Portraits of Israel—Syllabus

September 30            
Expectations and introductions

October 7                    
What is Israel? Israel’s map in the eyes of different groups

October 14                 
A different kind of Zionism? Theodor Herzl vs. Rabbi Shalom Sharabi

October 21                  
First aliyah: "Hovevei Zion" and the first Zionist Congress (1897)

October 28                  
Between Aaron David Gordon and Abraham Isaac Kook: Second to fifth aliyot

November 4                
Operation Moses vs. Operation Magic Carpet

November 11              
Who are the Palestinians and the Israeli Arabs? Between the War of Independence and the Six-Day War: Nakba, the formation of the refugee problem
 
November 18              
War of Independence: Uri Zvi Greenberg
 
November 25              
Thanksgiving Break—No class

December 2                
Nakba: Mahmoud Darwish

December 9                
Settlers and the Gush Emunim movement

December 16              
Who are the Ethiopian Jews?

December 23, 30       
Winter Break—No classes

January 6                   
Minorities in Israel: The Bedouin and the Druze

January 13                 
Summary—End of fall semester

January 20                 
Martin Luther King Jr. weekend—No class

January  27      
Holocaust survivals

February 3                 
Between the War of Independence and the Six-Day War: The formation of the refugee problem

February 10               
Who are the Palestinians and the Israeli Arabs?

February 17               
Presidents’ Day—No class

February 24               
War of Independence: Uri Zvi Greenberg

March 2                     
Nakba: Mahmoud Darwish                           .

March 9                     
The Lebanon War—Reasons and aftermath: Sabra and Shatila, the security zone

March 16                   
Four Mothers Movement

March 23                   
Purim—No class 

March 30                   
Minorities in Israel: The Bedouin and the Druze

April 6                        
J-Serve

April 13                      
Soviet Union Jews Israel

April 20–27                
Passover—No classes

May 4                                    
Settlers and the Gush Emunim movement 

May 11                      
What does music say?

May 18                      
Summary—End of spring semester

Teacher’s expectations:

The students and the teacher will arrive on time, come to class prepared, and be fully present.

Students are expected to be open-minded and to take part in class discussions; please do not hesitate to express your thoughts and opinions to the rest of the class.

Students are expected to respect each other; do not belittle anyone for his or her opinion.