
Counts for European Jewish Studies Certificate
What is Russian Literature? What is Jewish Literature? This class explores texts originally written in the Russian language by Jewish authors concerning Jewish themes. It explores literary representations of Jewish life in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union throughout the twentieth and into the twenty-first century. Literary texts will be put into historical contexts. Can the focus on this area of Russian literature augment our understanding of the traditional canon of Russian literature? All texts are presented in English translation and the class is conducted in English.
Yiddish New York
JST 3930(28654), LIT 3173(28652) by Jason Wagner
MWF | Period 6 (12:50 PM – 1:40 PM)
Counts for European Jewish Studies Certificate
This class examines an American literature that still awaits appreciation. As a result of the mass emigration of Jews from Eastern Europe in the late 19th-early 20th century, New York became a global center of Yiddish culture. Yiddish writers, journalists, actors, filmmakers, and political activists produced a rich and diverse culture, which flourished for a good part of the last century. This class will examine different genres of Yiddish cultural creativity, highlighting the specific nyu-yorkish qualities. All texts are presented in English translation and the class is conducted in English.
The Hebrew Bible
JST 3930(28592) by Howard Lidsky
MWF | Period 4 (10:40 AM – 11:30 AM)
Counts for Israel Studies Certificate
This course explores the development of the intellectual history of ancient Jews from the Biblical text. The Bible is explained in light of modern scholarship and archeology as well as classical Rabbinic teachings. Knowledge of Hebrew is not a prerequisite.
The History of Judaism
JST 3930(29484) by Howard Lidsky
MWF | Period 3 (9:35 AM – 10:25 AM)
The Jewish community is comprised of people from as diverse places as Poland, Iraq, Spain, and Ethiopia. This class explores the history of the ideas that form the religious beliefs and the communal identity that permits Jews to view themselves as interconnected.
Israel and the World
JST 3930(29480), INR 4931(29429) by Or Honig
MWF | Period 3 (9:35 AM – 10:25 AM)
Counts for Israel Studies Certificate
Israel’s relationship with various states and intergovernmental bodies around the world. We will explore the strategic, economic, political and ideological factors shaping the attitudes of different countries and bodies. We will also explore factors determining Israeli diplomatic choices. These diplomatic relations have been vital for the small state of Israel given its need for both arms and legitimacy to act militarily, as well as its need for commerce to survive economically and prosper. No background knowledge is required.
International Relations in the Middle East
JST 3930(29481), CPO 3403(29561) by Or Honig
MWF | Period 8 (3:00 PM – 3:50 PM)
Counts for Israel Studies Certificate
Want to understand the Middle East? We will explore five main issues: 1) The role of extra-regional powers in stabilizing or exacerbating the region; 2) the factors determining the success and failures of different Middle Eastern countries to gain regional dominance; 3) factors determining the success of regional actors, such as Israel or Saudi Arabia, in courting the alliance of extra-regional powers; 4) the degree to which religion and other identity-related issues (such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict) shape regional dynamics; 5) the role of fundamentalist Islam in shaping the region and preventing conflict resolution. No background knowledge is required.
Antisemitism and Islamophobia
JST 3930(29482), EUS 3930(28547), SYA 4930(29595) by Armin Langer
T | Periods 5-6 (11:45 AM – 1:40 PM) R | Period 6 (12:50 PM – 1:40 PM)
The origins of antisemitism and Islamophobia, examining intersections with religious, cultural, and political factors throughout history. We will analyze case studies to understand these phenomena and their impact on individuals, communities, and societies. We will examine ideology, media, and state policies in shaping attitudes toward Jewish and Muslim communities, as well as the implications for social cohesion, identity formation, and human rights. By the end of the course, students will gain a nuanced understanding of the historical legacies and contemporary dynamics of antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Holocaust Memory in France
JST 3930(29547), EUS 3930(29485), FRT 3004(20286) by Gayle Zachmann
MWF | Period 6 (12:50 PM – 1:40 PM)
Counts for Holocaust Studies and European Jewish Studies certificates.
A study of Holocaust Memory in French historical culture, literature, and film.
Aftermaths: The Post-Holocaust Novel in France
JST 3930(29549), FRW 4281(28958), FRW 6288(28959)
M | Periods 8-9 (3:00 PM – 4:55 PM) W | Period 9 (4:05 PM – 4:55 PM)
Counts for Holocaust Studies and European Jewish Studies certificates.
A study of post-war French narratives of the Holocaust and its aftermaths. This course is taught in French.
Beginning Modern Hebrew I
HBR 1130(12946) by Iris Cohen
MTWRF (Remote) | Period 5 (11:45 AM – 12:35 PM)
Want to speak Hebrew? Iris Cohen will get you started with the basic vocabulary, reading, and writing skills, and the most common daily phrases and expressions used in Israeli life.
You will learn and you will have fun. No previous exposure to Hebrew is expected.
Intermediate Modern Hebrew 1
HBR 2220(12947) by Iris Cohen
MTWR (Remote) | Period 6 (12:50 PM – 1:40 PM)
Have you taken beginning Hebrew or do you know some Hebrew already? Why not make it stronger?
This is a 4 Hour class but a fifth can be added for heritage speakers who need five hours of language credit.
Individual Work: Israel in Hebrew
HBR 4905(Departmentally Controlled) by Iris Cohen
MTWR (Remote) | Period 7 (1:55 PM – 2:45 PM)
Counts for Israel Studies Certificate
A journey through the captivating history, society, and culture of Israel awaits in this immersive course conducted entirely in Hebrew. The course aims to familiarize students with the country’s rich historical tapestry, societal dynamics, cultural nuances, significant events, picturesque landscapes, Israeli identity, and the beauty of the Hebrew language.
Contact goda@ufl.edu to register.
Introduction to Israeli Cinema
JST 3930(29478), ENG 4135(28563) by Roy Holler
T | Periods 5-6 (11:45 AM – 1:40 PM) R | Period 6 (12:50 PM – 1:40 PM) R | Periods 9-11 (4:05 PM – 7:05 PM)
Counts for Israel Studies Certificate
Israeli cinema may not feature dazzling Hollywood special effects. But what Israeli films lack in glitz, it makes up for with heart: rich with stories of trauma and memory, love and loss, spanning narratives from the front lines of war to the rare moments of peace. Israeli films tackle racial, gender, and geopolitical tensions, capturing personal tales as well as narratives that resonate across the nation. Crucially, they offer an authentic portrayal of Israeli identity and provide deep insights into the distinct Middle Eastern landscape of the Israeli-Arab conflict.
What is Israel?
JST 4905(24626) by Roy Holler
T | Period 10 (5:10 PM – 6:00 PM)
Heard a lot about Israel lately? Want to know some facts with time for discussion? This is a one-hour team-taught course that anyone can fit into their schedule. for an unbiased exploration of Israel’s complex story, encompassing its culture, politics, and history. Please contact goda@ufl.edu to be added.
Jewish Choral Music
JST 4905(29566) by Richard Sadove
W | Periods 7-9 (1:55 PM – 4:55 PM)
The course offers a chance to work with the Shabbatones, a choir singing Jewish Choral Music under UF conductor Will Kiesling. Students will learn the wide variety of Jewish music from the sacred to the secular, from different regions of the world. No singing or musical expertise is required.
Holocaust in Italy
JST 3930(29545), ITT 3700(28930) by Deborah Amberson
MWF | Period 7 (1:55 PM – 2:45 PM)
Counts for Holocaust Studies Certificate
This course will guide us through a sampling of Italy’s texts and films on the Jewish Holocaust. Centered on the writings of Primo Levi, our itinerary will also take us through the historical realities of fascist Italy to a selection of Italian films (Pontecorvo, Wertmüller, and Benigni) that, often in controversial ways, deal with the experience of the concentration camps.
Anthropology of Travel
JST 3930(28846), JST 4936 (28839), ANT 4930(28771), ANG 6930(28695) by Jack Kugelmass
T | Periods 7-9 (1:55 PM – 4:55 PM)
This seminar explores critical readings in the theory of travel and travel narratives. Students are expected to focus on a subject or place of interest to them for final research papers. The course is open to graduate and undergraduate students.
Israel Religion and Politics
JST 3930(28646), CPO 4000(28205) by Patricia Sohn
T | Periods 5-6 (11:45 AM – 1:40 PM) R | Period 6 (12:50 PM – 1:40 PM)
Counts for Israel Studies Certificate
The course addresses Israeli politics and religion from a comparative politics perspective.
Internship
JST 4940(Departmentally Controlled) by Norman Goda
Preapproved internship with Jewish communal, educational, or service institutions. Only 3 credits can count toward a Jewish Studies major or minor.
Credits: 1 to 6; can be repeated with change in content up to 6 credits. Prereq: REL 2600 or the equivalent, junior/senior standing and instructor permission.