Open Course–RELG / JWST 224–American Jewish Literature Since 1865

What do we mean when we speak of “Jewish American Literature” or “American Jewish Literature”? Explore this question through literature, Jewish culture, and religious studies.

What do we mean when we speak of “Jewish American Literature” or “American Jewish Literature”? Does its content have to be about Jews? Does it have to be composed by Jews? Who gets to decide what counts as a Jewish author or Jewish content to begin with? Must Jewish literature be written in a Jewish language? What forms or genres can it be expressed in? This class will not provide definitive answers to these questions. Rather, it will use literature to illuminate important aspects of the American Jewish experience from roughly 1865 to the present, including various forms of Jewish identity and identification. Through a variety of genres, we will also parse the meaning of “Jewish,” “American,” and “Literature.” Some of the works we explore were originally written in Hebrew and Yiddish, but all texts will be read in English. No prior knowledge of Judaism is necessary for this course. TR 10:50am – 12:05pm. Prof. Ben Steiner.