RELIGION 214: THE JEWS IN AMERICA
| Ron Kiener |
Spring 2009
|
| McCook 206 |
TTh 1:30, LSC 134
|
| ext. 2425 |
http://www2.trincoll.edu/~kiener
|
Required texts:
-
Arthur Hertzberg, The Jews in America: Four Centuries of an Uneasy Encounter
- Jonathan Sarna, American Judaism: A History
- Samuel Heilman, Portrait of American Jews: The Last Half of the 20th Century
- 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
- Marc Lee Raphael (ed.), Understanding American Jewish Philanthropy
-
Jonathan Sarna (ed.), The American Jewish Experience (referred to as
TAJE throughout syllabus)
- Marshall Sklare (ed.), American Jews: A Reader
COURSE SCHEDULE
Week 1
Course Introduction
UNIT I — THE EARLY HISTORY
A quick overview of Judaism and Jewish History: from Moses to New Amsterdam
Week 2
a.The Sephardi Period
1. Hertzberg: 5-89
2. Sarna: 1-61
b. The German Period
1. Hertzberg: 90-139
2. Sarna: 62-134
UNIT II — THE EAST EUROPEAN IMMIGRANT WAVE
Weeks 3 & 4
1. Hertzberg: 140-224
2. Sarna: 135-207
3. TAJE: 138-164
4. Bintel Brief
Week 5
The Gates Close
1. Hertzberg: 225-241
2. TAJE: 201-216
3. Raphael, Documentary History: 278-303
Thursday, February 26 -- Walking Tour of Lower East Side
UNIT III — THE SUBURBANIZATION OF JUDAISM
Weeks 6 & 7 (first essay due MARCH 5)
1. Hertzberg: 242-321
2. Sarna: 208-355
3. Heilman: 8-46
*4. TAJE: 294-311
5. Sklare, Reader: 149-171
UNIT IV — THE COMMUNITY
Week 8
1. Raphael, Documentary History: 163-183
2. Sklare, Reader: 201-242
*3. Raphael, Understanding American Jewish Philanthropy:33-67;
153-163
4. Heilman: 47-100
UNIT V — SYNAGOGUE/SHUL/TEMPLE
Week 9
?????
REFORM JUDAISM
*1. Neusner, Understanding American Judaism, volume 2, pp. 5-101
Week 10 ORTHODOX & CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM
*1. Neusner, Understanding American Judaism, volume 2, pp. 107-299
UNIT VI — IN AMERICAN ARTS
Week 11
1. Roth, Goodbye, Columbus, read "Goodbye, Columbus"; "The Coversion of the Jews"; "Eli, The Fanatic"
2. Screening: "Gentleman's Agreement" (1947), directed by Elia Kazan
UNIT VII — IN A DEMOCRACY
Week 12(Second essay due April 28)
1. Hertzberg: 322-376
*2. TAJE: 330-355
3. Heilman: 101-164