JWST 110 - Jewish Studies Fishman Family Travel Seminar

Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)

A biennial exploration of the historical and contemporary Jewish world, topic varies from year to year. The course involves in-depth investigation of historical, cultural and religious topics in the life of the community under consideration. Includes travel to the locale studied during Spring Break, for which some financial aid is available. Application by submission of an anonymous statement of interest, including courses and interests that are relevant. Once a student is accepted, financial assistance is disbursed by anonymous application to Student Financial Services. Marc Epstein.

Topic for 2026/27b: How can the Jews of Italy be understood through the intertwined histories of Rome, Venice, Florence, and Padua? The course examines how Jewish life developed within the distinct urban, political, and cultural settings of these four cities, tracing patterns of settlement, community formation, civic interaction, and artistic and intellectual exchange. It considers Venice’s ghetto and its cosmopolitan Jewish population, Rome’s ancient community, Florence’s humanist environment, and Padua’s university and rabbinic networks. Attention is given to material culture, including ceremonial objects, synagogue spaces, and the pivotal role of Hebrew printing, as well as to the ways Jews were depicted in Christian art. Together these cities offer a framework for understanding the diversity and continuity of Italian Jewish experience within the wider European and Mediterranean worlds. Marc Epstein.

Offered Spring semester in alternating years.

First six-week course.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS