Crash Course in Jewish History
(for very intelligent people)
Extra Credit Readings for First Class: Wednesday, September 4, 2019
(privileges will be revoked for anyone who asks hard questions)
Ancient History
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
- What is Jewish History?
Peter Steinfels, “Salo Baron, 94, Scholar of Jewish History, Dies,” New York Times, November 26, 1989.
2. La Longue Durée
THE LAND: Geography and Climate, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
3. The Archaeological Record
National Treasures: Selected Articles from the Shelby White and Leon Levy Center for National Treasures, Israel Antiquities Authority.
4. The Encounter with Hellenism
The Book of Maccabees I, Sefaria.
5. The Roman-Jewish Wars
Josephus, The Jewish War, Book 5.
6. Portable Judaism
Moses Maimonides, Introduction to the Mishnah.
Medieval Jewish History
Optional Readings
- The Talmud
Studying the Talmud: 400 Repetitions and the Divine Voice, Thought and Action: The National Education Association Journal.
2. The Kehillah
Charter of the Kehillah (Jewish Community) of the New York City, April 5, 1914
3. Under Crescent
Norman Stillman, “The Judeo-Arabic Heritage”
4. Under Cross
The Crusades, Jewish Virtual Library
5. The Glory of Spanish Jewry
Selected Poems of Yehuda Halevi (trans. Hillel Halkin), Nextbook
Modern Jewish History
7:30-8:30 pm
Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
- The Iberian Diaspora
Ushi Derman, “Uriel da Costa: the Story of a Nonbeliever,” Bet Hatefutsot, December 18, 2018.
2. The Safed Circle
3. The People of the Book
Meet the Non-Jew Who Made Daf Yomi Possible, OU Torah, July 17, 2019.
4. Messianic Hopes
Matt Plen, “Who Was Shabbetai Tzvi?” My Jewish Learning
5. The Hasidic Revolution
Orthodox Judaism: Hasidim and Mitnagdim, Jewish Virtual LIbrary
6. Napoleon’s Sanhedrin
Napoleon’s Sanhedrin, Jewish History Blog
7. Five Strategies for Modernity
The End of Initimate Insularity: New Narratives of Jewish History in the Post-Soviet Era
For more information regarding the series please click here.
where is this?
Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst
Dr. Abramson:
I enjoy you lectures immensely.
Keep up the good work.
Have you done a lecture on Shabbatai Tsvi, the false Messiah of the 1600’s and the Dönmeh, (Jews who converted to Islam because Tsvi did so?)
Thank You Very Much
Shana Tova
Harry W.