View all Jewish Studies courses in the SF State Bulletin.
Spring 2020 Jewish Studies Courses
HEBR 102 - Second Semester Modern Hebrew*
Second semester Hebrew is an amazing opportunity to develop the basic language skills you developed during the first semester. You’ll be able to hold a conversation and increase your overall comfort with dialogue by focusing on past and future tenses and further enriching your vocabulary. Remember, learning a language is like opening a window to another culture. Your adventure awaits…
Rosenwald, M/W/F, 12–12:50 p.m.
Course Attributes: C2 Humanities; Global Perspectives
JS 301 - Introduction to Judaism*
"We're going to hit him where it hurts," says Lisa Simpson. "Right in the Judaica!" What is Judaica? (It's Jewish stuff or Jewish literature.) What is Judaism? What is Jewishness? Who are Jews? What do they do and what do they believe? This class starts with the Hebrew Bible and keeps going until the present day, asking all the big questions along the way.
Gross, T/TH, 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Course Attributes: UD-C Arts and/or Humanities; Social Justice
JS/HIST 317 - The Holocaust and Genocide
Study the process and conditions that led to the harassment, expulsion, and extermination of the Jews during World War II, including new information about the concentration camp system.
Herr, M/W 9:30–10:45 a.m.
JS 408/CINE 314 - Israeli Cinema
Survey of Israeli cinema with critical readings.
Kaplan, T, 4–6:45 p.m.
Course Attributes: UD-C Arts and/or Humanities; Global Perspectives
JS/HIST/HUM 441 - American Jews and Popular Culture
"Tradition!" Tevye declares in the musical Fiddler on the Roof. "Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as ... as a fiddler on the roof!" The tradition Tevye is talking about might be the outsize role of Jews in American popular culture. This class explores how Jews have been depicted on film and television in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, as well as how Jews engaged with other forms of popular culture, including literature, radio, sports, food, and shopping. You'll never hear a Jewish mother joke the same way again.
Gross, T/TH 2–3:15 p.m.
Course Attributes: Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
JS 497 - Topics in Israel Studies: Love and Eroticism in Hebrew Literature
The Hebrew Bible famously says, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine.” (Song of Songs). But is love really better than wine? While there will be neither wine nor kisses in classes, come enjoy an informed discussion about love and eroticism in Hebrew literature and modern Israeli culture.
Love and eroticism have been significant themes in Hebrew poetry, literature and culture from the bible, through the modern ages and into the present day. This course will examine these themes in a variety of literary forms such as poems, stories, films, and novels. We will explore different historical periods, paying attention to recurring motifs as well as external influences. This course will consider erotic, devotional, affectionate, romantic and sexual; including heterosexual and homosexual representations, as well as love of God and Israel.
Weiss, M/W, 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Zero Cost Course Materials
JS 548/HIST 416 - The Jewish Sixties: A Journey Through the Social Protest Movements of the 1960s
It’s not quite “Sex, Drugs, Rock’n’roll” and the Jews, but it’s close. We’ll study Dylan, Streisand, and Koufax. We’ll dive into Free Speech, Vietnam, Feminism, and Zionism too. You will get to hear challenging new ways to think about the civil rights movement and the rise of ethnic politics. Missing something? Just let Professor Dollinger know and we could add it to the list! Join us…
Dollinger, M/W, 2–3:15 p.m.
Course Attributes: Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities; Social Justice
Zero Cost Course Materials
JS 560/IR 530 - The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Examination of causes of the Arab-Israeli conflict; beginnings in the late nineteenth century; Jewish-Palestinian confrontation during the British Mandate (1917-1948); Arab-Israeli wars since 1948; Israeli-Palestinian confrontation since 1948; attempts to end the confrontation since 1967.
Kaplan, T/TH, 12:30–1:45 p.m.
Course Attributes: UD-D Social Sciences; Global Perspectives
JS 633/HIST 335 - Jewish History II: 1650 to Present
Sometimes, freedom isn’t what we’d hope it would be. Join us for an adventure through the last 300 years of Jewish history. We will follow Jews as they journeyed throughout Europe, to the United States, to what would become Israel, and beyond. Even though Jews achieved emancipation…and the promise of equality..it often didn’t work out so well. Enroll in JS/HIST 633 and we’ll figure out the costs of freedom.
Dollinger, M/W, 9:30–10:45 a.m.
Course Attributes: UD-C Arts and/or Humanities; Global Perspectives
Zero Cost Course Materials
*Modern Jewish Studies major core course