Jewish History: 711-1492

WOH 3285/REL 3938/JST 3930

Instruct

or: Dr. Nina Caputo

Class time: MWF Period 9 (4:05-4:55 p.m.)

Office Hours: Wednesday, 12:00-1:50 p.m., and by appointment

Office: Keene-Flint 210

Phone: (352) 392-0271, ex. 247

Email: ncaputo@ufl.edu

Website: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/ncaputo/

Course description: This course will survey major historic developments in medieval Jewish society under both Islam and western Christendom. We will look at the divergence of Judaism and Christianity, the rise of the Babylonian geonim, the social and cultural history of Jews in the Arab Mediterranean world, the emergence of Jewish communities in Medieval Ashkenaz, and the impact on Jewish society of the Crusades, the Reconquista, the emergence of the mendicant orders, and the Black Death. In the lectures, readings and assignments, students will examine the interaction of Jews with the majority culture, political structure, and economy, as well as changing cultural trends within Jewish society. The distinctive religious climate of the medieval period will serve as a unifying theme throughout. We will study primary sources as well as recent historical scholarship. Class is conducted as lecture and discussion of texts with an occasional film or slide lecture.

Prerequisites: None. Recommended background: Familiarity with medieval history (EUH 2001 or EUH 3122) and some familiarity with Judaism or Jewish civilization (REL 2600).

Course Requirements : a) Two papers (4-5 pages each), due 30 September and 28 November, each worth 20 points; b) A midterm exam, worth 20 points; c) A final exam, worth 35 points; d) Informed and well considered class participation, worth 5 points; e) Regular and punctual attendance is required. Excused absences (such as illness, university business, etc.) must be certified by documentation, such as a doctor's note. If you miss more than 3 class meetings without a valid written excuse you will be docked a full grade increment.

University of Florida GatorLink Email : Class announcements will be sent out to your gatormail accounts via the classrolls mailing list. Check your GatorLink email account on a regular basis; you will be held responsible for all amendments to reading or writing assignments posted there. 'I don't check my GatorLink account' will not be considered a valid excuse for failure to complete an assignment or follow instructions.

Written assignments : Historical writing demands that you make your arguments in a clear and precise manner and that you back them up with historical evidence. Thus, written assignments will be graded on the basis of style as well as content . Completion of the written assignments is absolutely required . Late assignments will not be accepted.

Reading assignments : If you do not make a good faith effort to finish the reading assignments before the Friday meeting, you will likely find yourself frustrated and confused during the lectures. If you find yourself falling behind in the readings, I suggest you at least skim the assigned readings before lecture so you are familiar with the themes and issues addressed on that day.

Academic Honesty : In writing papers, be certain to give proper credit whenever you use words, phrases, ideas, arguments, and conclusions drawn from someone else's work. Failure to give credit by quoting and/or footnoting is PLAGIARISM and is unacceptable. Any student caught plagiarizing will automatically fail the assignment and will face official prosecution at the instructor's discretion. To be sure that you are fully aware of the relevant policies please review the Student Honesty Guidelines at: http://www.dso.ufl.edu/judicial/academic.html.

Please do not hesitate to contact the instructor during the semester if you have any individual concerns or issues that need to be discussed. Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office (http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drp/). The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodation.

If you are a history major or minor, and wish to receive important announcements on courses, scholarships and awards at your email address, please sign on to the History Department listserv. Compose a message to: majordomo@clas.ufl.edu. In the text of the message type the following: subscribe hist-ba@history.ufl.edu.

The following books are available for purchase at Goerings Books, 1717 NW 1st Ave.

Required

Lawrence Fine, Judaism in Practice

Norman Stillman, Jews of Arab Lands

Mark Cohen, Under Crescent and Cross

Recommended

Ivan Marcus, Rituals of Childhood: Jewish Acculturation in Medieval Europe

Avraham Grossman, Pious and Rebellious: Jewish Women in Medieval Europe

Jews and Christians in Twelfth-Century Europe, ed. Michael A. Signer and John Van Engen

Bernard F. Reilly, The Medieval Spains

I 24-26 August

Introduction: The Foundations of Medieval Judaism

READINGS

http://pw1.netcom.com/~aldawood/aramaic.htm

http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/TalmudPage.html

http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/361_Transp/T05_Shema_sources.html

http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/361_Transp/T04_Prayer_structure.html

Josephus, Jewish Wars (Book 6, read chapters 8-10)

Fine, 1-36, 39-48 (text #5)

II 29 August -2 September

Shared Roots, Contested Authority

READINGS

Cohen, 4-29

Strabo The Geography

Roman Inscriptions (what can you learn about the a communityºs beliefs and values from grave epitaphs? Bring examples to support your analysis and conclusions)

Stillman, 3-21, 149-151

III 5-9 Septmeber

Jewish Life and Culture Under Islam: Legal and Communal Foundations