Fall Term 2023 Courses

WLL 319U Yiddish Folklore & Culture 
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Natan Meir
MODE: Attend Anywhere (in person⁠ or by Zoom)
LOCATION: SEH 108 (Stephen Epler Hall) - ROOM CHANGE 9/26/2023
DAY(S)/TIME: T/TH 12:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.  
Course Reference Number (CRN): 14382

The Yiddish language is a fusion of Germanic, Hebraic, and Slavic elements that was the vernacular of Jews in central and eastern Europe for hundreds of years, and continues to be the mother tongue of many Jews today. Over the centuries, a rich folklore developed in Yiddish that includes stories, songs, curses, magic, and religious rituals and objects. In addition to exploring this treasure trove of folk material, we will also examine some essential linguistic and cultural components of Yiddish and several great literary works – including short stories by I. L. Peretz and Isaac Bashevis Singer – that draw on the Yiddish folkloristic tradition. No prior acquaintance with Yiddish or Jewish Studies required.

Qualifies as an advisor-approved upper-division elective for some language majors. Please check with your advisor.

Fulfills University Studies cluster requirement: Interpreting the Past

JST/HST 308U | Historical Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) 
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Loren Spielman
MODE: In Person
DAY(S)/TIME: T/TH 10:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
LOCATION: LH 249  (Lincoln Hall) NEW LOCATION - 9/25/2023
Course Reference Number (CRN): 14476 / 14505

Curious about the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)? Where does it come from and what does it contain? What historical information can be learned from the Biblical stories of Abraham, Moses, David and Solomon?  This course investigates these issues while surveying the contents of the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament.  We will examine some of the more famous stories in the Hebrew Bible in an academic environment with special attention to its literary and historical developments.  We will examine the connections between the Hebrew Bible and contemporary Ancient Near Eastern literature and compare their different world views.  We will also discuss the various sources and traditions of Israelite religion and engage with Biblical ideas about community, sanctity, social justice, prophecy, wisdom, and the nature of human suffering.

University Studies cluster: Interpreting the Past.

JST 335U Sex, Love, and Gender: Israeli and Palestinian Experiences
Instructor: Nina Spiegel
MODE: Online
Course Reference Number (CRN): 11579

This course examines intersections of gender and nationalism; the role of masculinity in Israeli society; conceptions of femininity, sex, love, beauty, work, and motherhood; and the impact of gender on the Arab-Israeli conflict. In exploring these themes, we will investigate the history and experiences of a diverse array of women in Israel, including Jewish women of European, Middle Eastern, North African, and Ethiopian descent; Christian and Muslim Israeli Arab and Palestinian women; and foreign workers from locations such as Thailand and the Philippines. Topics include the relationship between gender and religion, culture, ethnicity, and politics. 

No prerequisites are required. 

Note: This course can serve as an elective for the major in Women, Gender and Sexualities Studies (WGSS).

University Studies cluster: Gender and Sexualities Studies

JST 378U / HST 378U | Pagans, Christians, and Jews
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Loren Spielman
MODE: In Person
DAY(S)/TIME: T/TH 2:00 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.
LOCATION: CH 258 (Cramer Hall) NEW LOCATION 9/25/2023
Course Reference Number (CRN): 11580 / 11423 

After Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity in the 4th century CE, the Roman Empire underwent radical changes. Pagan sacrifice was outlawed, temples were closed, and new churches were built in every town, city and village. Heretics and Jews were forbidden from holding public office and owning Christian slaves. In this course, we will examine the story of the Christianization of the Roman empire from the mid-third century, when Christianity was still a small, largely insignificant movement, Judaism was reeling from the loss of its central temple, while shrines devoted to Isis, Mithras, and the traditional gods of the Greco-Roman pantheon dominated the landscape. By reading some of the ancient literature from late antiquity -- inscriptions and prayers, tales of martyrdom, stories about holy men and women, and the sayings of esoteric philosophers -- we will explore the changes that occurred as the Roman empire officially embraced and promoted the Christian faith.

University Studies cluster: Interpreting the Past

Fulfills an elective requirement for the Classical Studies minor.

JST 380U/ HST 380U | The Holocaust
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Nichola Farron
MODE: Online instruction
Course Reference Number (CRN): 11581 / 11424

This course will introduce students to the Nazi-planned and executed genocide of European Jewry that has come to be known as the Holocaust. Although we will of course study the so-called "Final Solution" and the process of mass murder, the course aims to provide a broad and contextualized understanding of many aspects of the Holocaust. These include the German and European contexts for the rise of Nazism; the nature of antisemitism and its links to Nazi ideology and policy; the nature and definition of resistance; the question of the "bystanders"; and types of collaboration. The goal is to gain an understanding of the Holocaust as an aspect of many different kinds of history: Jewish history, German history, European history, the history of antisemitism, and perhaps also the history of human civilization (or absence thereof). As time permits, we will also touch upon how the Holocaust is understood and "used" in contemporary society.

University Studies cluster: Global Perspectives.

JST 407 | Museums & Memory in the U.S. & Israel
INSTRUCTOR: Professor Nina Spiegel
MODE: Online Scheduled
Meeting synchronously on Zoom - Thursdays 12:00 p.m. -1:50 p.m.
Course Reference Number (CRN): 15054

How is national memory formed? What is the role of memory in shaping a nation's sense of identity? This seminar examines the relationship between national history, memory, and museums in Israel and the United States.  We will investigate cultural debates that take place over the presentation of national history at public sites. Our comparative approach will facilitate our exploration of the ethos of national memory and the politics of cultural memory. This term the syllabus includes zoom visits by curators from museums around the country as well as Portland's Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education (OJMCHE).

No prerequisites are required.

Note: This course was formerly designated HST 494 / 594 with CRNs 11435/11447 respectively.

History majors interested in taking this course -- you can petition for History credit and the course will count towards your History degree.