Seven courses offered this spring at UCF Judaic Studies

The Jewish Studies Program at the University of Central Florida will offer seven courses in the upcoming fall semester, which begins January 2016. The courses to be offered are as follows: Elementary Modern Hebrew I, Elementary Modern Hebrew II, Judaism and Jesus, Wanderings: the Jewish People in Dispersion, Modern Jewish Experience, Notable Women in Jewish History, and Building a Nation—The Challenges to and Accomplishments of the State of Israel

• Elementary Modern Hebrew Language and Culture I is designed to teach major language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, and to introduce the student to Israeli culture and Jewish civilization. No prior knowledge of Hebrew or Hebrew alphabet is required. The course is open to students and members of the community who have had no background in Hebrew. This class will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:00 pm in Business Administration 1, Room 206 and will be taught by Sanford Olshansky.

• Elementary Modern Hebrew Language and Culture II is designed to teach major language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, and to introduce the student to Israeli culture and Jewish civilization. First semester Hebrew or its equivalent is prerequisite. The course is open to students and member of the community who have had some background in Hebrew, equivalent to one semester. The course will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:00pm in the Mathematical Sciences Building, Room 406 and will be taught by Sanford Olshansky.

• In Judaism and Jesus students will examine the implications of the “historical Jesus” and early Christianity on the Jewish people, particularly with regard to late antiquity and the Second Jewish Commonwealth. It will explore the light shed by “Jesus research” on multiple aspects of ancient Israelite society and culture. It will also take up the question of who killed Jesus, and the origin of the charge of “deicide” - the “murder of God.” What can be done to bridge the gap of misunderstanding, and how might this endeavor impact Jewish-Christian relations today? This is a web-based class and will be taught by Dr. Ken Hanson.

• In Wanderings: The Jewish People in Dispersion, students will learn of life and history of the Jews in the medieval and modern worlds, including topics such as the Jewish-Christian relations; development of Jewish philosophy and mysticism; Jewish life in Eastern Europe and in the Arab countries; the Holocaust; Modern Israel; and Jews and Judaism in North America. This is a web-based class and will be taught by Dr. Ken Hanson.

• Modern Jewish Experience is to acquaint students with a variety of modern Jewish experiences as depicted in literature. This course will involve a survey of the pre-modern traditional life in Eastern Europe, including life in the Ghetto and the Shtetl (small Jewish town) life. This course will also deal with the emergence of the Jews into modernity along with the rise of Jewish national movement in the end of the 19th century; the growth of the Zionist movement, immigration to America and to pre-state Israel (Palestine), establishing the State of Israel, war and peace, in-gathering of the exiles, the Holocaust, and the current peace trends in the Middle East. This is a web-based class and will be taught by Julia Phillips-Berger.

• Notable Women in Jewish History will examine, through films and text, the historical and cultural role of women in Judaism from the Biblical age to the present. Women discussed in the course will include Eve, Deborah the Prophetess, the daughters of Rashi, Golda Meir, and other leaders associated with Jewish history. The course will also discuss the present and future state of Jewish Women in America. This is a web-based class and will be taught by Julia Phillips-Berger.

• Building A Nation—The Challenges to and Accomplishments of the State of Israel focuses on the real-life lessons to be learned from the state of Israel’s “modern miracle,” as it turned a neglected patch of desert into a high-tech powerhouse, producing more start-up companies per-capita than any country in the world. What principles, cultural concepts, and innovative approaches to business and technology are applicable to our own culture, and how might they be integrated on a personal level toward building successful professional strategies? This is a web-based class and will be taught by Dr. Ken Hanson.

Students may take the listed courses as electives or as required courses to satisfy requirements for a Minor in Judaic Studies (18 credits of upper division courses). A Certificate in Judaic Studies is also available for students completing 5 courses in Judaic Studies. The Foreign Language Requirements may be satisfied with Hebrew language courses. Liberal Studies students are encouraged to take a minor in Judaic Studies. Students who take a Minor in Religious Studies, Humanities, or Middle East Studies are encouraged to take courses in Judaic Studies. Most of our courses may be counted toward their Minors.

Members of the community may take the courses as non-degree-seeking students or may audit the courses. Registration is required of non-degree students; call the Registrar’s office at (407) 823-3100 for details.

Persons 60 years of age or older who meet Florida residency requirements may register for classes without payment. Seniors should call Kent Woodford at (407) 823-5148 (kwoodfor@mail.ucf.edu), to obtain registration forms in advance.

Registration for degree students Monday, Oct. 26, 2015 - Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016. Registration for non-degree Students and senior citizens is Jan. 8, 2016. Classes begin Jan. 11, 2016.

For information, please call Dr. Moshe Pelli, director of the Judaic Studies Program, at 407-823-5039 or 407-823-5129 or visit our web site at http://judaicstudies.cah.ucf.edu/.