Jewish Studies Interdisciplinary Program

Courses: Spring 2012

JS 151 | Natural Environment and Judaism with RTM 151F | Wilderness Survival

  • G. Goldman
  • 1 + 2 units
  • 6 meetings - Tu 7:00-9:45 PM, two Sunday afternoons, and a 3-day field trip,
  • JS Course #13495 + RTM Course #13495
  • Redwood Hall 104

An examination of teachings on the natural environment found in Jewish lite rature and oral teachings, with an emphasis on values and practices related to respect for natural life and environmental conservation. Students who take this course must also take the RTM 151F section linked to it. Arranged wilderness trips are required.

JS 200 (On-campus course) | Introduction to Judaism

  • M. Paskow
  • 3 units
  • MoWe 9:30 - 10:45 AM
  • Jerome Richfield 215
  • Course #18006
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities
  • CORE COURSE FOR THE JEWISH STUDIES MINOR AND MAJOR

JS 200ol (Online) | Introduction to Judaism

  • M. Paskow
  • 3 units
  • Course #13421(Online Section)
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities
  • CORE COURSE FOR THE JEWISH STUDIES MINOR AND MAJOR

An examination of the historical development of Judaism's fundamental religious concepts and practices in their cultural and international setting.

JS 210 | History of the Jewish People

  • E. Goodfriend
  • 3 units
  • TuTh 8:00 - 9:15 AM
  • Sierra Hall 314
  • Course #13565
  • General Education Comparative Cultural Studies

Study of the Jewish people from their beginnings in the ancient Near East to the establishment of the modern state of Israel.

JS 300 | Humanities in Jewish Society: Ancient and Medieval

  • M. Paskow
  • 3 units
  • Fr 11:00 AM - 1:45 PM
  • Jerome Richfield 245
  • Course #13180
  • General Education Arts & Humanities - fulfills upper-division Information Competence requirement
  • CORE COURSE FOR THE JEWISH STUDIES MINOR; RELIGIOUS TRADITION FOR THE RELIGIOUS STUDIES MAJOR

A study of ancient and medieval Jewish culture examining literature, art and architecture, law, music, philosophy and science.

JS 390CS | Service Learning in the Jewish Community

  • T. Hatkoff
  • 3 units
  • We 3:30 PM - 6:15 PM
  • Sierra Hall 224
  • Course #13566
  • General Education: Lifelong Learning

Internship in Jewish schools, synagogues, social welfare, or political organizations. Faculty supervisor will assist students with placements. Fieldwork will be completed by academic study and written assignements. Instructor permission required - for more information, contactterry.hatkoff@csun.edu or call (818) 677-3007.

JS/HIST 496IH | Israel's History and Peoples

  • J. Myers
  • 3 units   
  • We 7:00 - 9:45 PM
  • Jerome Richfield 130
  • JS Course #18669 cross listed as
  • HIST Course #18675

Do you want to understand what all the news is about regarding Israel in the Middle East? These are some of the questions we will be answering: Why is there a Jewish state in the Middle East? Why don't Palestinians have their own state? Who are the people who live in Israel: their stories, their lives, their challenges? This course uses an innovative approach to learning. Students read on-line newspapers, watch YouTube videos, and assemble their own blogs.

HIST/JS 546 | The Holocaust and Genocide for Educators

  • M. Feinstein
  • 3 units   
  • Th 4:00 - 6:45 PM
  • Sierra Hall 182
  • Course #17905

An overview of the Holocaust and the concept of genocide, with a focus on the analysis and evaluation of varied resources for educators, including film, photographs, literature, art, music, documents, and other primary source materials.

ENGL 371 | Issues in Jewish-American Writing

  • A. Thacker
  • 3 units
  • MoWe 9:20 - 10:45 AM
  • Sierra Hall 279
  • Course #13206
  • General Education: Comparative Cultural Studies

Study of Jewish writing in America as it affects the relationship between Jewish issues and themes and American culture, based on the works of such authors as I. B. Singer, Roth, Bellow, Malamud, Cahan, Paley, Olsen, Shapiro, Ozick, and Potok. Critical writing required.

HEB 102 | Elementary Hebrew II

  • M. Rosenthal
  • 4 units
  • TuTh 2:00 PM - 3:40 PM
  • Jerome Richfield 212
  • Course #13465
  • General Education: Comparative Cultural Studies

Second semester of a beginning level Hebrew course focusing on basic vocabulary, grammar, reading and practice in the spoken language.

RS 101 | The Bible

  • E. Goodfriend
  • MoWe 8:00 AM - 9:15 PM
  • Sierra Hall 390
  • Course #13185
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities
  • E. Goodfriend
  • MoWe 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
  • Sierra Hall 390
  • Course #13189
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities
  • A. Tevanyan
  • TuTh 8:00 AM - 9:15 AM
  • Sierra Hall 390
  • Course #13622
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities

This course provides a survey of the content and major themes of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), New Testament, and Apocryphal writings.

RS 378 | American Jewish Experience

  • J. Myers
  • 3 units
  • MoWe 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM
  • Jerome Richfield 244
  • Course #13196
  • General Education: Comparative Cultural Studies - Fulfills Information Competence requirement


This course describes the experience of the Jewish religio-ethnic community in America with reference to its own historical background and development, and the relationship of the community to the general American culture and to other particular subcultures or ethnic groups.

SOC 306 | Jewish Communal and Family Structure

  • H. Dosik
  • 3 units
  • MoWe 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM
  • Sierra Hall 209
  • Course #11864
  • General Education: COmparative Cultural Studies

The study of Jewish communal and family structure in an international context as a function of religious requirements and social circumstances.