Ira Chernus  
PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER

 

 

SYLLABUS

 

RLST 3100                                                                      Prof. Ira Chernus

JUDAISM                                                                         Fall, 2005

 

Lecture (Section 010):  Monday and Wednesday 1:00 - 1:50, Hellems 199                          

Recitations:

            Section 011: Ira Chernus, Thursday 3:30 - 4:50, Hellems 263

            Section 012: Amanda Beyer, Wednesday 2:00 - 2:50, Ekeley E1B75

            Section 013: P.J. Trask, Wednesday 2:00 - 2:50, Hellems 255

Please be sure you are registered for BOTH lecture and a recitation.

 

INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE

This course has two aims:

1.  The course will provide a basic introduction to the historical development of Judaism from its beginnings to the present day.  We will focus on the religious experiences, worldviews, beliefs, behaviors, and symbols of the Jewish tradition, and on the historical forces--cultural, political, social, and economic--that have shaped Judaism.  The course does not aim to reinforce or to change the student's feelings about Judaism, Jewish identity, or the Jewish people.  It does aim to provide, as objectively as possible, a detailed understanding of the history of Judaism.

2.  The course will also use the study of Judaism as a way to understand the historical context of contemporary U.S. society and culture.  We will analyze how various parts of the Jewish tradition directly or indirectly influenced the development of U.S. culture.  From time to time we will discuss questions raised by the history of Judaism that are still important to us today.  In these ways we will make our study of Judaism relevant to our own lives. 

 

READINGS

 

The following books will form the required reading for the course:

 

Jacob NEUSNER,  A Short History of Judaism

S. Daniel BRESLAUER, Understanding Judaism Through History

William DOORLY,  The Religion of Israel:  A Short History

Elie WIESEL, Night

The  BIBLE  (in a modern translation; e.g., New Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, New Jewish Version, New American Bible, New International Version; avoid King James Version and Authorized Version)

This syllabus and other information pertinent to the course can be found online at: http://www.colorado.edu/ReligiousStudies/chernus/3100/index.html

You will learn a lot from reading original source texts in Phillip S. Alexander, Textual Sources for the Study of Judaism (page numbers in parentheses on syllabus).  For more historical detail on any subject consult Robert Seltzer, Jewish People, Jewish Thought.  Both of these, and all the required readings, will be on reserve in Norlin library.
SCHEDULE OF READING ASSIGNMENTS

 

This syllabus covers readings for the first half of the course. A supplementary syllabus will be distributed later in the semester. 

Assignments are week by week.  Please have the reading done by the time you go to recitation each week.  All assignments are by page number except in the Bible, where assignments are by book and chapter number.

 

          I. BIBLICAL JUDAISM BEFORE THE EXILE (10th - 7th cent. BCE)

 

Aug. 22 – 25  — BRESLAUER 1-11; NEUSNER 1-10; DOORLY 1-11, 18-65; BIBLE: Exodus 15; Judges 4, 5; I Samuel 5,6; Psalms 2,6,42,43,93,99

 

Aug. 29 – Sept. 1 — DOORLY 66-143; NEUSNER 17-21; BIBLE: Proverbs 16, 22; I Kings 17, 18; Amos 5, 8; Hosea 1-4; Isaiah 1, 2, 6, 10

           

Sept. 5 - 8 —BRESLAUER 26-30; NEUSNER 21-35; DOORLY 143-160, 12-17; BIBLE: Deuteronomy 6,9,11,12,14, Jeremiah 20,30

(Note: Monday, September 5, Labor Day: no lecture)

            II. FROM THE EXILE TO HELLENISM (6th - 1st cent. BCE)

 

Sept. 12 - 15 —DOORLY 163-196; BIBLE: Genesis 12, 15, 22; Exodus 14, 19, 20; Job 1-3,8,9,23,38-42, Ezekiel 36,37, Isaiah 40,45,49

 

Sept. 19 - 22 — NEUSNER 35-47; BRESLAUER 30-50; BIBLE: Haggai 1, Nehemiah 8,

Ezra 9,10, Ecclesiastes 1-3, Daniel 6,7,12

 

            III. RABBINIC JUDAISM (1st - 6th cent. )

 

Sept. 26 - 29 — BRESLAUER 54-79; NEUSNER 51-83, 216-224 (Alexander: 1-6,16-18,57-68,95-98)

 

Oct. 3 - 6 —BRESLAUER 11-23, 51-52; NEUSNER 84-139 (Alexander: 6-14,26-29,68-90,116-125)

 

            IV. MEDIEVAL JUDAISM  (7th - 18th cent. )

 

Oct. 10 – 13 — BRESLAUER 82-88, 107-110; NEUSNER 140-145, 155-160 (Alexander: 20-26,49-middle 51,98-100,105-116,171-176)

 

Oct. 17 - 20 —  BRESLAUER 88-105; NEUSNER 146-155, 161-164 (Alexander: 15-16,30-33,90-95,125-132)

 

SYLLABUS: PART II

 

In addition to the books listed on the original syllabus, we will read:

Hilary RUBINSTEIN, et al., The Jews in the Modern World: A History Since 1750 (Arnold Publishers and Oxford University Press)

V. THE RISE OF MODERN JUDAISM  (18th & 19th cent.)

Oct. 24 - 27 — BRESLAUER 118- middle of 128; NEUSNER 164-182; RUBINSTEIN 14-42, 110-122; (Alexander: 33-44,132-136,143-155,176-178)

                                                   

Oct. 31 - Nov. 3 — BRESLAUER 128-135, 144-148; NEUSNER 182-192; RUBINSTEIN 45-62, 245-250, 87-108

Nov. 7 - 10 — BRESLAUER 135-144, 169-172; NEUSNER 192-201; RUBINSTEIN  64-85, 123-126, 303- top of 328

            VI. 20TH CENTURY JUDAISM

Nov. 14 - 17 — RUBINSTEIN 129-131, 204-231, 405-408; WIESEL, Night (all) 

Nov. 21 — BRESLAUER 154-164; RUBINSTEIN 273-300;

(Note: Tues. Nov. 22 is Thursday schedule: recitation 011 has class; no class on Wed. Nov. 23)

Nov. 28 - Dec. 1 — BRESLAUER 148-151, 165-169, 173-175; NEUSNER 202-215;  RUBINSTEIN 250-269, 328-362

Dec. 5 - 8 — RUBINSTEIN 363-411; BRESLAUER 175-179

 

EVALUATION

Your grade in this course will be based primarily on two take-home essay exams.  The first exam will cover material studied through October 6.  It will be due in recitation on October 12 / 13.  The second exam will cover material studied from October 10 through the end of the term.  It will be due on December 9.  There will be NO in-class exams and NO in-class final exam. You can improve your grade by good participation in class discussions.

OFFICE HOURS

Ira Chernus:  Monday and Thursday, 2:00 - 3:00, or by appointment, in HUMN 284

phone: 492-6169; email: chernus@colorado.edu       

 

Teachings Assistants will announce their office hours in the first recitation.

 

We encourage you to talk with any us about anything related to the course, including suggestions for improving the course.  The more each of us puts into this class, the more we’ll get out of it. If you need any special accommodations to enhance your learning in this course, we will be glad to discuss that with you.
KEY DATES IN THE HISTORY OF ANCIENT ISRAEL

c. 1000:  Monarchy begins:  David becomes king, succeeded by his son Solomon

922: Dual Monarchy begins: northern kingdom of Israel secedes; David’s descendants rule over southern kingdom of Judah;

722:  Israel destroyed by Assyrians; population dispersed

586:  Judah and Jerusalem temple destroyed by Babylonians; population exiled

539:  exiles allowed to return to Judah; Judah province of Persian empire

515:  Jerusalem temple rebuilt

333:   Judah conquered by Greeks under Alexander the Great

167 – 152:  Maccabeean war leads to independent state of Judah

64:     Romans establish de facto control over Judah

66 – 70  CE (AD):  Jews rebel against Rome; Jerusalem temple and last vestiges of Jewish independence destroyed; all land of Israel becomes Roman province of Palastina

 

 

THE BOOKS OF THE HEBREW BIBLE  (TANAKH; OLD TESTAMENT)

 

5 BOOKS OF MOSES (Torah; Pentateuch)

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

            (the 4 books above possibly based on 3 earlier documents, interwoven:  J, E, P)

Deuteronomy

 

DEUTERONOMIC HISTORY

Joshua

Judges

I & II Samuel

I & II Kings

 

PROPHETS (Nevi’im)

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

12 minor prophets (including Amos, Hosea, Haggai, Joel, Jonah)

 

WRITINGS (K’tuvim)

Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel

Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles