Jewish Studies
WHY MINOR IN JEWISH STUDIES?
More than 4,000
years old, Jewish civilization reflects the struggles and survival of a
people under extraordinary conditions but it also illuminates
developments in world history and contemporary culture.
Knowledge of Judaism
is essential to an understanding of Christianity and Islam. The history
of the Jewish Diaspora enlightens us about European and Middle Eastern
history. Jewish literature chronicles the upheavals in both Jewish
society and in the larger world. Issues of Jewish identity — changing
gender roles, the metamorphoses of the family, the loss of community —
parallel developments in the modern world.
Finally, Jewish
studies courses confront the best and the worst in human nature from the
Biblical era through the Holocaust and the creation of Israel. The minor
will appeal to students of varied backgrounds and career interests since
it is interdisciplinary and presented in the wider context of ancient
and modern society. Drawn from the liberal arts, Jewish studies will
prepare students to live and work in a multicultural world.
New courses, special
topics, or Minimester courses may be accepted for the minor, or counted
toward it, with the approval of the Jewish Studies Program coordinator.
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