The modern world opened up vistas of possibilities for Jews, but it
also posed profound problems for Judaism. The development of a
modern historical consciousness and the possibility of political and
social integration challenged traditional models of Jewish
religiosity and identity. In this course, we will inquire into the
nature of “Jewish modernity.” What does it mean to be a Jew and a
modern at the same time? Is such a compound possible? And, if so, in
what ways can modern Jewish commitment be understood? Through an
analysis of various forms of literature and media—autobiography,
theological and philosophical writings, political treatises,
fiction, poetry and film—we will consider the ways in which the
meaning of modern Judaism has been debated, and the problem of
Jewish identity and commitment in the modern world.  The authors we
will read may include Salmon Maimon, Moses Mendelssohn, Moses Hess,
Martin Buber, Franz Rosenzweig, Hannah Arendt, Gershom Scholem,
Judith Plaskow, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Primo Levi, Philip Roth, and
David Grossman. Requirements: Short writing assignments, mid-term
and final.