Study Jewish Culture at Illinois

Jewish Studies events

Jewish Culture & Society News

Harriet Murav's book talk

On October 14, 2024, we had a great turnout for Harriet Murav's lecture on her recently published book, "As the Dust of the Earth: The Literature of Abandonment in Revolutionary Russia and Ukraine." From 1918 to 1922, as many as 40,000 Jews were killed in the pogroms of the Russian Civil War....

Israel Studies Project visitors

The week of September 16, 2024, was full of adventures with our Israel Studies Project visitors, Judy Maltz, a senior correspondent for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, and Amit Schejter, a full professor of communication studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. A lunch with seniors at the...

Samuel Freedman's public lecture

On September 11, 2024, PJCS kicked off the new academic year with a marvelous event. Samuel Freedman, an award-winning author and professor at Columbia University, delivered a terrific lecture on Hubert Humphrey's battles against antisemitism and extremism in mid-century America.

Alumni spotlight: Payton Heyen

Jewish Studies minor, Payton Heyen, graduated from the University of Illinois in the spring of 2018 with a BA in History. She was a winner of the Filler Award in 2017. Payton is currently at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis pursuing her Juris Doctorate Degree.

History of Antisemitism

The course studies the negative representations of Judaism and Jews from antiquity to the modern world. Topics include: Greco-Roman concepts of the Jewish religion; medieval Christian symbolization of the demonic Jew; Jews and negative attitudes to capitalism; blood purity and blood libel; the rise of racial prejudice in the modern nation-state; totalitarianism and genocide; antisemitism and anti-Zionism.

JS 201

Hebrew Bible in English

The course analyzes critical issues in interpreting the literature of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and surveys the history and religion of Ancient Israel, with special reference to Israel's setting in the ancient Near East.

REL 201

The Jewish Atlantic

It is an intensive study of select topics or issues in the study of religion.

REL 511

Grad Intro to Jewish Culture

What is a history of emotions? How does the environment shape history? Can smell serve as a historical source? Can you write a contemporary history of a place where Jews no longer live and still present a Jewish perspective? “Historical Methods in Jewish Studies” covers these and many more research methodologies, concepts, and categories of analysis.

JS 501

Lit Responses to the Holocaust

In this film course we will be watching and discussing Holocaust Cinema. We will consider different genres, including documentaries, testimony, comedy, drama, musicals and action-adventure films. We consider films from different locations, including the UK, the US, Israel, Poland, Hungary and Italy.

JS 320

Elementary Modern Hebrew II

Continuation of HEBR 201, with introduction of more advanced grammar, and with emphasis on more fluency in speaking and reading. 5 credit hours. Prerequisite: HEBR 201 or equivalent.

HEBR 202

ruins of an ancient city from JS 231 course flyer

Development of Ancient Cities

Explore the monuments, archaeological remains, and histories illustrating the development of the earliest states and urban centers of the Ancient Mediterranean and Near East, including Uruk, Jerusalem, Carthage, Athens, and Rome.

JS 231

The Frankfurt School

The Frankfurt School is a school of “social thought” and, at the same time, is known for its programmatic emphasis on “critical theory.” It was, however, above all, an experimental initiative designed to foster new forms of interdisciplinary research in the humanities and social sciences. Because the full interdisciplinarity of this project exceeds the scope of a single course, this seminar will engage social, political and theoretical dimensions through the critical analysis of literature, culture, art and aesthetics. Meets with CWL 551, JS 502, and ENGL 581.

GER 575