Series

Seismic Shifts: Modern Jewish Ideologies and Movements with Professor William Safran

Thursdays @ 7 PM throughout March beginning March 4, 2010
Boulder JCC
3800 Kalmia Avenue
Boulder, CO 80301
Cost: $15 for drop-in or $50 for all four classes

Join Professor William Safran for a four-week class that will examine radical new developments in Jewish thought from the 17th through the 20th centuries, including Messianism and Hassidism, Haskalah and Reform Judaism, Bundism and Secular Yiddishism, Zionism, anti-Zionism, and post-Zionism. Pre-registration is required for this class. Contact Kathryn Bernheimer at the Boulder JCC at 303.998.1021 or via email at Kathryn@boulderjc.org for details.

March 4: Despair & Hope: Messianism and Hassidism

Shabtai Tsevi, Frank; Baal Shem Tov. These individuals and movements—the “messianists” and hassidim—appeared in reaction to the persecution of Jews and pogroms, especially the Chmielnicki massacres. The mitnagdim (i.e.,“opponents”) of the hassidim, led by Rabbi Elijah, the Gaon of Vilna. The Habad-Lubavitch movement.

March 11: Jews & Modernity: Haskalah and Reform Judaism

Mendelssohn and the “Europeanization” of Jews; Luzzatto; Zunz; and Historical Judaism; Geiger; Holdheim; and “Germanized” Judaism. Renewed interest in Hebrew. The French Revolution and Napoleon; the Grand Sanhedrin; de-ethnified Franco-Judaism as the price for full equality. The American exception.

March 18: The Promise of Socialism: Bundism and Secular Yiddishism

Autonomists; Zhitlovsky; Dubnow; The Czernowitz conference;YIVO. Approaches to a permanent diaspora in Eastern Europe;“Cultural-linguistic” Jewishness.

March 25: Jewish Nationalism and Its Challenges: Zionism, anti-Zionism, and post-Zionism

Hibbat Zion; Herzl; Pinsker; Nordau; Borochov; the non-political Zionism of Ahad Haam and Buber; American Council for Judaism; Cananites; Kimmerling; Pappe, et al. From 19th century Zionism to reactions to Nazism and the Holocaust. Developments since the establishment of Israel.

Note: There will be selective reading materials, of which copies will be made available.

Radical Jews at CU-Boulder

Professor Zilla Goodman will be teaching a course at CU-Boulder titled Radical Jews for Spring semester 2010 (Jan 11 – Apr 30, 2010). Subject matter will correspond to topics addressed throughout the MoVeRs series. Watch this website for details or visit www.colorado.edu/jewishstudies.

This class will be available for enrolled CU-Boulder students and a limited number of auditors. To learn more about auditing classes part of the Program in Jewish Studies, visit www.colorado.edu/jewishstudies or call 303.492.7143.