Religious Studies 147 Fall, 2003
Introduction to Judaism

Mr. Avery-Peck Class: T, R, 11:00-12:15
Office: 405 Smith

e-mail: aavery

Office Hours: T, Th, 9:45-10:45; T, Th, 1:15-2:15, or by appointment
Phone: X-3411

Description: What do Jews believe and what rituals do they practice? What is the history of the religion, Judaism? How do Jews today comprehend their place within that history and define their connection to Jewish cultural and religious identities? Answering these questions entails gaining a complete understanding of the ancient and modern forms of the Jewish faith. It also means recognizing the extent of the interplay between religious life and the historical and cultural frameworks within which that life evolves. The Jews and Judaism, that is, illustrate the ways in which what happens to people through history affects their formulation of their religion and shapes how they think about themselves and the world. By the end of the semester, accordingly, besides knowing a great deal about Jews and Judaism, we will understand the social construction of religion in general and recognize the specific roles that religious practices and ideas play in the formulation of a people’s evolving sense of identity, meaning, and purpose.
To accomplish our primary goal of learning about Jewish religious thought and ritual practice, we study the religious ideologies developed by Jews from biblical times until the present (units II, IV), paying special attention to the forms of Judaism practiced in contemporary America. Our middle unit (III) depicts how the foundational ideas of Judaism are expressed in Jewish home life and in synagogue ritual and holiday observance.

Requirements: 1) Reading of all assignments by the date on which they are to be discussed.
2) Class participation, which accounts for 10% of your grade.
3) Three papers, each about six pages long

1. Covering Unit II (The Foundations of Judaism), due in class on Tuesday, October 21.
2. Covering Unit III (Classical Jewish Practice), due in class on Thursday, November 20.
3. Covering Unit IV (Judaism and the Modern World), due in class on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

Specific topics are up to the student but should be determined in consultation with the instructor. Students may choose to rewrite the first paper (rewrite due Thursday, November 6). Only the grade on the rewrite will be recorded. Each of the three papers counts for 20% of your final grade.

4) A final examination, given at the time assigned by the registrar, worth 30% of the grade.

Books for Purchase:
Greenberg, Irving, The Jewish Way
Meyer, Michael, The Origins of the Modern Jew
Neusner, Jacob, and A. Avery-Peck, The Blackwell Companion to Judaism
Neusner, Jacob, There We Sat Down
Wertheimer, Jack, A People Divided: Judaism in Contemporary America

Available on the Course Web Page
Jacob Staub, “Reconstructionist Judaism,” The Encyclopaedia of Judaism

Photocopied Selections, on E-Res:
Avery-Peck, Alan J., “Judaism without the Temple: The Mishnah,” in H. Attridge and G. Hata, eds., Eusebius, Christianity, and Judaism
Kaplan, Dana, Contemporary Debates in American Reform

I. What Is Religion, What Is Judaism?
September 4 Introduction: What Is Religion, What Is Judaism?
Reading: Blackwell Companion, pp. 4-19

II. The Foundations of Judaism
September 9 Biblical Foundations: The Idea of Covenant
Reading: Genesis 1-22
Exodus 1-20
Leviticus 17-26
Blackwell Companion, pp. 20-36

Sept. 11, 16 Biblical Foundations: Messianism, Universalism, and Ethics
Reading: Amos
Isaiah 41-45
Ecclesiastes or Proverbs
Blackwell Companion, pp.247-267

Sept. 18 Post-Biblical Judaism
Reading: Blackwell Companion, pp. 58-77

Sept. 23, 25 The Formation of Rabbinic Judaism
Reading: Blackwell Companion, pp. 78-111, 193-211
Avery-Peck, “Judaism without the Temple: The Mishnah”

Sept. 30, Oct. 2 Judaism in the Time of the Talmuds
Reading: Blackwell Companion, pp. 112-130, 212-229
Neusner, There We Sat Down

III. Classical Jewish Practice
October 7 The Life of Torah
Reading: Blackwell Companion, pp. 131-141, 141-161, 181-190

October 9 The Sabbath
Reading: Greenberg, The Jewish Way, pp. 121-181

October 14 No Classes (Columbus Day Holiday)

October 16, 21 The Pilgrimage Festivals (October 21: Paper #1 due)
Reading: Greenberg, The Jewish Way, pp. 15-118

Oct. 23, 28 The High Holidays
Reading: Greenberg, The Jewish Way, pp. 182-215

IV. Judaism and the Modern World
October 30 Movie Day

November 4 The Threshold of Modernity: The Enlightenment
Reading: Meyer, The Origins of the Modern Jew, pp. 8-56
November 6 The Threshold of Modernity: Early Modern Judaisms (Nov. 6: Rewrite due)
Reading: Meyer, The Origins of the Modern Jew, pp. 85-143

November 11 Judaism and Religion in Contemporary America
Reading: Wertheimer, A People Divided, pp. 3-91

November 13 American Judaism: Reform
Reading: Wertheimer, A People Divided, pp. 95-113
Blackwell Companion, pp. 291-310

November 18 American Judaism: Orthodox
Reading: Wertheimer, A People Divided, pp. 114-136
Blackwell Companion, pp. 311-333

Nov. 20 American Judaism: Conservative Judaism (November 20: Paper #2 due)
Reading: Wertheimer, A People Divided, pp. 137-184
Blackwell Companion, pp.334-353
Staub, “Reconstructionst Judaism” (optional)

November 25 Issues in American Judaism, New Age Judaisms
Reading: Blackwell Companion, pp. 354-370
Kaplan, Contemporary Debates, pp. 131-167

November 27 Thanksgiving

December 2 Gender Issues in Contemporary Judaism
Reading: Blackwell Companion, pp. 393-414
Kaplan, Contemporary Debates, pp. 171-206

V. Conclusions
December 4 Catch up, Review, Movie Day

December 9 The Future of Judaism (December 9: Paper #3 due)
Reading: Wertheimer, A People Divided, pp. 185-196
Kaplan, Contemporary Debates, pp. 209-253