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Introduction to Judaism - lecture

General data

Course ID: 3104-WHLJS-WDJ-OG
Erasmus code / ISCED: 08.3 The subject classification code consists of three to five digits, where the first three represent the classification of the discipline according to the Discipline code list applicable to the Socrates/Erasmus program, the fourth (usually 0) - possible further specification of discipline information, the fifth - the degree of subject determined based on the year of study for which the subject is intended. / (0222) History and archaeology The ISCED (International Standard Classification of Education) code has been designed by UNESCO.
Course title: Introduction to Judaism - lecture
Name in Polish: Wprowadzenie do judaizmu
Organizational unit: Faculty of History
Course groups: General university courses
General university courses in the humanities
ECTS credit allocation (and other scores): (not available) Basic information on ECTS credits allocation principles:
  • the annual hourly workload of the student’s work required to achieve the expected learning outcomes for a given stage is 1500-1800h, corresponding to 60 ECTS;
  • the student’s weekly hourly workload is 45 h;
  • 1 ECTS point corresponds to 25-30 hours of student work needed to achieve the assumed learning outcomes;
  • weekly student workload necessary to achieve the assumed learning outcomes allows to obtain 1.5 ECTS;
  • work required to pass the course, which has been assigned 3 ECTS, constitutes 10% of the semester student load.

view allocation of credits
Language: Polish
Type of course:

elective courses
general courses
obligatory courses

Prerequisites (description):

(in Polish) Wykład obowiązkowy dla studentów I roku programu S1-JS Historia i kultura Żydów I stopnia.

Short description:

The aim of the course is to introduce the basic concepts of Judaism and to present the most important Jewish festivals and customs, as well as religious factions and movements operating within, or originating from the Jewish tradition.

Full description:

During the course the following issues will be discussed:

1. Judaism or Judaisms – general information; history of Judaism (chronological and geographical divisions; ashkanazi and sefaradi Jews and their cultural legacy; Jewish languages literatures; the main epochs and historical events that had an impact on Judaism, e.g., Haskalah, Zionism, Shoah, State of Israel) and the history of research on Judaism; fundamental research problems;

2. Basic concepts of the Jewish tradition (eg. Oral and written Torah, halacha, kashrut, etc.), the Jewish concept of time; the question of calendar;

3. Jewish holidays and rituals: Sabbath, three pilgrim festivals (Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot as well as Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah), high holidays (Rosh Ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur as well as Yamim Noraim), Hanukkah, Purim, Tisha be-Av;

4. The cycle of Jewish life: customs and rituals (circumcision/brit mila, bar/bat mitzvah, traditional education, wedding/chupa and divorce (geth), burial and mourning);

5. Jewish spaces: "kosher" home, synagogue, beit midrash, mikvah, cemetery;

6. Religious currents and movements that originated from or operate within Judaism: Samaritans, Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes; Sabbathaism, Frankism, Hasidism (and mitnagdim), Chabad; Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Judaism, as well as neo-orthodoxy; the Karaite “issue”; Jewish mysticism.

Bibliography: (in Polish)

Literatura w zależności od prowadzącego w danym cyklu dydaktycznym.

Learning outcomes:

After completing the course the student will: 1. know the most important Jewish holidays and customs, as well as main factions and religious movements within Judaism, and basic concepts and ideas related to this tradition; 2. Correctly use appropriate terms related to the discussed topics; 3. Independently find and use the literature on the subject.

Assessment methods and assessment criteria:

The final test. It is required to obtain at least 50% of points to pass the test. Grades:

51-60% = 3

61-70% = 3,5

71-80% = 4

81-90% = 4,5

91-99% = 5

100% = 5!

Two absences from the classroom are allowed.

This course is not currently offered.
Course descriptions are protected by copyright.
Copyright by University of Warsaw.
Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28
00-927 Warszawa
tel: +48 22 55 20 000 https://uw.edu.pl/
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