Compare and Contrast the Definition of a Jew

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Coursework/Essay Title: Who is a Jew?

Guidance: Choose three separate instances in which the definition of
Jewishness can be compared and contrasted. In your essay you must
present your findings as an argument which presents your own critical
thinking, supported by primary and secondary sources, on (1) the nature
of this question—why does it exist at all? (2) the criteria and
conditions for creating an answer to it—what assumptions are being used
in your examples? (3) what the shifts in answer suggest about the future
for Jews specifically and identity politics within religious traditions
more broadly.

To answer this question well, you will need to:

(1) Start on it early and never leave it behind. Bring it with you to
lectures and seminars and always funnel the discussions and dialogue in
those sessions to crafting an increasingly comprehensive answer. This
whole module is about this question.

Compare and Contrast the Definition of a Jew

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(2) Use primary sources. They are your most powerful tool.

(3) Take footnotes and formatting seriously. See the Assessment Handbook
below for help.

Bibliography begins here: Library Accessible Reading List

All electronic sources listed in this reading list are viable for this
essay’s essential task. But you are not restricted to them and are in
fact expected to physically go to the B stacks in the Hallward library
and find physical books as well, namely any introductions to Judaism
should prove useful.

Compare and Contrast the Definition of a Jew

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This is an introduction to Jewish life, religion, and culture, from its
origins in the ancient Near East to its impact on contemporary popular
culture. Attention will be paid to the development of Judaism over many
centuries and in a range of locales, emphasizing the diversity and
creativity of the Jewish experience. The aim here will be to introduce
the manifold aspects of Jewish history & religion, Judaism’s
foundational narratives as they are expressed & addressed in its
historical development, and the diverse forms of self-understanding on
display in the Jewish tradition.

Step One: CHOOSE YOUR FOCUS
The question of this essay assignment is “Who is a Jew?” Step one is to
decide what you think is an important dimension to any discussion about
Jewish identity. You have a lot of freedom here, but something will
likely come up in your mind in lectures and in seminars.

Compare and Contrast the Definition of a Jew

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Remember that “Who is a Jew” is a question that can be considered from
not only inside Judaism (i.e., how Jews understand their own identity in
relation to other Jews and who they see as non-Jews), but also from
outside Judaism (i.e., how Jews have been identified by non-Jews for
purposes of persecution or conversion, etc.).