Out of the Shtetl: Jews in Eastern Europe
HIST 267
Spring 2011
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
REES 267 |
| Certificates: Civic Engagement, Jewish and Israel Studies |
| Course Cluster: Service-Learning |
This course offers a view of Jewish history in Eastern Europe that takes us beyond the (legendary) shtetl and into a complex, more textured world of Jews living among Christians from the beginnings of Jewish settlement in the thirteenth century to the contemporary period and Poland's small Jewish community, trying to reinvent Jewish life in Poland in the aftermath of the Holocaust and the 1968 forced migrations.
Descendants of East European Jews are now the largest demographic group among Jews in the United States. Until the Second World War, Jews in Eastern Europe were the largest Jewish community in the world. From the 16th century, their impact on Jewish culture and society has been tremendous, from shaping one of the most important codes of Jewish law, the Shulhan Arukh, in the 16th/17th centuries, to shaping the ideology of the Zionist movement at the turn of the 20th century. Yet, the history of this important Jewish community has been vastly misunderstood, largely due to the devastating legacy of the Holocaust and the persistence of imagery of "the shtetl" created by 19th-century writers of Yiddish fiction, later popularized through Broadway plays and films such as "Fiddler on the Roof."
Films and additional lectures will be part of the class.
This is a "service-learning" course. One of the assignments will be related to the collection of Judaica from eastern Europe at the Adath Israel Congregation in Middletown. Students will be part of a workshop on Jewish art and material culture and will investigate the material aspects of Jewish culture. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Information Literacy, Writing
Students will write research papers by designing the research project in stages: bibliography; draft; final revised version. At each stage they will receive detailed feedback.
Students will be introduced to library and research resources and tools, such as EndNote, and will be expected to use them throughout the semester.
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (AFST-MN)(ENVS-MN)(ENVS)(HIST-MN)(HIST)(IDEA-MN)(IDEA)(STS) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Israel Bartal, THE JEWS OF EASTERN EUROPE
Edward Fram IDEALS FACE REALITY
Nathan Nata Hanover, ABYSS OF DESPAIR
Edward Judge, EASTER IN KISHINEV
Moshe Rosman, THE LORD'S JEWS
Magda Teter, JEWS AND HERETICS IN CATHOLIC POLAND
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Examinations and Assignments:
One bibliographic assignment based on the workshop on library research resources.
Four 1-2 page responses to readings.
Two short 5-6 page papers.
Midterm and final take-home exams. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Class participation.
This course counts toward Jewish and Israel Studies Certificate, History major: History and Religion, and European concentrations. |
| Instructor(s): Teter,Magda Times: ..T.R.. 01:10PM-02:30PM; Location: PAC004; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 3 | JR major: 3 | | |
| Seats Available: 6 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 3 | SO: 3 | FR: 4 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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