There are a lot of reasons to take this class: maybe you want to know more about Jewish literature and culture. Maybe you want to think comparatively across the Americas. Maybe you are interested in learning how to interpret a wider range of primary sources and are curious what makes something “Jewish”? Or perhaps you have read recent news reports about the rise of antisemitism in the United States and have wondered why Jews are sometimes a religious group, and other times a race or ethnicity. How is that Jews are sometimes the victims and other times the perpetrators of racism? We will be tackling these issues and more as we examine how expanding borders and methods changes the conversation about who and what is an American Jew.

By the end of this class you will be able to use your research and communication skills, your insights into aspects of Jewish American life, and your creativity to work to present an online exhibit that celebrates what you have learned this semester.