HIST264

Where do Jews come from? What has it meant to live in the world as a Jew? This course provides an overview of the Jewish experience and of Jewish identities from ancient to modern times, in locations around the world. In doing so, the course will introduce students to the great variety within Jewish history and culture. We pay special attention to the complex and ever-shifting relationships between Jews and the majority non-Jewish populations among whom they have lived, as well as to the connections, both real and imagined, between Jews over long distances and across time. This is a course for beginners with big questions about Jews, Judaism, and Jewish history. The primary goal is to help students acquire basic literacy in Jewish history and tools for further study. The course may include mandatory field trips to museums or other local sites of interest.