JUDS 1602: Modern Jewish Problems

Abstract

¶Course Description: This course will deal with a number of different issues that are of current interest in the Jewish community: • The Status of Jerusalem in Christianity, Islam and Judaism • Must I Love Every Jew?: The Status of Non-Observant Jews in Jewish Law and Tradition • The Ethics of Truth Telling in Jewish Law and Tradition • Judaism and General Culture: Meaning and Significance • Commemorating the Holocaust: Yom Hashoah or Tisha B’Av? ¶Goal: To critically examine a series of important issues facing the Jewish community today from intellectual, historical and emotional perspectives. ¶Objectives: Students should be able to reflect critically on these issues. They will be expected to appreciate how a more sophisticated and in-depth understanding of them will enhance their ability to be thoughtful and engaged Jews in a more meaningful way. They will also be expected be able to articulate their ideas on these matters, orally and in writing