RELIGION 214: THE JEWS IN AMERICA
| Ron Kiener |
Spring 2010
|
| McCook 209 |
TTh 1:30, MCEC 270
|
| ext. 2425 |
http://www2.trincoll.edu/~kiener
|
Required texts:
-
Arthur Hertzberg, The Jews in America: Four Centuries of an Uneasy Encounter
- The Cambridge Companion to American Judaism. Ed. by Dana Even Kaplan (referred to in syllabus as CCAJ)
- Philip Roth, Goodbye, Columbus
On reserve: (note — readings on reserve or in a periodical are indicated
by asterisk)
- Jacob Neusner (ed.), Understanding American Judaism: vol. 2
- Marc Lee Raphael (ed.), Jews and Judaism in the United States: A Documentary
History
-
Jonathan Sarna (ed.), The American Jewish Experience (referred to as
TAJE throughout syllabus)
- Marshall Sklare (ed.), American Jews: A Reader
COURSE SCHEDULE
January 25
Course Introduction
UNIT I — THE EARLY HISTORY
A quick overview of Judaism and Jewish History: from Moses to New Amsterdam
January 27 & Feb. 1
a.The Sephardi Period
1. Hertzberg: 5-89
Feb. 3 & 8
b. The German Period
1. Hertzberg: 90-139
2. CCAJ, ch. 1: 23-37
UNIT II — THE EAST EUROPEAN IMMIGRANT WAVE
Feb. 10, 15, 17
1. Hertzberg: 140-224
2. CCAJ, ch. 2: 43-58
3. TAJE: 138-164
4. Bintel Brief
Feb. 22 & 24
The Gates Close
1. Hertzberg: 225-241
2. TAJE: 201-216
3. Raphael, Documentary History: 278-303
Tuesday, March 1 -- Walking Tour of Lower East Side
UNIT III — THE SUBURBANIZATION OF JUDAISM
March 3, 8, 10, 15(first essay due MARCH 8)
1. Hertzberg: 242-321
2. CCAJ, ch. 3: 61-76
*3. TAJE: 294-311
4 . Sklare, Reader: 149-171
UNIT IV — THE COMMUNITY
March 17 & 29
1. Raphael, Documentary History: 163-183
2. Sklare, Reader: 201-242
3. CCAJ, Part II, Section 2 (chs. 9-13): 169-251
4. Philip Roth, in the collection Goodbye Columbus: "Defender of the Faith" (pages 159-200)
UNIT V — SYNAGOGUE/SHUL/TEMPLE
March 31 & April 5
a. Judaism in America
1. CCAJ, Part II, Section 1 (chs. 4-8): 81-165
b. REFORM JUDAISM
*1. Neusner, Understanding American Judaism, volume 2, pp. 5-101
April 7, 12, 14
b. ORTHODOX & CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM
*1. Neusner, Understanding American Judaism, volume 2, pp. 107-299
UNIT VI — IN AMERICAN ARTS
April 21 & 28
1. Roth, Goodbye, Columbus, read "Goodbye, Columbus"; "The Coversion of the Jews"; "Eli, The Fanatic"
2. CCAJ, Part II, Section 4 (chs. 20-22): 345-395
*3. Screening: "Gentleman's Agreement" (1947), directed by Elia Kazan
UNIT VII — IN A DEMOCRACY
May 3 (Second essay due)
1. Hertzberg: 322-376
*2. TAJE: 330-355
3. CCAJ, Part II, Section 3 (chs. 15-19): 271-342