Objectives
Jewish Studies provides an academic, interdisciplinary minor for students within any major who would like to examine Jewish history, culture, faith, and practice in its unity and diversity across geographic, political, historical, religious, and aesthetic boundaries and dimensions.
The Program is unique in that its mission is twofold: 1) To provide the foundation for the academic minor program; and 2) To offer regular programs and special events to the University and to the community. For example, each year the Jewish Studies Program partners with the “1939” Club, a Holocaust survivor organization, to host a community-wide Kristallnacht commemoration at LMU. In the past, the Program has hosted or co-hosted events with the Los Angeles Polish Consulate, the Los Angeles Israeli Consulate, American Jewish University, UCLA, Chapman University, California State University Northridge and Long Beach, and the Western Jewish Studies Association.
Through education and community outreach, the Program provides an 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 commitments, and to act together upon such respect and understanding. In this way, the mission of the Jewish Studies Program relates to the mission and identity of LMU as a Jesuit/Marymount Catholic University in Los Angeles.
Faculty from a range of departments, schools, and colleges teach courses in Jewish Studies, many of which are cross-listed.
Jewish Studies Minor Requirements
18 semester hours, with at least 12 semester hours upper-division including JWST 300 and JWST 350 .
One course must be a JWST literature elective (upper or lower division), and one course must be a JWST elective on genocide/race.