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JEWISH CULTURAL HISTORY
Hebrew/Jewish/Religious Studies 377
Instructor: William A. Tooman Office: Van Hise 1340
Time: 1:00-2:15 P.M. Email: wtooman@edgewood.edu
Office Hours: 11:00-12:00 T, Th Final: May 10, 12:25
Course Description
This course focuses on the political, social, and religious history of the Jews from the times of Biblical origins through the early Medieval period (to about 1000 CE). Through lectures, readings, and discussion, students will gain an understanding of how Jewish cultural identity originated and developed through contact with other cultures.
Course Goals and Objectives
• This class has four basic goals:
(1) To learn the basic history of Judaism from its origins to the Medieval period (c. 1000 C.E.)
(2) To identify and explore some of the major religious and social transformations experienced by Jewish communities during this period.
(3) To learn to recognize and interpret some of the influences of other religions and cultures on Judaism.
(4) To examine and interpret a sampling of key primary sources related to our topic.
• These goals will be met in the following ways:
(1) Lectures – Lectures are designed to make the basic events and issues related to each period as clear as possible. Good note-taking is key to your success in this class.
(2) Reading Exercises – We will occasionally conduct participatory reading exercises of primary sources. These exercises serve to clarify our understanding of some of the major social and religious changes occurring in each historical period.
(2) Text Book Readings – The primary text-book (Seltzer) was selected to supplement and reinforce classroom instruction.
(3) Exams – Both of the mid-term exams and the final exam are largely essay exams. They will include material from the lectures and text-book readings.
(4) Project Paper – Each student will write a project paper on a subject of their interest.
• Text Books:
Robert M. Seltzer, Jewish People, Jewish Thought: The Jewish Experience in History, (New York: Prentice Hall, 1980).
Students will also need to have access to an English Bible with Apocrypha. If you do not own one, there are many copies available in the libraries and on-line.
Assignments and Grades
• Exams (50%)
There are two exams, a midterm (25%) and a final (25%). The exams are comprised largely (but not entirely) of essay questions. They will cover the following material:
(1) You will be asked for short descriptions, definitions, or dates for major ideas, movements, persons, or events.
(2) You may be asked to write an essay (or essays) on any of the following:
(a) The historical framework of a period or issue.
(b) The social and cultural environment of a particular Jewish community in a particular period.
(c) A social or religious transformation in the Jewish community in a particular historical context.
(d) You may be asked to explain a primary source text examined in lecture.
Exams are not cumulative.
• Special Lecture & Report (5%)
In place of our regular lecture on March 7 students will attend one of the following lectures on campus:
• March 6 M. Satlow, "Peoples of the Land: Jewish Piety in Late Antiquity," and M. Saperstein, "The Sermon's of Spinoza's Rabbi" (7:30-9:00 p.m., Pyle Vandeborg Auditorium)
• April 2 E. Ulrich, "Impact of the Dead Sea Scrolls on Our Bible," and J. VanderKam "The Dead Sea Scrolls and Early Judaism" (3:00-4:30 p.m., Pyle Vandeberg Auditorium)
• April 3 L. Greenspoon, "Interpreting the Word . . . 50 Years of Biblical Studies," and B. Zuckerman, "How Modern Technologies are Unlocking Ancient Texts from Biblical Times" (7:30-9:00 p.m., Pyle Vandeberg Auditorium)
• April 4 H. Naveh, "Home and Away: Places and Spaces in Hebrew Literature" (7:30 p.m., Pyle Vandborg Auditorium).
Students are expected to write a 2 page report on the lecture, due on April 6.
• Discussion & Participation (25%)
Participation in a discussion section is required (25%). Your TAs will provide additional guidelines.
• Textbook Readings
Students are expected to keep up with textbook readings. If I or the TAs detect that this is not happening, we may give pop quizzes (factored into your grade appropriately).
• Paper (20%)
Students will write a paper (double spaced) on one of the following:
(1) Academic Book Review – Students may write a review of an academic book on a topic related to the course. Books must be approved by the TAs. (8 pp.)
(2) Literary Book Review – Students may write a literary review of a novel or work of travel literature that is prominently concerned with Jewish culture. Books must be approved by the TAs. (10 pp.)
(3) Research Paper – Students may write a research paper on a narrow topic related to a period, community or cultural aspect of Jewish history. Topics must be approved by the TAs. (8 pp.)
Requirements for the papers will be distributed in discussion sections.
(1) Students need to select their book or topic and have it approved by their TA by March 9 (10 points).
(2) The paper is due on April 20 (70 points).
Writing quality will be considered in grading the paper (up to 20%). No points are awarded for late project approval. Project papers may not be turned in after the end of class on May 2.
Grading Summary and Scale
TOTAL POINTS GRADE SCALE
• 2 Exams 200 points 94-100 A
• Paper 80 points 88-93 AB
• Special Lecture Report 20 points 82-87 B
• Discussion Section 100 points 76-81 BC
69-75 C
Total 400 points 63-68 CD
57-62 D
Class Schedule ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
The following is a schedule of topics for each week of the semester. This schedule may change as the semester progresses.
• January 17 Introduction – What? Why? How?
Seltzer, 7-12
Unit I – Ancient Israel
• January 19 History & Tradition; Cosmos (Biblical World View)
Seltzer, 12-15, 51-54; Genesis 1-11
• January 24 Origins in History & Tradition (Patriarchs in Context)
Seltzer, 15-21, 55-59; Genesis 25-35
• January 26 Moses in History & Tradition (Birth of the Nation)
Seltzer, 59-66; Exodus 1-15
• January 31 Sacred Texts & Community (Covenant, Law, Self-Identity) «
Seltzer, 66-77; Exodus 19-24
• February 2 Settlement and Monarchy in History & Tradition
Seltzer, 21-32, 119-126; 1 Kings 1-9
• February 7 Ritual Space (Temple) «
Exodus 25-28; I Kings 5-9
Unit II – Second Temple Judaism
• February 9 Persian Yehud; Ritual Space (Synagogue)
Seltzer, 112-117, 126-43; Ezra 1-10
• February 14 Hellenistic Palestine «
Seltzer, 117-119, 155-62; I Maccabees 1-4
• February 16 Hellenistic Diaspora
Seltzer, 171-78, 143-55, 195-213.
• February 21 Sacred Texts (Bible)
• February 23 Cosmos & Community
Seltzer, 224-31
• February 28 Roman Palestine & Roman Diaspora
Seltzer, 178-94; 213-225
• March 2 Christianity Emerges
Seltzer, 231-47, 254-56
• March 7 Special Lecture (see above)
• March 9 Mid-Term Exam, Paper Topic Approval Date
• March 11-19 Spring Break
Unit III – Rabbinic Judaism
• March 21 Judaism in Palestine & Babylon
Seltzer, 243-54, 256-60
• March 23 Judaism in Byzantium
Seltzer, 350-51
• March 28 Sacred Texts (Mishna & Talmud)
Seltzer, 260-67, 270-78
• March 30 Cosmos & Community
Seltzer, 281-310.
• April 4 Ritual Space (Home)
• April 6 Judaism the Formative Period of Islam, Report on Special Lecture Due
Seltzer, 323-334
Unit IV – Medieval Judaism
• April 11 The Rise of Islam
Seltzer, 334-42, 373-81
• April 13 Passover (no class)
• April 18 Judaism in Medieval Sepharad
Seltzer, 342-345, 354-59
• April 20 Judaism in Medieval Sepharad, Papers Due
Seltzer, 382-408, 364-72
• April 25 Judaism in Medieval Ashkenaz
Seltzer, 350-53, 355-64
• April 27 Cosmos & Community
Seltzer, 382-86, 393-408
• May 2 Sacred Texts (Zohar)
Seltzer, 419-46.
• May 4 Course Conclusion
• Final Exam – Wednesday, May 10, 12:25
Academic Honesty Policy
The following are examples of violations of standards for academic honesty and are subject to academic sanctions: cheating on exams, submitting collaborative work as one’s own, falsifying records, achievements, or other course work, stealing examinations or course materials, submitting work previously submitted in another course (unless specifically approved by the instructor), falsifying documents or signing an instructor’s or administrator’s name to any document or form, plagiarism, or aiding another student in any of these actions.
Cheating on exams or assignments will result in zero points for that assignment or test. (Note that this is a considerably worse grade than an F.)
Regarding plagiarism in this course,
students are expected to cite all sources, written or
otherwise, failure to do so will result in grade reduction or no credit.