Oregon School of Judaic Studies
Portland State University
Summer courses
June 25-August 17, 2007

What was the matrix of beliefs at the time of the Second Temple which would provide the basis for the development of Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity? This course provides an overview of the beliefs and practices of the Jewish people in the first century CE. Attention will be given to primary texts that exemplify the views of the different Jewish sects, including the Essenes, Zealots, Pharisees, Sadducees, the earliest followers of Jesus, and the Jews in the Diaspora.

This course provides an introduction to the historical development of the Zionist idea, in the context of nineteenth-century European nationalist movements, and its consequent twentieth-century development culminating in the creation of the State of Israel. The course will be largely based on reading and discussing original writings (in translation) on the need for a national home for the Jewish people and possible alternatives.

An exploration of writing about Palestine and, since 1948, the State of Israel, by Americans, including American Jews who become Israeli citizens. The course examines literary representations of Israel, concepts of holy land (both Israel and America), experiences of homecoming and displacement, dynamics of American and Jewish identity, and the capacity of writing to register conditions of war and terrorism. Readings range from mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad and Herman Melville's Clarel to recent memoirs such as June Leavitt's Storm of Terror and Yossi Klein Halevi's At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden.

From Mahler to Matisyahu, Jewish composers and performers have had a distinctive impact on music and culture. This course will examine the impact on American life of a diverse array of Jewish musicians, including George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein, Deborah Chesler, Leonard Bernstein, Arlo Guthrie, Debbie Friedman, Paul Simon, and Bob Dylan. Combining history, culture, and religious studies, course lessons will be placed in the context of classical Jewish attitudes regarding assimilation, integration and social transformation. Using a case book created for the course as the primary text, the program will include rare video and audio recordings.

Mysticism is a spiritual search undertaken by devoted followers of any religion who seek a more intense encounter with the Source of Meaning. This course will trace the historical development of Jewish mysticism from the Biblical record through the Talmud and into the medieval era, including Kabbalah and contemporary texts. Various types of mystical practices will be explored, along with the primary and secondary texts which inform them. No Hebrew or mystical tendencies required.

First-year Hebrew in an accelerated, nine-week sequence. Emphasis on basic grammar, syntax, noun and verb formation, listening and reading comprehension, translation, writing, and speaking. For non-native speakers of Hebrew only.

For program information, see www.judaic.pdx.edu or contact Professor Michael Weingrad, weingrad@pdx.edu.

OSJS courses are open to students and learners of all ages and backgrounds for both credit and noncredit. Credit is available through Portland State University. Summer students planning to transfer credits to their home institutions should get advance approval of their selections. Because OSJS is self-supporting, courses are not available through the Senior Adult Learning Center. Scholarships are available through the generosity of donors. Enrollment begins May 2. Visa and MasterCard accepted. Contact 503-72LEARN or http://www.summer.pdx.edu