Jewish Courses

RELS 100: Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
An analysis of the religions of the West: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course.

RELS 204W/MJIS 204W: The Stories of Judaism (W)
This course introduces students to the beliefs and practices of Judaism and the experiences of Jews in history through the lens of scriptural and literary narratives. The course surveys biblical narratives, Rabbinic and Hasidic stories, and modern works by writers such as Sholem Aleichem, Franz Kafka, Isaac Babel, S. Y. Agnon, and Cynthia Ozick. 3 hours discussion. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved US Diversity course.

RELS 205/MJIS 205: Antisemitism and Islamophobia
This course traces the interrelated historical development of anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim persecution. It explores accusations against Jews arising in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome as well as under Christian and Muslim rule, together with the development of modern racial theories about Jews, political forms of anti-Jewish hatred, the Holocaust, and enduring myths of Jewish conspiracies. It also investigates the idea of a "clash of civilizations," the impact of the Crusades, colonialism, and Islamic resurgence, and the treatment and persecution of Muslim minorities in Western Europe, Russia, Bosnia, China, Israel, Myanmar, India, and the United States. 3 hours discussion. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved US Diversity course.