Jews may be the most discussed but least understood people in the world. This is an introductory course to the Jewish religion and people that explores the basic tenets and history of Judaism, how the ancient Israelites became the Jewish people and their purpose and mission in our world. It includes brief examinations of common practices and differences between Jewish communities, and how the establishment of Israel changed the course of Jewish and world history.

As perhaps the most misrepresented political ideology, this course examines the meaning and history of Zionism. It looks at the various ideologies of Zionist thought, both in Europe and elsewhere, and how this movement led to the re-establishment of Jewish sovereignty. It also examines the history and motivations of anti-Zionism and its relationship with antisemitism. We conclude with asking if Zionism has a place - in the Jewish and non-Jewish worlds - in the 21st century.

This course examines the history and many manifestations of the world’s oldest bigotry. It looks at how to distinguish between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism and the relationship between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. Finally, given its sudden and widespread rise across the Western world, we look at what happens to societies that celebrate - or even tolerate - this ancient bigotry.

This course surveys the Jewish experience in the United States, beginning with an understanding of what American independence meant for the Jewish condition in the 18th century. From George Washington’s letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island in 1790 to the present day, it examines how Jews have shaped America and how America has shaped them, as well as the evolution of relations between Jewish and non-Jewish communities. It looks at the challenges - from antisemitism to accusations of dual loyalty - the American Jewish community faces and what the future holds for Jews in America.