7 courses with the subject LIT, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
LIT 101Introduction to Liturgy2
Rabbi Rob Scheinberg, PhD What are the words associated with Jewish prayer, and how and why have they changed over time? In this course we will closely examine the Jewish liturgy for weekdays, addressing the structure, history, and theological implications of texts of the Siddur including the Shema, Amidah , Torah service, Kaddish, and Berakhot associated with food, and more. We will also explore questions of prayer’s personal meaning and spiritual significance in contemporary Jewish life, as well as the role of a religious leader in thoughtfully designing worship experiences. Last Offered Spring 2025, typically offered every 3-4 terms Required Textbooks : None Recommended Textbooks: Koren-Sacks Siddur, or another unabridged traditional siddur, ISBN: 9653019309, https://korenpub.com or Amazon, $34.95 Hammer, Reuven, Entering Jewish Prayer (New York: Schocken, 1994), ISBN: 0805210229, Amazon $15.92 Hoffman, Jeffrey, Weaving Prayer (Ben Yehuda Press, 2024), ISBN: 1953829600, Amazon $29.95 Readings drawn from Lawrence Hoffman, ed., Minhag Ami: My People’s Prayer Book, volumes 1-4 (www.jewishlights.com, and other sources. ISBN: Vol. 1: 1683362098, Vol. 2: 1683362128, Vol. 3: 1683362101, Vol. 4: 168336211X, Amazon $12.08+
Rabbi Rob Scheinberg, PhD Through analysis of the siddur and selected rabbinic and medieval primary sources, students will become familiar with the major components of the liturgy for Shabbat (both statutory liturgy and the best-known piyyutim ), their themes, structure, theology, various theories regarding their historical development, and how they are expressed in a wide variety of siddurim across the Jewish spectrum. Students will have the opportunity to reflect deeply on the meaning and function of many passages from the Shabbat liturgy and how these ideas can be transmitted to a community. last offered Fall 2024; typically offered every 4 terms Required Textbooks: A complete traditional Siddur with a literal English translation. Sacks, Jonathan Koren-Sacks Siddur ISBN: 9653013327 Amazon $47.84 is most highly recommended, and page numbers in this syllabus follow the Koren-Sacks Siddur (“ Koren Shalem Siddur , Lobel Edition, Ashkenazic”; other editions may have slightly different page numbers). Birnbaum, Metsudah, ArtScroll will also be appropriate. (For reasons we will discuss in class, I do not recommend Siddur Sim Shalom , Siddur Lev Shalem , or Miskhan Tefilah for this purpose, even though I am very fond of all of these. We will use them as comparative resources, but not as core texts for our course. We encourage each student to have access to at least one non-Orthodox siddur for us to compare texts and translations.) Recommended Textbooks: Many readings are drawn from Hammer, Reuven, Entering Jewish Prayer , and from the three Shabbat-relevant volumes of Hoffman, Lawrence, My People’s Prayer Book (volumes 7, 8, and 10). I recommend these books for purchase if you are able to (though passages will be available for download). Also note that e-book versions of these books are currently available to subscribers to http://www.everand.com/.
Introduction to Liturgy or permission of instructor
LIT 307Festival Liturgy2
Rabbi Jeff Hoffman, DHL A study of the liturgy of Pesah, Shavuot , and Sukkot from biblical origins to the present era. Features: Variations from the weekday liturgy, especially in the Amidot ; the development of Hallel customs; the form, function and texts of principal piyyutim , e.g., Hoshanot and Akdamut; Yizkor . These will be studied from historical, literary, and theological perspectives. Requred Textbooks: The Complete Artscroll Siddur (Ashkenazic, Orthodox), edited by Rabbi Nosson Scherman, Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz. ISBN: 0-89906-650-X $27.99 on the Artscroll website: https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9780899066509.html Waskow, Arthur, Seasons of Our Joy : A Modern Guide to the Jewish Holidays , 1982 and reprinted many times since. ISBN: 9780827609303, 0827609302 $18.45 new on Amazon. Hoffman, Jeffrey, Weaving Prayer: An Analytical and Spiritual Commentary on the Jewish Prayer Book , 2024. ISBN: 13 978-1-953829-60-3 $27.95 for paperback edition on website of the publisher, Ben Yehuda Press: https://www.benyehudapress.com/ In addition to the three books above, students are required to have available at least one of the following siddurim from the major movements in North American Judaism. Students may purchase copies from the various movements or new or used from any other source. Another possibility is borrowing a siddur from a local synagogue: Siddur Lev Shalem (Conservative), The Rabbinical Assembly, 2016. ISBN: 978-0-916219-64, $55 from The Rabbinical Assembly. Kol Haneshamah : Shabbat Vehaggim (Reconstructing Judaism), The Reconstructionist Press, 1994 and reprinted many times since. (Note that the weekday and Days of Awe versions are also titled Kol Haneshamah ; this course requires the volume with the subtitle, Shabbat Vehaggim ). ISBN: 0-935457-46-1 Available for free at this website: www.reconstructingjudaism.org/files/kh/kh-shabbat-hagim.pdf Available in hard copy for $65 on the website of the Press: https://readandrite.com/products/shabbat-and-holidays-shabbat-vehagim Mishkan T’filah: A Reform Siddur , Central Conference of American Rabbis, 2007, ISBN: 0-88123-114-4, $48 on website of the CCAR Press: https://www.ccarpress.org/shopping_product_detail.asp?pid=50203
Introduction to Liturgy; Hebrew must be at least at the level of Hebrew IA.
LIT 405The Passover Haggadah2
Rabbi Rob Scheinberg, PhD This course explores the origins and development of the Passover Seder, examining texts and traditions from Talmudic and medieval times, as well as the diversity of contemporary Haggadot and Seder practices. This course counts as a general elective. Textbooks: Hoffman, Lawrence and Arnow, David, My People’s Passover Haggadah Traditional Texts, Modern Commentaries, ISBN: 1580233546 (Vol 1), $20.99 and ISBN: 1580233465 (Vol 2), $22.49 Kulp, Joshua, and Golinkin, David, The Schechter Haggadah: Art, History, and Commentary, ISBN: 9657105595, $40.
Rabbi Rob Scheinberg, PhD This course focuses on the liturgy for the High Holy Days of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur , with an emphasis on the portions of the liturgy that are most likely to be included by non-Orthodox communities. We will explore the history and theology of the liturgy for these days, including the earlier Biblical and Rabbinic material that is incorporated into the liturgy. We will gain facility with a range of High Holy Day prayer books as we spark creative thinking on how to use the liturgy and its themes to help Jewish communities to experience the Yamim Nora’im in a meaningful way. (Typically offered every 4 terms.) Required textbooks: 1. Bring an unabridged traditional Mahzor to each class session. Most highly recommended is the Jonathan Sacks Koren-Sacks Mahzor (2 volumes), Amazon $69.90 ISBN: 9653013408. 2. Also available to use is the Birnbaum Mahzor 1 volume; free download at https://opensiddur.org/compilations/liturgical/mahzorim/rosh-hashanah-mahzorim/mahzor-ha-shalem-lrosh-ha-shanah-vyom-kippur-by-paltiel-birnbaum/ 3. Please also bring a non-Orthodox Mahzor to each class session, for comparative purposes, so we will always have a variety of Mahzorim at hand during our discussions. On the first class session we will share which Mahzorim we each have access to and we will each commit to monitoring the material in an additional non-Orthodox Mahzor in addition to an unabridged traditional Mahzor . Recommended textbooks: 1. *Philip Birnbaum, High Holiday Prayer Book, Amazon: $15.67 ASIN: B00MI8ZTE4 2. *Reuven Hammer, Entering the High Holy Days, Amazon $13.65 ISBN: 0827608217 (also available as e-book) *These are wonderful books for any rabbinic/cantorial library, and I recommend that you purchase at least one of them this trimester. All are available as e-books. All are also available as part of an Everand subscription, which may be useful to you for the duration of the trimester (approx $12/month after free trial; see everand.com 3. Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD, Rabbi Tony Bayfield and Rabbi Will Berkovitz, We Have Sinned: Sin and Confession in Judaism - Ashamnu and Al Chet (Prayers of Awe) (Prayers of Awe 3), Amazon $15.29 ISBN: 1683364783 4. Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD, Catherine Madsen and Dr. Annette M. Boeckler, All These Vows: Kol Nidrei (Prayers of Awe 2), Amazon $14.99 ISBN: 1681629755 5. Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD, Merri Lovinger Arian and Rabbi Tony Bayfield CBE DD, Who By Fire, Who By Water: Unetaneh Tokef (Prayers of Awe, 1), Amazon $28.99 ISBN: 1580234240 6. Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD, Yoram Bitton and Dr. Annette M. Boekler, May God Remember: Memory and Memorializing in Judaism - Yizkor (Prayers of Awe 4), Amazon $16.99 ISBN: 1683361881 7. Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, PhD, The Closing of the Gates: N’ilah (Prayers of Awe Series Book 8), Amazon $17.99 ISBN: 1684422205 8. Hayyim Herman Kieval, The High Holy Days: A Commentary on the Prayerbook of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Amazon $23.00 ISBN: 9657105234 9. Max Arzt, Justice and Mercy: Commentary on the Liturgy of the New year and The Day of Atonement, Amazon $15.12 ISBN: 1805290223 10. Jeffrey M. Cohen, Prayer and Penitence: A Commentary to the High Holy Day Machzor, Amazon $16.99 ISBN: 1568210469 11. Ismar Elbogen and Raymond P. Scheindlin, Jewish Liturgy: A Comprehensive History, Amazon $54.02 ISBN: 0827604459 12. Stuart Gershon, Kol Nidre: Its Origin, Development and Significance, Amazon $6.48 ISBN: 1568212003 PHI 480 Pluralism - 2 sessions Rabbi Len Levin, PhD and Rabbi Cantor Michael David McCloskey What is pluralism? What are its core value commitments, and how does it differ from relativism? In this class we will endeavor to clarify our core convictions regarding truth and pluralism; to determine to what extent pluralism is an authentic Jewish value; to extend and deepen our knowledge base concerning pluralism in general and the discussion over pluralism within classical and modern Judaism; to cultivate the virtues of pluralism in dealing with each other, with Jews of persuasions different from our own, and with fellow human beings of different faith communities or no faith community. We will use Studies in Judaism and Pluralism: Honoring the 60th Anniversary of the Academy for Jewish Religion as a study guide. (Typically offered every 3-4 terms.) Required textbooks: 1. Rabbi Dr. Leonard Levin, Studies in Judaism and Pluralism: Honoring the 60th Anniversary of the Academy for Jewish Religion, Amazon $7.34 ISBN: 1934730610 2. Moshe Halbertal, People of the Book : Canon, Meaning, and Authority, Amazon $38.50 ISBN: 0674661125 3. Donniel Hartman, The Boundaries of Judaism, Amazon $47.45 ISBN: 0826496644 4. Avi Sagi, The Open Canon, Amazon $50.00 ISBN: 0826496709) Recommended textbooks: 1. Sami Adwan, Dan Bar-On and Eyal Naveh, Side by Side: Parallel Histories of Israel-Palestine, Amazon $14.29 ISBN: 1595586830 2. Alan Brill, Judaism and Other Religions: Models of Understanding, Amazon $89.99 ISBN: 0230622267 3. Rabbi Irving Greenberg, For the Sake of Heaven and Earth - The New Encounter Between Judaism and Christianity, Amazon $13.99 ISBN: 0827608071 4. David Hartman, A Heart of Many Rooms - Celebrating the Many Voices Within Judaism, Amazon $18.13 ISBN: 158023156X 5. David Hartman, The God Who Hates Lies, Amazon $19.99 ISBN: 1580237908 6. Richard Hidary, Dispute for the Sake of Heaven: Legal Pluralism in the Talmud, Amazon $64.64 ISBN: 1930675917 7. Yossi Klein Halevi, Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, Amazon $15.19 ISBN: 006284492X 8. Jonathan Sacks, The Dignity of Difference: How to Avoid the Clash of Civilizations, Amazon $19.06 ISBN: 0826468500 PRO 001 and 006 Core Concepts I and VI - 2 sessions each Dr. Ora Horn Prouser and Rabbi Boaz Marmon This is a multi-year sequence of seminars. The seminars cover some of the fundamental values, concepts and vocabulary of Jewish tradition. Students are expected to first gain a basic acquaintance with these terms and to then delve more deeply into them so as to appreciate their range of significance. The goal of the seminars is not simply to gather information, but to develop an integrated way of thinking about and expressing these value concepts, so that students may grow from having an appreciation of the tradition to actively and creatively participating in the discourse of Torah. Every student is required to take two years of the seminars given in the sequence, but they need not be taken in order. Core Concepts I begins with the term emunah and Note: 001 and 006 are o ffered as two separate courses, one or both may be taken, see schedule. Core Concepts I meets May 12 - June 30 and Core Concepts VI meets June 30 - August 4 (note that these two overlap on June 30). These courses are for matriculated students only. No tuition is charged for these courses but students must also be registered for credit bearing courses simultaneously.
