This semester I am teaching my “Great Jewish Books” class again. It is targeted for undergraduates and meant to introduce them to the general shape of the “Judaic conversation” while having them wrestle with categories such as Jewish literature. By the end of the course, students should be able:
- To identify several major works of the Jewish canon, their historical context and importance;
- To identify, critique, evaluate, and apply to one’s own life some of the major themes and important ideas that run through this literature, such as: the nature of human beings; how to live a good and moral life; obedience and freedom; home and exile; and personal identity;
- To evaluate and critique the category of “Jewish literature”;
- To compare and contrast the works examined in this class in order to identify the relationships between them;
- To write better;
- To better constructively critique both other people’s writing and your own;
- To develop your presentation and teaching skills
A copy of the syllabus is here.