Session III

Tuesday, June 29–Thursday, July 29, 2010

Please note that in honor of Tish'ah Be'Av, there will be no classes on Tuesday, July 20, 2010. Classes will meet instead on Monday, July 12, 2010.

Unless otherwise indicated, Session II and III courses are taught at the graduate level in English, using texts in the original (although translations are generally available), by JTS faculty. Each course earns 3 credits. Session II and III courses meet three days every week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday), except for holidays.

Maud Kozodoy, 1:20–3:10 p.m.
Hebrew love poetry written between the twelfth and the twentieth centuries in historical context. We will consider the idea of love and the lover, poetic form and language, and the art of translation. While English translations of the poems are available, a reading knowledge of Hebrew, though not required, will be helpful.

TAL 5620: Ketubbot, Chapter Five
Mordechai Arad, Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies; 1:20–3:10 p.m.
A course for students who have previous experience studying Talmud in the original. The course will focus on developing the skills necessary to decode the text of the Talmud and its commentaries, with an emphasis on the structure of the sugyot and the technical terminology of the Talmud.

EDU 5260: Israel in Contemporary Jewish Education
Alex Sinclair, 3:20–5:10 p.m.
An exploration of the philosophical and educational significance of Israel for Jews today. We will analyze the meaning of the State of Israel for contemporary Jewish life and identity, and examine different modes of teaching young people about Israel.

JTH 5127: Encounters in Modern Jewish Thought
Leonard Levin, 3:20–5:10 p.m.
An exploration of evolving Jewish theological issues from the Enlightenment to the present. Thinkers include Spinoza, Mendelssohn, Cohen, Buber, Rosenzweig, Kaplan, Soloveitchik, and Heschel. Central focus is on themes of God, revelation, authority, autonomy and religious practice, with a look at cosmology, Holocaust, feminism, and Jewish renewal. Same as MJS 5127X.

BIB 5806: Tragedy and Glory of a Biblical Hero: The Saga of Samson in Judges 13–16
Felipe Yafe, 5:30–7:20 p.m.
Explore the story of Samson critically, paying special attention to its literary style, historical and political background, as well as its theological perspective. Focus on central themes such as love and hate, defiance and submission, unusual might and abrupt fragility, which make up the complexity of this particular narrative. Open to Summer Learners.

In The Courtyard