| Prof. Magda Teter
208 PAC Ext. 5356 E-mail: mteter@wesleyan.edu |
Classes: Tu 7-9:50 pm
Location: PAC422 Office hours: T and Th: 9-10:20; and by appointment. |
This course will explore the history and historiography of eastern European
Jews from the formation of this large Jewish community through the beginnings of modern
times. We will read both primary and secondary sources, although
the emphasis will be on the scholarly debates on major issues concerning
eastern European Jews, such as the origins, the legal status, Jewish-Christian
relations, internal social and cultural developments etc. The course
readings will include the classic work of Simon Dubnow and a number of
more recent works by scholars such as Edward Fram, Gershon Hundert, Moshe Rosman, etc.
During the course we will learn the tools of a historian. This is a
sophomore seminar, intended for students thinking about majoring in history.
It fulfills the history department requirement of a sophomore seminar toward the
major.
| All books are available at the Atticus Bookstore:
S. Dubnow History of the Jews in Russia and Poland E. Fram Ideals Face Reality N. Hanover Abyss of Dispair (Yeven Metsulah) (P) G. Hundert Essential Papers on Hasidism G. Hundert Jews in a Polish Private Town M. Rosman The Lords' Jews
Primary Sources on Reserves: (P) indicates a primary source |
Wesleyan University's Library offers a lot of valuable research resources, including a guide to Israel and Jewish studies. Contact Alan Nathanson to guide you through the Library's treasures. |
SCHEDULE
Week 1:
1. Tu. 09/02 Introduction: ON ERESERVES: Anthony Grafton The Footnote: A Curious History, pp. 1-61; 223-235; Larry Wolff, Inventing Eastern Europe, pp. 1-16.
Week 2: Simon Dubnow as a Jewish Historian and Thinker
2. Tu 09/09 ON ERESERVES: R. Seltzer "From Graetz to Dubnow: The Impact of the East European Milieu on the Writing of Jewish History" in The Legacy of Jewish Migration: 1881 and its Impact ed. D. Berger, pp.49-60; S. Dubnow "The Doctrine of Jewish Nationalism,"Jews as a Spiritual (Cultural-Historical) Nationality in the Midst of Political Nations," Dubnow History of the Jews in Russia and Poland pp. 495-499; handout: "Autonomism: The Basis of the National Program," "On National Education," "Jewish History." Student's presentation of Dubnow and before the next class: Student's Presentation: Historical Background of the Origins of Poland.
Week 3 The Beginnings
As a background for the remaining semester please read: Jerzy Lukowski Liberty's Folly: The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Eighteenth Century, 1697-1795 (London, New York: Routledge, 1991), Part I: The Structures of the unreformed Commonwealth.
3.Tu. 09/16 (S. Dubnow History of the Jews in Russia and Poland, pp. 1-16; On ERESERVES: Omelijan Pristak "The Pre-Ashkenazic Jews of eastern Europe in Relation to the Khazars, the Rus' and the Lithuanians" in Ukrainian-Jewish Relations in Historical Perspective, pp. 3-21, Baron SRHJ vol. III pp. 213-220, Baron SRHJ vol. XVI, pp 3-23; Bernard Weinryb "Immigration and Settlement" in The Jews of Poland" pp.17-27; Israel Ta-Shma "On the History of the Jews in Twelfth and Thirteenth-Century Poland, Polin 10 (1997): 287-317; Hand-out: ; P. Wexler "The Reconstruction of Pre-Ashkenazic Jewish Settlements in the Slavic Lands in the Light of Linguistic Sources"). German Immigraion; Polish and Jewish Legends. Student's presentation the structure of power in Poland
BY NOW YOU SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED WITH ME YOUR RESEARCH PAPER TOPICS
Week 4: Legal Status
4. Tu. 09/23: (Dubnow History of the Jews in Russia and Poland, pp. 16-45; On ERESERVES: Baron SRHJ vol. XVI, pp. 120-163; B. Weinryb "Legal and Political Situation" in The Jews of Poland pp. 33-55; 119-155; J. Goldberg "De non tolerandis iudaeis" Studies in Jewish History Presented to Professor Raphael Mahler, pp. 39-52; Rosman "The Lords' Jews, 1-74 ) Hand-out: Maurycy Horn, "Jewish Jurisdiction's dependence on Royal Power in Poland and Lithuania up to 1548"Acta Poloniae Historica [Poland] 1997 (76): 5-17 (unavailable); Royal and Private Privileges; Student's presentation on the structure of Polish economy.
BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE RESEARCH PAPER DUE; FIRST PAPER ASSIGNMENT ANNOUNCED
Week 5: Jews in Polish Economy:
5. Tu. 09/30: Dubnow, 28-45; M. Rosman, Lords' Jews, pp. 75-184; G. Hundert Jews in a Polish Private Town, pp. 46-68; E. Fram Ideals Face Reality, 106-163. ERESERVES: Kazmierczyk on Becal in Polin 15; G. Hundert " Jews, Money and Society in the Seventeenth Century Polish Commonwealth: The Case of Cracow" in Jewish Social Studies 43/3-4 (Fall 1981) pp. 261-274, Recommended Primary Source: Ber of Bolechow Memoirs (on reserve). Student's presentation on the Church role and the Christian culture in Poland
PAPER FIRST DRAFT DUE
Week 6: Jewish-Christian Relations: The Church, the accusations and the daily contacts
6. Tu. 10/07: Dubnow History of the Jews in Russia and Poland, pp.82-87; Baron SRHJ vol. XVI, pp 89-120 Edward Fram, Ideals Face Reality, pp. 15-37; Gershon Hundert Jews in a Polish Private Town, pp. 36-45; On ERESERVES: ; E. Fram "Perception and Reception of Repentant Apostates in Medieval Ashkenaz and Premodern Poland AJS Review XXI (2) 1996, pp. 299-339) Hand-out: Kalik "Patterns of Contact between the Catholic Church and the Jews in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth: The Jewish Debts" in Studies in the History of the Jews in Old Poland in Honor of Jacob Goldberg, pp.102-122; Teter; Court cases, Church law/rabbinic law. Student's presentation on Jewish Institutions in Poland
Week 7: Jewish Self-Government:
7. Tu. 10/14: Dubnow History of the Jews in Russia and Poland, pp. 46-51; 91-96; Moshe Rosman Lords' Jews, ch.7: "The Magnates and the Jewish Community"); Gershon Hundert Jews in Polish Private Town, pp. 85-155. On ERESERVES: Sh. Ettinger "The Council of the Four Lands" in Jews in Old Poland 1000-1795, pp. 93-109 and J. Goldberg "The Jewish Sejm; Its Origins and Functions" ibidem. pp. 147-165, Israel Bartal "The Pinkas of the Council of Four Lands" pp. 110-118; Mordekhai Nadav "Regional Aspects of the Autonomy of Polish Jews: The History of the Tykocin Kehilla, 1670-1782; Gershon Hundert "The Kehilla and the Municipality in Private Towns at the End of the Early Modern Period," Adam Teller "Radziwill, Rabinowicz and the Rabbi of Swierz: The Magnates' Attitude to Jewish Regional Autonomy in the 18th Century," Adam Teller "The Laicization of Early Modern Jewish Society: The Development of the Polish Communal Rabbinate in the 16th Century" in Michael Graetz Schoepferische Momente"; Hand-out: Takkanot of the Jewish Councils in Poland. FINAL DRAFT OF THE SHORT PAPER DUE
Mid-semester Break
Week 8:
8: Tu. 10/28: CLASS CANCELLED DUE TO INSTRUCTOR'S ILLNESS
Week 9: Rabbinic Culture:
9. Tu. 11/04: Dubnow History of the Jews in Russia and Poland pp. 51-65; 96-99; Edward Fram, Ideals Face Reality, pp. 1-12, 38-128; On ERESERVES: Edward Fram "Two Cases of Adultery and the Halakhic Decision-Making Process," AJS Review 26, no. 2 (2002), 277-300; Joseph Davis "The Reception of the Shulhan `Arukh and the Formation of Ashkenazic Jewish Identity," AJS Review 26, no. 2 (2002), 251-276; Hand-out: Benjamin Slonik, Teshuvot . OUTLINE DUE Student's presentation on the background of the Chmielnicki uprising.
Week 10: The "Watershed:" The Chmielnicki Uprising of 1648-49
10. Tu. 11/11: Dubnow History of the Jews in Russia and Poland pp. 66-82, Nathan Nata Hanover Abyss of Despair (Yeven Metsulah); On ERESERVES: B. Weinryb The Jews of Poland pp. 181-205; F. Sysyn "A Contemporary's Account of the Causes of the Khmel'nytskyi Uprsing", HUS, vol.I, no.2, (1981) and idem "The Jewish Factor in the Khmiel'nyts'kyi Uprising" Ukrainian Jewish Relations in Historical Perspective, Edmonton 1990); CLASS 12 PLAN AND READINGS DUE Student's presentation on the religious culture of Jews before Hasidism.
Week 11: Hasidism:
11. Tu. 11/18: Dubnow History of the Jews in Russia and Poland pp. 107-117; Essential Papers on Hasidism, pp. 25-226; on ERESERVES: M. Rosman "In Praise of Ba`al Shem Tov: A User's Guide to the Editions of Shivhei Ha-Besht); Graetz -- handout; CLASS 13 PLAN AND READINGS DUE; Student's presentation of issues related to the topic of week 12.
FIRST VERSION OF THE PAPER DUE THURSDAY 11/20 NOON.
Week 12:
12. Tu. 11/25: Russia's Jews: Readings to be assigned Student's presentation of issues related to topic of week 13.
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Week 13:
13. Tu. 12/02 Jewish Fiction: Readings to be assigned
FINAL RESEARCH PAPER DUE