Global Studies: Jewish and Israel Studies - Cultures and Communities Emphasis
Available starting August 2026
Description
Jewish civilization is inherently global. For millennia, Jews have lived across continents, adapting to diverse local conditions as both minority and majority communities. Their history offers a powerful lens for understanding how cultures endure, transform, and rebuild over time. The study of Jewish civilization is therefore deeply interdisciplinary, intersecting with fields such as Human Rights, Middle Eastern Studies, Gender Studies, History, Religious Studies, and Cultural Anthropology.
The Jewish and Israel Studies: Cultures and Communities Emphasis provides students with intellectual and experiential tools for understanding culture in broad and specific contexts, with a focus on Jewish life, history, and thought. The program includes Hebrew language study and opportunities for Study Abroad in Israel, enriching classroom learning with direct cultural engagement.
Through its curriculum, students strengthen communication skills while critically exploring history, tradition, and modernity. Courses are offered in both in-person and online formats, ensuring flexibility and accessibility for diverse learners.
Learning Outcome
Students will be able to interpret key themes in Jewish civilization and Israel Studies to support cultural literacy.
Language Requirement
4th semester proficiency in Hebrew, Arabic, Persian, Polish, Turkish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish or Russian
Courses
Students pursuing a Global Studies B.A. with a Jewish and Israel Studies- Cultures and Communities Emphasis must take 7 courses total from the list of courses below.
HIST/JUS 374: The Holocaust
JUS 240: Food and Judaism: Global Jewish Foodways from the Ancient World to Modern Culinary Contexts
JUS 301: Jewish Civilization: A Gateway Course
JUS/MENA 303A: Advanced Modern Hebrew
JUS/MENA 303B: Advanced Modern Hebrew
JUS/GWS/RELI 321: Women In Judaism
JUS 322: Great Controversies in Modern Jewish Life: Lessons for You and For Humanity
JUS/HIST/RELI 329: Jewish--Christian Relations
JUS/RELI 332: The Holocaust: Witnesses and Representations
JUS/HIST/RELI 370A: History of the Jews: Modern Jewish History
JUS/HIST/RELI 370B: History of the Jews: Cultural Loss and Resilience from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution
JUS/HIST/MENA/RELI 372A: Interpreting the Bible (Old Testament): Approaches to Understanding Israelite Religion and Society
JUS/HIST/MENA/RELI 372B: Early Judaism and Christianity: One Book, Two Religions Second Temple Judaism and its Legacy
JUS/HIST/MENA/POL 377: Modern Israel
JUS382B/ANTH/MENA/RELI 382AL Jesus, Judaism and Archaeology
JUS/SGPP 384: International Human Rights, Transitional Justice, and Israel
JUS/HIST/RELI 387: The History of Anti-Semitism
JUS/ANTH/HIST/POL/RELI 389: Middle Eastern Ethnic and Religious Minorities
JUS 396: Judaic Studies Special Topics Seminar
JUS 399: Independent Study
JUS 399H: Honors Independent Study
JUS 409A/MENA 409A: Biblical Hebrew: Prose Texts
JUS/MENA 409B: Biblical Hebrew: Poetry
JUS/HIST/MENA/POL 418: Historiography: The Annals of the Arab Israeli Conflict
JUS/MENA/RELI 435: Mending the World, Social Justice, and the Quest for Redemption: Kabbalah
JUS/GWS/MENA 452: Israeli Women
JUS/MENA 453: Advanced Hebrew
JUS/HIST/RELI 454: Persecution in the Spanish & American Inquisitions:Honor, Shame, Violence & Freedom of Conscience
JUS/HRTS 462: Cultural Heritage Protection, Memorialization, and Human Right
JUS 496: Judaic Studies Special Topics Seminar
JUS 498H: Honors Thesis
JUS 499: Independent Study