Draft Syllabus for Contract in Judaic Studies

For the additional resources, I've located the first 5 weeks resources and have notations on where to find them via inter-library loan: additional resource guide .
Week Topic Readings Assignment
1 Scripture & Tradition
  • Chapter 1 (textbook)
  • Chapter 1 (readings)
  • Neusner (selections)
  • Introduction to Talmud and Midrash (Stemberger) selections
    1. Ch 1 (pp1-7)
    2. Ch 2 (pp 8-14)
    3. Ch 4 (pp 31-44)
  • On the Quaballah and Its Symbolism (Scholem) selections
    1. Ch 1, 2, 3 (pp 5-117)
Response paper organized on questions p. 73
2 Monotheism
  • Chapter 2 (textbook)
  • Chapter 2 (readings)
  • Judaism's Theological Voice: The Melody of the Talmud (Neusner) selections
    1. Prologue
    2. PP 1-69
  • Choices in Modern Jewish Thought: A Partisan Guide (Borowitz) selections
    1. I don't have this book yet. Request Received. Transaction Number:85897
Response paper organized on questions p 152
3 Authority
  • Chapter 3 (textbook)
  • Chapter 3 (readings)
  • Jewish Identity in Early Rabbinic Writings (Stern) selections
    1. The introduction (pp xiv - xxxix)
    2. Part 1 (pp 1-50)
  • Hasidism: Between Ecstasy and Magic (Idel) selections
    1. This book is online and I cannot access it from home. I'll update this reading on Thursday. It's probably always good to at least read the intro and the first chapter. To access it go to http://www.netlibrary.com You may need to create a user account. Check in at the reference desk at the library.
      1. Go to the main library page
      2. Select the E-books link
      3. Select the Net Library link
      4. Login
      5. Search for Hasidism: Between Ecstasy and Magic (and then add to your book list for later access)
      Read the introduction and the first chapter.
Response paper organized on questions p 210. OR back up a little: summarize the main points of the sections you read from Neusner's "Judaism's Theological Voice" and the sections that you read from the "Quaballah and its Symbolism". Is there a correspondence between these two? If you were able to read the Hasidism online text, where does it fit?
4 Worship and Ritual
  • Chapter 4 (textbook)
  • Chapter 4 (readings)
  • Beyond the Text: A Holistic Approach to Liturgy (Hoffman) selections
  • Studies in Jewish Prayer (Zahavy) selections
Response paper organized on questions p 274
5 Synthesis week Review material read so far, propose a midterm paper topic generated by your thoughts on the readings 3-5 p paper
6 Ethics
  • Chapter 5 (textbook)
  • Chapter 5 (readings)
  • A Philosophy of Mizvot: The Religious-Ethical Concept of Judaism, ... (Appel) selections
  • Contemporary Jewish Ethics and Morality (Dorff and Newman) selections
  • Beyond the Verse: Talmudic Readings and Lectures (Levinas) selections
  • Pirke Avot (primary source) selections
Response paper, questions p 339
7 Material Culture
  • Chapter 6 (textbook)
  • Jewish life in the Middle Ages (Metzger) selections
  • The Golden Tradition (Dawidowicz) selections
  • Tradition and Crisis (Katz) selections
Response paper, questions p 417
8 Religion and the Political Order
  • Chapter 7 (textbook)
  • Chapter 6 (reasdings)
  • The Zionist Idea: A Historical Analysis and Reader (Hertzberg)
Response paper, questions p 480
9-10 Synthesis paper Form the central question of your study. If it is 'How is the Jewish religion, Jewish thought and experience relevant to me?' identify what parts of your life and experience you think may be central and then use what you've learned about Judaism to see how it can add to/enrich/inform you. OR if your question has changed over the quarter, form your new question. You should present your paper topic by the end of week 8.

Your paper should conform to standard expectations about a synthesis paper ( a good description by Sandra Jamieson of Drew University A discussion of some of the expectations of college level writing may be found in this description of Expos 10, an expository writing class at Harvard that directly addresses the expectations of college level writing. Here is the goal designs for the expository writing class: 

The course is designed to give students experience in the kinds of assignments they'll find in their classes here, and it emphasizes analytical writing: reading closely and analyzing texts; using evidence; questioning and engaging with sources; developing ideas and structuring arguments; and communicating those ideas to readers in clear, effective prose.
Note that this contract is not a writing class, and the expectation is that you are able to write analytical and syntethesis essays. Because this final paper is intended to demonstrate how your studies have influenced your thinking, you should use textual material from your readings to either support your opinions or show in what way and why you differ. 		5-8 p paper
Possible paragraph to describe this contract: This contract is a broad introduction to Judaism and Jewish thought as it has evolved from its historical beginnings to the present day. Topics covered include the role of scripture and tradition, the development of monotheism, where the central authority of the religion lies, the role of worship and ritual, Jewish ethical traditions, and the relationship of the religion to politics. Each week will cover one organizing theme (from a textbook) with associated readings. A response paper (2-3 pp) to study questions is expected each week, as well as two longer synthesis papers. The texts used are: Students are expected to meet weekly to discuss the readings and the study questions. Response papers are due at the end of each week. Students will meet with the sponsor once a week to present their response papers and discuss questions.