Mar 28, 2024  
Loyola Marymount University Bulletin 2017-2018 
    
Loyola Marymount University Bulletin 2017-2018 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Jewish Studies Minor


Objectives


Jewish Studies provides an academically rigorous minor to examine Jewish history, culture, faith, and practice in its unity and diversity across geographic, political, historical, religious, and aesthetic boundaries and dimensions.

The Jewish Studies program is unique in that it provides:

  1. A rigorous foundation for the academic minor, including interfaith study abroad courses
  2. Regular opportunities for engaged learning, such as endowed lectureships, partnerships, and collaborations with museums, local and international colleges and universities, and Jewish organizations in Los Angeles; and special events for the University and the community. The Jewish Studies program sponsors three endowed events each year, which Jewish Studies minors can actively participate in.
  3. Jewish Studies Scholarships, Fellowships, and Awards are available for academic excellence, student travel and research, financial need, and other special considerations.
  4. The LMU Interfaith Course Development Grant is awarded each Fall to a faculty member to expand the course offerings in the area of interfaith relations.

The Jewish Studies program provides students with a diversity of Jewish perspectives and is open to students of all faiths and backgrounds. Through education and community outreach, the Jewish Studies program offers a profound opportunity to engage others directly and constructively in order to promote greater understanding and appreciation of Judaism and its relation to other faith traditions, and to act together upon such respect and understanding.

Faculty from a range of departments, schools, and colleges teach courses in Jewish Studies, many of which are cross-listed with Core and other University requirements. For questions relating to these and other matters in Jewish Studies, students should consult the Director of the Jewish Studies program.

Jewish Studies Student Learning Outcomes


Students will know:

  • The nature of the Jewish religious experience
  • Significant aspects of Jewish history, culture, and literature/art
  • Significant developments in and implications of Jewish/Christian relations

Students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate critical reflection on significant aspects of Jewish history, culture, religion, and literature/art
  • Conduct critical research and write intelligently and persuasively on issues within Judaism
  • Synthesize and apply this knowledge to pursue justice locally and globally

Students will value:

  • The rich contribution of the Jewish people to history, culture, religion, and literature/art
  • The importance of inter-religious dialogue
  • The living vitality of Jewish faith and culture through the promotion of justice.

Study Abroad


LMU Jewish Studies offers two Study Abroad courses, alternating each summer: “Literature and Faith in the Holy Land,” in Israel; and “Imagining the Holocaust,” in Poland. In consultation with the Director, one or both of these courses can be applied toward the Jewish Studies minor. The LMU Semester exchange at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and Study Abroad courses offered through other programs or colleges, may also satisfy Jewish Studies’ requirements.

Jewish Studies Minor Requirements


The foundational courses for the Jewish Studies minor address its interdisciplinary nature and the Jewish Studies mission to provide opportunities to engage the community. The required 20 semester hours must include JWST 3000 Modern Jewish History JWST 3750 Judaism: Religion, History, and Culture (Ancient through Modern) , two courses from the University Core, such as First Year Seminar: Literature of Exile and Terror, First Year Seminar: Modern Jewish Literature; Explorations: The Zionist Idea; Integrations: The History and Psychology of the Holocaust and Genocide. In consultation with the Program Director, other Core courses may satisfy this requirement. The final course requirement can be chosen from JWST 4900 Capstone Project , an approved Study Abroad course, or an approved course in Jewish literature, film, or culture.