FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
REL 3607: Judaism: Fall 2012
TR 2:00-3:15 in GL 100A
Dr. Oren B. Stier
Dr. Stier’s Office: DM301C
Hours: Thursdays, 12:30-1:30; and by appointment
Phone/Voicemail: 305-348-6729
Email: stiero@fiu.edu
This syllabus is available via http://religion.fiu.edu/courses/fall-2012/ and Blackboard
Course Description:
This course is an introduction to Judaism. Our main concern will be the symbolic systems and
structures that feed into the variety of traditions we call Jewish; this is not a course on Jewish thought or
Jewish history, though both will play an important role in our investigations. Rather, this course
approaches Judaism from the fields of the history of religions and the comparative study of religions,
focusing on five specific phenomenological “structures:” Text, Time, Space, Identity, and Memory.
These structures will enable us to understand Judaism as a symbolic system in all its manifestations. In
the course of our readings and discussions of these structures and of the very nature of Jewish “tradition,”
we will broaden our thinking about the Jewish religion by paying attention to contexts and contents as
diverse as theological reflection, feminist analysis, and Jewish practice. Throughout the course we will
have opportunity to reflect on the relationships between and construction of tradition and identity in
Judaism.
Required Texts:
Books (any edition of any required title is acceptable):
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Michael Fishbane, Judaism: Revelation and Traditions (NY: HarperCollins, 1987). ISBN-13: 9780060626556
Judith Plaskow, Standing Again at Sinai: Judaism from a Feminist Perspective (NY: HarperCollins,
1991). ISBN-13: 978-0060666842
Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man (NY: Farrar Straus Giroux,
2005 [Noonday, 1951]). ISBN-13: 978-0374529758
Harvey E. Goldberg, ed., The Life of Judaism (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001). ISBN13: 978-0520227538
Articles and Chapters (available on Blackboard):
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Adin Steinsaltz, “What Is the Talmud?” from The Essential Talmud, trans. Chaya Galai (NY: Basic
Books, 1976), 3-9.
Jonathan Z. Smith, “Earth and Gods,” from Map Is Not Territory (Leiden: E.J.Brill, 1978), 104-128.
Selections from Arthur Hertzberg, ed., The Zionist Idea: A Historical Analysis and Reader (NY:
Atheneum, 1972).
Raphael Patai, “Who Is a Jew?” from the Jewish Mind (NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1977), 15-27.
Tests, Assignments, and Grading:
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9/11 Talmud Exercise Presentations on Thursday, September 27, in class
10% of course grade
 Students will work in small groups on a Talmud page project and present the results in class.
Detailed instructions will be provided.
Take-home Midterm due by 11:59 pm on Sunday, October 14, via Blackboard
25% of course grade
Analytical Review Essay due by 11:59 pm on Monday, November 12, via Blackboard
30% of course grade
 Students will select from a list of recommended books (or propose their own) related to course
themes and write a critical review and analysis of the book chosen. Essays must summarize the
selected volume and show, by discussion and analysis, how it relates to at least one of the four
central themes of the class: Text, Time, Space, or Identity (Memory is excluded). Consultation
with the instructor is encouraged. Final papers should be 1000-1500 words. Detailed instructions
will be provided.
Final Examination on Thursday, December 6, 12-2 pm in classroom
25% of course grade
 A review guide consisting of study questions and a term list will be distributed in advance.
Students are advised to keep a separate vocabulary section in their notebooks for the entire course
to assist in preparation for the final exam.
Class Participation (including attendance and instructor’s evaluation of student’s class performance)
10% of course grade
 Attendance for and participation in entire class periods will be noted: particpation portion of
grade is at instructor’s discretion and will modify attendance portion, raising or lowering the
score; attendance portion valued as follows:
0 absences=95 points; 1 absence=93 pts.; 2 abs.=90 pts.; 3 abs.=85 pts.; 4 abs.=80 pts.; 5 abs.=70
pts.; 6 abs.=60 pts.; 7 abs.=50 pts.; 8 or more absences =0 points for attendance & participation.
Grading Criteria:
All student work will be assigned numerical grades, corresponding to the following letter grades,
according to the criteria below. Final grades will be calculated according to the percentages outlined
above and converted to final letter grades for the course.
98-100 A+
93-97 A
90-92 A88-89 B+
83-87 B
80-82 B78-79 C+
73-77 C
70-72 C68-69 D+
63-67 D
60-62 DBelow 60 F
“As” are awarded for excellent to exceptional work, free of technical and stylistic
errors, showing sustained thought and engagement with the material on an appropriate
but impressive academic level.
“Bs” are awarded for good to very good work, with some occasional errors, but
nonetheless clearly indicating a good grasp of the material and assigned task.
“Cs” are awarded for average to above average work, meeting minimal standards but
marked with errors, and exposing gaps in student performance and/or fulfillment of the
assignment.
“Ds” are awarded for barely passing to below average work, usually riddled with errors
and seriously deficient in fulfilling the assignment.
“Fs” are awarded for unacceptable work.
Course Regulations and Expectations:
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READINGS must be completed before the date for which they are assigned. Careful preparation of
readings is essential for comprehension, participation, and overall performance!
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ALL WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS are due via the turnitin link on Blackboard as indicated. In the
interest of fairness, deadlines are firm and will not be extended except in case of emergencies. Late
assignments without authorized extensions will be penalized five percentage points for each day
late, or part thereof, up to a maximum of 30 points off. Keep disk and paper copies of all written
work. For your own protection, keep a copy of your electronic receipt until you have received your
final grade for the course.
STANDARDS for citation and referencing must be adhered to. I recommend MLA style (see
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/Documentation.html and follow the link to MLA style), but
any standard format is acceptable as long as you are consistent. Students may use abbreviated
parenthetical references for assigned course texts, i.e., (Fishbane, p. 90) but must provide full
bibliographic information for all other sources used for written work. Internet sources are generally
unacceptable as references, but if you do use them, citations must include full url details and date
accessed. All written assignments must be typed, formatted in 10-12 point standard fonts, doublespaced, with one-inch margins.
 SPELLING, grammar, neatness, clarity, style, organization, etc. all DO count! Poor writing will
affect your grade. Strive for clarity and use your computer’s spell-check program wisely.
 RE-WRITE and revise your essays before turning them in; do not ask to do so afterwards. Ask
yourself, Is this clear? Am I communicating my thoughts well? Would a friend in another class
understand what I am saying?
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PLAGIARISM and any and all forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is
stealing someone else’s words or original ideas. Plagiarism occurs in three forms:
1. Written work that is entirely stolen from another source;
2. Using quotations from another source without properly citing them; and
3. Paraphrasing from another source without proper citations.
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In all cases, to avoid plagiarism, students must properly cite the source material. Only commonly
known facts and concepts, general material learned in the course of research and study, and
students’ original ideas do not require citation.
Students are expected to understand the definition of plagiarism. See the University Code of
Academic Integrity at http://www.fiu.edu/~oabp/misconductweb/2codeofacainteg.htm if you
need further clarification. Offenders will receive a grade of F for the plagiarized assignment, and
possibly the course, and may be reported directly to the Office of Academic Affairs.
For useful guidelines, go to the Plagiarism Prevention section on the FIU Library’s website:
http://libguides.fiu.edu/plagiarism.
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ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY in class are expected and required. If you know you will be
absent for any reason, please inform the professor before the class you will miss. Strive for perfect
attendance! Each unexcused absence after TWO will adversely affect your grade. Students with
more than seven absences will receive a grade of zero for class participation. See the grading table
above for further details.
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EXTRA CREDIT is always available for the diligent student. It usually involves attending a special
lecture or event and writing a two-page review and analysis: at least one page should summarize the
event and provide evidence of attendance, and at least one page must analyze the event in the context
of a course theme or concept. Failure to follow these guidelines will likely result in zero extra credit
points; successful extra credit essays can receive up to three points added to a student’s final course
grade. Students may submit up to three extra credit essays, but no student will receive more than
three total extra credit points. See the professor for more information and suggestions. Extra Credit
essays are due no later than the last class meeting on November 29.
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NOTE: This syllabus outlines everything you need to know for this course. Please make sure you
have read it through carefully.
Schedule of Lecture/Discussion Topics and Readings:
 REMINDER: Readings must be completed before the lecture date indicated.
Aug 21
Introductions, orientation
Reading: Course Syllabus; browse textbooks
23
Begin overview of Jewish history
Reading: Fishbane, pp. 1-82.
28
Conclude overview of Jewish history;
Reading: Fishbane, pp. 114-140;
30
Begin TEXT sub-unit: Oral and Written Torah
Steinsaltz (electronic); begin reading Plaskow
Sept 4
Torah and Feminism
Reading: Plaskow, pp. ix-75.
6
The People of the Book/The Book of the People
Reading: Plaskow, pp. 121-169.
11
Conclude TEXT sub-unit: Texts and Contexts; introduce 9/11 Talmud exercise
Reading: El-Or, in Goldberg, pp. 213-225.
13
Begin TIME sub-unit: The rhythms of time
Reading: Fishbane, pp. 83-101.
18*
Rosh Hashanah—No Class
Work on Talmud exercises
20
Shabbat as paradigm
Reading: Heschel.
23*
Special Extra Credit Lecture: Dr. Andrew Sloin, “Vilna: Past, Present, Future”
Sunday, 2pm, Jewish Museum of Florida, 301 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139
25
Conclude TIME sub-unit: A taste of the world to come; Festivals and Holidays
Reading: conclude Heschel; Awret and Sered in Goldberg, pp. 29-49
27
9/11 Talmud exercise presentations
Oct 2*
Sukkot—No class
Online exercise on Jewish Holidays
4
Begin SPACE sub-unit
Special Off-Campus Lecture: R. Levi Friedman, “Snack in the Shack,” details TBA
9*
Simchat Torah—No class
Online video TBA
11
Sacred Centers
Reading: Smith (electronic)
14*
Due by 11:59pm via Blackboard: Take-Home Midterm
16
Exile and return
Reading: Storper-Perez/Goldberg and Bilu, in Goldberg, pp. 173-211
18
Zionism; Conclude SPACE sub-unit
Reading: Selections from Hertzberg (electronic)
23
Begin IDENTITY sub-unit: Covenant; Who Is a Jew?
Reading: Patai (electronic); Fishbane, pp. 101-113
25
30
Nov
1
6
8
12*
13
15
20
Dec
22*
27
29
6
Rites of Passage
Reading: Ramon and Markowitz, in Goldberg, pp. 105-135.
Synagogue Life
Reading: Furman and Heilman, in Goldberg, pp. 51-77
Counterculture Communities
Reading: Weissler and Davidman in Goldberg, pp. 79-103
Special Guest Lecture: Professor Tudor Parfitt, “Black Jews”
Reading: Salamon in Goldberg, pp. 227-240.
Feminist Revisions of Community
Reading: Plaskow, pp. 75-120.
Due by 11:59 pm via Blackboard: Analytical Review Essay
Conclude IDENTITY sub-unit
Special Guest Lecture: Ms. Valeria Schindler, “Women’s Roles in Judaism”
Begin MEMORY sub-unit
Reading: Schorsch/Feldman, in Goldberg, pp. 149-171
Conclude MEMORY sub-unit
Reading: TBA (electronic)
No Class—Thanksgiving Holiday
Course Conclusions
Distribution/Discussion of Final Exam Review Guide
Final Examination (12-2pm)