Borns Jewish Studies Program

This course examines the many ways Judaism is practiced throughout the contemporary world. By exploring Jewish life from America and Jamaica to Israel and Greece, the course investigates the many ways Jews generate meaning in a modern, globalized world. We will focus on the rich diversity of forms of Jewish life as we ask our questions, including: How do Jewish people balance commitment to tradition with their personal views, especially those concerning gender and sexuality? How do Jews negotiate categories of race and ethnicity? How has the Holocaust shaped Jewish belief and practice? How do Jews negotiate their relationship to other religions? How have non-Jewish depictions of Jews shaped Jewish self-understanding? We will use a wide range of media including literature, scholarship, journalism, music, film, television, and social media to build a broad picture of modern Jewish life.