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Fall 2025 Courses

Childhood and War

JST 3930 (25822), EUH 3931 (25379)

Natalia Aleksiun

Tuesdays 8:30-10:25AM and Thursdays 9:35-10:25AM

Syllabus coming soon

 

Beginning Hebrew 1

HBR 1130 (12396, 20505)

Iris Cohen

Everyday 11:45AM-12:35PM

Syllabus coming soon

 

Intermediate Hebrew 1

HBR 2220 (12397)

Iris Cohen

TBA

Syllabus coming soon

 

Advanced Hebrew

HBR 4905 (22770)

Iris Cohen

TBA

Syllabus coming soon

 

Jews in the Muslim World

JST 3930 (23068), HBR 4930 (27163), ASH3931 (20934), REL 3938 (23842), MEM 3931 (23860)

Yehoshua Ecker

Wednesdays 3:00-6:00PM TBA

Syllabus

Jews in the Muslim World surveys the history of Jews in Muslim societies and under Muslim rule, from the conquests of the 7th century to the dispersions and transformations of the 20th century, using the political history and chronology of the Muslim world as a scaffold for outlining and contextualizing the Jewish experience. Imperial experience is central to Muslim history and to historical developments in general, as is its role in the development of religious and ethnic groups.

 

Ottoman Palestine (1516-1918)

JST 3930 (23069), HBR 4930 (23859), ASH 3931 (20685), MEM 3931 (23861), REL 3938 (27354)

Yehoshua Ecker

Mondays 3:00-4:55PM and Fridays 3:00-3:50 TBA

Syllabus

The modern Middle East has its roots in the long period of Ottoman rule that ended with the First World War. The Ottoman centuries
left a lasting impact on the region and shaped many of the political realities, movements, ideologies and actors of the post-Ottoman
century which has recently come to an end. Focusing on the region that would become British Mandate Palestine, the contested
territory at the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict, this course explores it as a territory in the Ottoman Empire, as a religious center, a
destination for pilgrims, visitors and immigrants, as a site of daily life, a site of change, and as a coveted geopolitical asset.

 

Why is there evil in the world

IDS 2935 (17845, 17846, 17847)

Yaniv Feller

Mondays and Wednesdays 4:05-4:55PM and Fridays 11:45AM-12:35PM

Syllabus coming soon

 

Passing: Black, White, and Jewish

JST 3930 (25718), LIT 4930 (26163), AFA 3930 (26334), HBR4930 (18379)

Roy Holler

Tuesdays 1:55-2:45PM and Thursdays 1:55-3:50PM

Syllabus

Aren’t we all passing? We navigate through various identities daily, changing our personalities and donning masks to present ourselves differently from who we are. In some cases, passing between identities help us to align with the demands of a mainstream culture. In others, it grants us access to opportunities and privileges exclusive to a different group. However, some forms of passing are deemed socially acceptable and understandable, while others are considered taboo. This prompts us to question the innate human drive to pass, leading us to wonder: in a world where we all engage in some form of passing, how do we discern when we’ve passed too far?

 

Israeli-Arab Conflict on Stage and Screen

JST 3930 (25737), HBR 4930 (23920), LIT 3400 (26164), SYA 4930 (26394), THE 4930 (27432)

Roy Holler

Tuesdays 11:45AM-1:40PM and Thursdays 12:50-1:40PM

Syllabus

The stage and the cinema have long been venues for fictional and documentary portrayals of the conflict, offering rich, nuanced perspectives that challenge and critique the narratives presented by official state ideologies. Through screenings, readings, and discussions, we will engage with a variety of visual and literary works that interrogate the complex and often contentious relationship between Israelis and Palestinians.

 

Israel and the World

JST 3930 (23756), INR 4931 (23718)

Artur-Or Honig

MWF 10:40-11:30AM TBA

Syllabus

Small states have to conduct themselves in particular ways in world affairs in order to survive and prosper. Yet, studies which look into the factors shaping the diplomatic standing of small states are still lacking given that IR theories have been concerned mostly with great powers. This study will examine the case of Israel. This small state is very often at the centre of world attention. It gets more headlines, and more policy attention from different states and bodies than any other actor which is not an adversarial great power. It is also the USA’s best ally in the vast area between NATO countries and Japan. Given these facts, this course seeks to explain Israel’s evolving relationship with various states and intergovernmental bodies around the world.

 

International Relations of the Middle East

JST 3930 (23757), INR 4931 (23717)

Artur-Or Honig

MWF 12:50-1:40PM

Syllabus

Want to understand the Middle East? We will explore six main issues: 1) The role of extra-regional powers in stabilising 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; 6) why don’t we see liberalism, capitalism or democracy flourishing in most of the region and what are the implications of that for the regional dynamics. No background knowledge is required.

 

Hebrew Scriptures

JST 2930 (25540), REL 2210 (25523), REL 3938 (24037)

Robert Kawashima

MWF 12:50-1:40PM

Syllabus coming soon

 

Representations of War in Literature and Visual Media

JST 3930 (27089), GET3580 (21688), LIT3003 (23851)

Eric Kligerman

TBA

Syllabus coming soon

 

Kafka and Kafkaesque

JST 3930 (27090), GET3930 (18097), LIT4930 (26034)

Eric Kligerman

TBA

Syllabus coming soon

 

Screening the Holocaust

JST 4936 (23298), ANT4930 (27232), ANG6930 (27233)

Jack Kugelmass

TBA

Syllabus coming soon

 

Vampire Cinema

JST 3930 (23193), LIT 4930 (21644)

Dragan Kujundzic

Tuesdays 5:10-6:00PM and Thursdays 5:10-7:05PM

Syllabus coming soon

 

Jewish American Cinema

JST 3930 (23192), LIT 4930 (21645)

Dragan Kujundzic

Tuesdays 3:00-4:55PM and Thursdays 4:05-4:55PM

Syllabus coming soon

 

History of Judaism

JST 3930 (23760), REL 3938 (23841), ANT 3930 (24146)

Howard Lidsky

MWF 9:35-10:25AM

Syllabus coming soon

 

The Other Promised Land

JST 3930 (26565), LAH 3931 (26415)

Raanan Rein

MWF 1:55-2:45PM

Syllabus

This course offers a comprehensive exploration of the history, development, and impact of the Jewish community in Argentina since the mid-19th century to the present day. It will cover the migration waves, integration processes, cultural contributions, anti-Semitism, political involvement, and the relationship between Jewish-Argentines and Israel. Students will engage with primary and secondary sources, including historical documents, literature, and film, to gain a deeper understanding of the Jewish experience in Argentina.

 

Politics of Holocaust Memory

JST 3930 (26088), EUS 3930 (26013)

Esther Romeyn

MWF 12:50-1:40PM

Syllabus coming soon

 

The Dreyfus Affair

JST 3930 (26619), FRW 3930 (26676)

Gayle Zachmann

MWF 12:50-1:40PM

Syllabus coming soon