REL 151 - Introduction to Judaism

This course introduces students to the history, practices, and thought of Judaism. We will survey the history of the religion through representative texts, considering the features of the ancient, medieval, and modern communities of Judaism. In so doing, we will consider the ethnic/racialized representation of Jewish communities throughout the history of the religion. Furthermore, we will undertake our exploration in tandem with occasional field trips and guest lecturers to add an experiential dimension to our learning. We will ask, “What do Jewish communities have in common and in what ways do these communities diverge?”

Unit(s): 1
Group Distribution Requirement(s): Distribution Group II
Instructional Method: Lecture-conference
Grading Mode: Letter grading (A-F)
Group Distribution Learning Outcome(s):

Evaluate data and/or sources.
Analyze institutions, formations, languages, structures, or processes, whether social, political, religious, economic, cultural, intellectual or other.
Think in sophisticated ways about causation, social and/or historical change, human cognition, or the relationship between individuals and society, or engage with social, political, religious or economic theory in other areas.