Jewish Studies Summer Online Bonus Course

Meets weekly on Monday evenings, from July 10 to August 28 via Zoom, taught by Spertus Director of Jewish Studies Dr. David N. Gottlieb! 

The registration deadline for this course has past. 

If you’d like to discuss which courses might best fit your schedule and outstanding requirements, please make an appointment with Director of Jewish Studies Dr. David Gottlieb. Make an appointment >

THE MAKING OF JEWISH MEMORY
Taught by Dr. David N. Gottlieb

Course 3356 | 3 quarter-hour credits 
Fufills MAJS Elective, DSJS Text, and DHL Text

8 Sessions | Meets Mondays from 6 to 8 PM CT
July 10, 17, 24 and 31 | August 7, 14, 21, and 28

Judaism has been referred to as a “culture of memory.” But what does that mean, exactly? Even if there is such a thing as cultural memory, what makes Jewish memory unique? Memory, after all, is typically seen as an individual, neurological phenomenon centering on the retrieval of data from learning and experience.

Through readings in Torah, Talmud, Midrash, and the Siddur (prayer book), as well as history, sociology, and memory theory, students will develop a deeper understanding of what Jewish memory is (and may be in the future), both in the Diaspora and in Israel. Together we will explore the fundamental role memory has played in the creation of Judaism and the preservation of peoplehood.

Students will be challenged to apply theories of Jewish memory to their own experiences, and to develop their own models and critiques of the principles and practices of making Jewish memory.

For more about the photo above, see Visual Moment | Lost & Found.