This is an archived copy of the 2014-2015 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.uoregon.edu.

Judaic Studies

uoregon.edu/~jdst

Deborah A. Green, Program Director
541-346-5288
837 Prince Lucien Campbell Hall
5273 University of Oregon
Eugene OR 97403-5273

The interdisciplinary Harold Schnitzer Family Program in Judaic Studies provides a comprehensive undergraduate curriculum in the history, religion, and cultural traditions of the Jewish people and offers instruction in biblical Hebrew language and literature. The program offers a major leading to a bachelor of arts (BA) degree and a minor. It sponsors courses, lectures, and other events of interest to the general student population and the wider community.

Faculty

Judith R. Baskin, Philip H. Knight Professor (Judaic studies). BA, 1971, Antioch; PhD, 1976, Yale. (2000)

Federica Francesconi, visiting assistant professor. BA, MA, 1998, Bologna; PhD, 2007, Haifa. (2010)

Deborah A. Green, Greenberg Associate Professor of Hebrew Language and Literature. BA, 1984, Brandeis; MA, 1997, PhD, 2003, Chicago. (2003)

The date in parentheses at the end of each entry is the first year on the University of Oregon faculty.

Executive Committee

Monique Balbuena, honors college

Judith R. Baskin (ex officio), Judaic studies

Maram Epstein, East Asian languages and literatures

Daniel K. Falk, religious studies

Deborah A. Green (chair), Judaic studies

Gina Herrmann, Romance languages

Jeffrey S. Librett, German and Scandinavian

David M. Luebke, history

David Wacks, Romance languages

Participating

Michael G. Aronson, English

Monique Balbuena, honors college

Diane B. Baxter, anthropology

Shaul E. Cohen, geography

David A. Frank, honors college

Lisa Freinkel, English

Marion Sherman Goldman, sociology

Evlyn Gould, Romance languages

D. Gantt Gurley, German and Scandinavian

Kenneth I. Helphand, landscape architecture

Gina Herrmann, Romance languages

Jeffrey S. Librett, German and Scandinavian

Jack P. Maddex, history

Judith Raiskin, women’s and gender studies

Steven Shankman, English

Carol T. Silverman, anthropology

David Wacks, Romance languages

Mary E. Wood, English

Naomi Zack, philosophy

Undergraduate Studies

The Judaic studies program consists of core courses taught under the HBRW, JDST, and REL subject codes and related courses taught in the disciplines of participating faculty members—anthropology, art history, English, geography, German and Scandinavian, history, landscape architecture, music, philosophy, political science, religious studies, Romance languages, sociology, and women’s and gender studies.

The focus on central issues in the humanities and the history of Western culture provides a liberal-arts background suitable to careers in a range of professional fields and prepares students for graduate work in Judaic studies or related fields.

Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements

Lower-Division Requirements
HBRW 111–113Biblical Hebrew I-III12
REL 211Early Judaism4
JDST 212Medieval and Early Modern Judaism4
JDST 213The Jewish Encounter with Modernity4
REL 222Introduction to the Bible I4
Upper-Division Requirements
Select three of the following:12
Biblical Narrative
Biblical Poetry
Postbiblical Literature
Special Studies: [Topic]
Course in American Jewish experience4
Six approved elective courses 124
Total Credits68
1

Courses must focus on significant issues in Judaic studies from the perspective of the instructor’s academic discipline. See Electives table for a list of recently offered courses.

Electives

ENG 340Jewish Writers4
ENG 380Film, Media, and History4
GER 368Themes in German Literature4
HIST 358American Jewish History4
HIST 428Europe in the 20th Century: [Topic]4
JDST 220Introduction to Judaism4
JDST 320MHistory of Jewish Art4
JDST 324Jewish-Christian Relations through the Ages4
JDST 330American Jewish Cultures4
JDST 340Israelis and Palestinians4
PHIL 320Philosophy of Religion4
REL 318Women in Judaism4
SOC 461Sociology of Religion4

 A list of approved courses is available from the program director preceding each term; it also appears in the online class schedule and the program website.

Honors in Judaic Studies

A degree with honors in Judaic studies requires the following:

  1. Satisfaction of the requirements of the major
  2. A cumulative grade point average of 3.50 in courses taken to satisfy the major requirements
  3. Satisfactory completion of an honors thesis

The candidate for honors must register for 4 credits in Research: [Topic] (JDST 401) winter term of the senior year in order to prepare for writing the thesis, and for 4 credits in Thesis (JDST 403) spring term for its completion. A faculty committee of two supervises the project. A first draft of the thesis must be submitted six weeks before the end of the term in which the student expects to graduate and the final draft two weeks before the end of the term.

Minor in Judaic Studies

Lower-Division Requirements
REL 211Early Judaism4
JDST 212Medieval and Early Modern Judaism4
JDST 213The Jewish Encounter with Modernity4
Upper-Division Requirements
Four courses including one about the American Jewish experience 116
Total Credits28
1

As many as 4 credits in Internship: [Topic] (JDST 404) or Practicum: [Topic] (JDST 409) or Practicum: [Topic] (HBRW 409) may be used to satisfy minor requirements.

Students are encouraged to establish a broad context for the Judaic studies minor by taking courses in some area of Western history and culture—e.g., Western Civilization (HIST 101–103) or courses in religious studies, art history, philosophy, or a combination thereof.

Courses

HBRW 111. Biblical Hebrew I. 4 Credits.

Prepares students to read biblical and postbiblical Hebrew texts. Emphasis on classical Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax.

HBRW 112. Biblical Hebrew II. 4 Credits.

Prepares students to read biblical and postbiblical Hebrew texts. Emphasis on classical Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax.
Prereq: HBRW 111.

HBRW 113. Biblical Hebrew III. 4 Credits.

Prepares students to read biblical and postbiblical Hebrew texts. Emphasis on classical Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax.
Prereq: HBRW 112.

HBRW 199. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 311. Biblical Narrative. 4 Credits.

Readings in extended narrative prose passages from the Hebrew Bible; emphasis on reading, translation, vocabulary formation, and Hebrew syntax. Taught in Hebrew. Repeatable twice when topic changes.
Prereq: HBRW 113 or equivalent.

HBRW 312. Biblical Poetry. 4 Credits.

Readings in poetic passages from the Hebrew Bible; focus on reading, translation, vocabulary formation, Hebrew syntax, and biblical poetics. Taught in Hebrew. Repeatable twice when topic changes.
Prereq: HBRW 113 or equivalent.

HBRW 313. Postbiblical Literature. 4 Credits.

Readings in postbiblical Hebrew texts of various genres from late antiquity and the Middle Ages, including legal writings, narratives, and poetry. Taught in Hebrew. Repeatable twice when topic changes.
Prereq: HBRW 113 or equivalent.

HBRW 399. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 401. Research: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 402. Supervised College Teaching. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 403. Thesis. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 404. Internship: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 405. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 406. Special Problems: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 407. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 408. Colloquium: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 409. Practicum: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 410. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

HBRW 605. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable.

Courses

JDST 199. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 212. Medieval and Early Modern Judaism. 4 Credits.

Interdisciplinary introduction to Jewish life, literature, religion, culture, and thought in the Middle Ages and early modern times in both Muslim and Christian environments.

JDST 213. The Jewish Encounter with Modernity. 4 Credits.

Survey of Jewish encounters with modernity outside the Americas from 1700 to 1948; concentrates on transformations in political status, national identity, Jewish culture, and religious self-definition.

JDST 220. Introduction to Judaism. 4 Credits.

Covers the core elements of Judaism including key rituals, practices, beliefs, and historical events.

JDST 320M. History of Jewish Art. 4 Credits.

Survey of Jewish art from antiquity to the present; concentrates on synagogues, ceremonial art, manuscripts, and modern artists and cities. Multilisted with ARH 320M.

JDST 324. Jewish-Christian Relations through the Ages. 4 Credits.

Study of Jewish-Christian relations from antiquity to the present; concentrates on theological stances, social and political issues, and popular attitudes.

JDST 330. American Jewish Cultures. 4 Credits.

American Jewish culture, ritual, identity, institutions from 1880s to the present. Examines pluralism within American Jewish community and relationships with other religious and ethnic groups.

JDST 340. Israelis and Palestinians. 4 Credits.

Examines political struggle between Israelis and Palestinians over past century and related human, societal, and cultural issues. Explores contemporary attempts at resolution.

JDST 399. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 401. Research: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 402. Supervised College Teaching. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 403. Thesis. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 404. Internship: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 405. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 406. Special Problems: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 407. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 408. Colloquium: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 409. Practicum: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 410. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 510. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

JDST 605. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable.