R245 Introduction to Judaism (3 Cr.) -Samuelson TR 9:30-10:45 BH 003

Judaism is the religious civilization of the Jewish people.  Unlike other
religions, Judaism is linked to one ethnic group -- the Jews.  To
understand Judaism we must trace the unfolding of two different stories.
One is the story of the Jewish people, the other is the story of the
Jewish religion.  We will explore both the social, political, and economic
factors that shaped the history of the Jewish people as well as the
beliefs and rituals of the Jewish religious tradition.  Special emphasis
will be placed on the challenges of modernity to religious practices.  Our
goal is to understand the complexity of Jewish life.

Texts: Tanakh (Preferably the Jewish Publication Society Edition).  D.
Goldberg & J. Rayner, The Jewish People: Their History and Their Religion
(1989).  Dan Cohn-Sherbok, The Jewish Faith (1993).  A. Ariel, What do
Jews Believe? (1995).  L. Trepp, M. Gilbert, Jewish History Atlas (1988).
R245 Reader (Collegiate Copies).

Assignments: There will be two quizzes (15% each), one mid-term (30%) and
one final exam (40%).  The mid-term and the final will have an essay
component and short questions in addition to multiple choice questions.