Jerusalem, Holy City of Conflict and Desire js/rs 356 Spring 2017 Instructor

Jerusalem, Holy City of Conflict and Desire
JS/RS 356

Spring 2017
Instructor: Prof. Rachel F. Brenner

390 Van Hise

M/W/F 9:55 – 10:45

Office Hours: Friday 2:00-3:00 or by appointment

E-Mail: brenner @wisc.edu

1354 Van Hise

Phone: [phone]

Jerusalem has been an object of desire and longing for the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It is the site of the Jewish Temples, of Jesus’ Tomb, and of the Mosques of the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa. For thousands of years, Jerusalem and the Holy Land has inspired artists and visionaries, while the desire to possess the city, the Land, and the holy places has caused hostilities, conflicts and wars which are by no means over. Starting with Abraham, the forefather of the three religions, we shall study the religious factors and the political interests demonstrated in the Holy Scriptures of the three religions, in the historical events, such as the Crusades, as well as in the poetry and the myths that have shaped the unique ethos of Jerusalem. We shall explore the historical, sociological, and psychological reasons for the emergence of the modern Zionist movement in Europe that resulted in the return to the Land and to the establishment of the Jewish State – a revolutionary event which reconfigured the position of Jerusalem in the consciousness of the world. Paying close attention to the present-day transformative developments in the Middle East, we shall investigate the factors which shaped this political-ethnic-national reality.

Requirements and Expectations

Every class will begin with a short discussion of current events which should relate to the Middle East. Each student will present a news item in no more than 3-4 sentences. You should make clear the importance of the news item you have chosen to present.

A brief summary of the readings is required for each class. The summary should be 6-10 sentences long. It should present in a coherent manner the main ideas of the text. If there are several texts assigned, summarize each of them. You may also include questions about topics you have found difficult to understand. The paper must be DATED, DOUBLE SPACED, AND STAPLED. Please place the summary on my desk before the beginning of the class. I will not accept papers at any other time.
The mid-term exam will include the material studied in the first part of the semester.
The topic of the final (4-5 pp.) essay will be of your choice. It will discuss a subject that we studied that you found of particular interest to you.
In preparation for the final essay, you will make an oral presentation of 5 minutes which will outline the main argument of your essay. The class will comment on the presentations and ask questions to clarify issues. The presentations will be made in the final sessions of the semester.
There will be two short essays (2-3 pages). Writing Fellows from the Writing Center will be working with you on the essays. For each WF essay you submit the first version of the essay. I collect these essays in class. The WF will read your essay carefully within a week, make comments, and have a conference with you the following week to discuss your writing and make suggestions for revision. You will revise the essay and submit within two weeks both the first version and the revised version with a cover page on top explaining the changes.

The first version of the essay is typed double-space, appropriately documented, of quality of what you would turn in for grading. The version that you submit to the WF should be the best possible version of an essay you could produce on your own. When you hand in the final version, you will write an explanation how you have rewritten the paper with your WF’s comments in mind. Please be sure to show respect for the help you are receiving and treat the meetings with the Fellow very seriously. Failure to meet with the WF at the appointed time will result in grade reduction.

Special events
Thursday, March 2, Hillel 611 Langdon.

Israeli Film Festival, 6:30 pm.

“The Other Son.”
Monday, April 6, Hillel, 5:30

Dinner and Screening of the Film “Dancing in Jaffa”

You will write short reports on the special events.
Expectations
Attendance: You are expected to attend all classes and be in class on time. In case you must be absent, you need to let me know ahead of time. Unexcused absences will affect your grade. Absence will be excused only due to illness. Call in case of emergency.

If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to complete the material and the work you have missed.
Attitude: Your attitude is part of your grade. It includes being in class on time, deferring from using electronic devices during class time, concentration on the subject matter, and active participation.

Please note:

--The schedule of the syllabus and the grade breakdown are subject to change.

-- Any work that is in violation of the UW Code of Honor will be graded as 0 or Fail.

For more information about how to avoid plagiarism and about proper paraphrasing and quoting, see http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QuotingSources.html

-- The use of your laptop should be limited to making notes concerning the materials discussed in class. Your focus should be on the ongoing discussion and on participation which is a very important component of our study. No other electronic devices are allowed.
-- Extensions on papers, essays, and the exam will not be granted.
-- Please let me know within the first two weeks of the semester about the dates on which you will need relief due to religious observance


Evaluation (subject to change)

Summaries 25%

Class participation and news presentations 15%

Reports 10%

Short papers 20%

Midterm 10%

Final presentation and final essay 20%

*** Please note: Attendance, Being on Time and Attitude are a very important component

of the overall evaluation

Very important!

Class participation is a major part of our study; it is a big component of the grade. Your participation and contributions to class discussion are absolutely necessary. Asking questions and raising issues of interest are encouraged and count as class participation.

Required Texts:

Arthur Hertzberg, Ed. The Zionist Idea: A Historical Analysis and Reader. New York: Atheneum, 1986.

Jonathan Marc Gribetz, Defining Neighbors: Religion, Race, and the Early Zionist-Arab Encounter
Electronic Reserve [R]

A course reader is available at Social Science Copy Center, 1180 Observatory Drive

Social Science Building. Sewell Hall, Room 6120

Students are expected to bring the assigned texts for every class


Syllabus

W. Jan. 18 Introduction

Historical Outline (R)
I. Biblical Zionism
F. Jan. 20 Harry Orlinsky, “The Biblical Concept of Israel: Cornerstone of the

Covenant between God and Israel.” (R)

Psalms, 137, 126 (R)
First Essay Topic Assigned

II. The Period of the Second Temple and the Revolt
M. Jan. 23 Martin Goodman, “Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period.” (R)
W. Jan. 25 Josephus Flavius, “Preface,” The Wars of the Jews. (R)


III. Religious Traditions of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel

F. Jan. 27 The Rabbinic Tradition

Sefer Ha-Agadah [The Book of the Midrash]
The Land of Israel: p. 359 – 1, 3, 7; p. 360 – 10, 15; p. 362 – 36; p. 364 52, 53, 55, 56, 57 [R]
Destruction and Mourning: p. 197 – 17; p. 198 – 23, 24; p. 199 – 29. (R)
M. Jan. 30 Redemption and the Days of the Messiah: p. 372 – 113, 114; p. 384 –61, 69; p. 391 – 21, 23; p. 394 – 49; p. 402 – 23 (R)
The Christian Tradition

W. Feb. 1 “What is the Importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls?

Paula Fredricksen, “The Holy City in Christian Thought.”
F. Feb. 3 Continued.


First Version of First Essay due – make appointments with Writing Fellows
M. Feb. 6 The Muslim Tradition

Yitzchak Reiter and Marwan Abu Khalaf,

“Jerusalem’s Religious Significance: Jerusalem in the Faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.” [R]

W. Feb. 8 Suleiman Ali Mourad, “The Symbolism of Jerusalem in Early Islam”

Z. Werblowski, “Whose Jerusalem? Whose Land?
F. Feb. 10 Film Screening

Jerusalem: Within These Walls

M. Feb. 13 Film discussion

Report due
IV. Religious Attitudes to Jews in the Diaspora
W. Feb. 15 Jewish Diaspora in Christian Lands

Ram Ben Shalom, “Medieval Jewry in Christendom.” [R]

Final version of first essay due
F. Feb. 17 Christian Theological Views of Judaism

The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 1 [R]

The New Testament and Anti-Semitism [R]

“Church Fathers about Jews.” [R]

“Philip A. Cunningham, “The Modern Church’s Renunciation of Anti-Judaism.” [R]

Memorandum of the Patriarchs and the Christian Heads of the Communities in Jerusalem on the Significance of Jerusalem for Christians [R]

M. Feb. 20 Muslim Theological Views of Judaism

“A Chronology of the Qur’an.” [R]

“Quotes from the Qur’an and Hadith about Jews, Jerusalem and Israel.”

Jewish Diaspora in Moslem Lands

Mark R. Cohen, “Medieval Jewry in the World of Islam.” (R)

W. Feb. 22 Summary and Review
F. Feb. 24 Mid-term Exam

V. Jews in the Period of the Enlightenment
M. Feb. 27 David Sorkin, “Into the Modern World”

Part I – Jews in Western Europe

Moses Mendelssohn, “The Right to be Different.”

Second Essay Topic Assignment
W. March 1 No Class

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, HILLEL AT 6.30

FILM: THE OTHER SON

F. March 3 Film discussion

Reports due

M. March 6 David Sorkin, “Into the Modern World”

Part II – Jews in Eastern Europe
W. March 8 David Sorkin, “Into the Modern World”

Part III – Modern Antisemitism and the Rise of Zionism

“The Dreyfus Affair.” (R)

VI. The Foundations of Jewish State

F. March 10 Herzl: “Visionary of the Jewish State”

Herzberg, 201-204; 215-216; 226-230

M. March. 13 “Nordau,” – Herzberg, 233-241

“Jewry of Muscle” (R)

First Version of the Second Essay Due – make appointments with Writing Fellows
W. March 15 Herzberg, “Aaron David Gordon,” 369-383.
F. March 17 Techiah Liberson, “Those First Years,” (R)

Deborah Dayan, “My Coming to Palestine,” (R)

Judith Edelman, “In the War Years,” (R)

MARCH RECESS

M. March 27 Shlomo Avineri – “Ahad Ha-Am,

The Spiritual Dimension of the Jewish State.” (R)
W. March 29 Shlomo Avineri, “Eliezer Ben Yehuda,” (R)
F. March 31 Shlomo Avineri, “Jabotinsky: Integralist Nationalism and the Illusion of

Power “[R]

M. April 3 NO CLASS

HILLEL, 5:30

FILM SCREENING “DANCING IN JAFFA
W. April 5 Film discussion

Report due
F. April 7 Yitchak Epstein, “The Hidden Question.” (R)
10. April 10 Martin Buber, The Land of Two People (R)

Brith Shalom

VII. Ottoman Empire and the Jewish Settlement in Palestine

The Arab Perspective
W. April 12 Gribetz, Chapter I, “Locating the Zionist-Arab Encounter.”

Introduction

Jerusalem Palestine and the Holy Land (15-18)

Jerusalem, the Ottoman Empire, and the Intercommunal

Difference (18-26)
F. April 14 Girbetz, Chapter I

Jerusalem and Europe (29-31)

Palestine’s Population (31-38)

Chapter II, “Muhamad Ruhi al-Khalidi’s “as-Sayūnism”

Introduction (39-40)

The Ancient Jewish Link to Palestine (50-54)

“Mendelssohn’s Theory” (54-56)

M. April 17 Girbetz, Chapter II

Navigation between Sympathy and Fear (69-71)

Realigning Interreligious Polemics in Palestine (73-76)

Jews from East and West (85-89)

Conclusion (92)

VII. The Balfour Declaration and the British Mandate
W. April 19 The Balfour Declaration (R)

Gideon Shimoni, “Christian Precursors of Modern Zionism” [R]

Robert O. Smith, “The Quest to Understand Christian Zionism.” [R]

Minerbi, The Vatican and Zionism, Afterword (R)

Final Version of the Second Essay due
F. April 21 Gribetz, “Conclusion”

Religion and Race in the Age of the Mandate (237-240)

“Irrespective of Race and Religion.” (241-245)

Religion, Race and the Contemporary Israeli-Palestinian

Encounter (245-247)
M. April 24 Film Screening

1913: Seeds of Conflict
W. April 26 Film discussion

Report Due
F. April 28 Summary and Review
May, 1 May 3, May 5 – oral presentations of essay outlines.