Jewish Studies
The minor in Jewish Studies is concerned with the investigation and understanding of a major cultural tradition, Judaism. This tradition has made seminal contributions to the cultural and religious heritage of Europe, America and the Middle East. It has had a major impact on the literature, art, music, philosophy, science and social science of Western civilization.
The minor, through its sequence of formal courses and independent studies, provides a breadth of inquiry that is interdisciplinary in its overall thrust. It involves faculty from all the divisions of the University. While it is not possible to major in Jewish studies, students can concentrate in Jewish studies through their major programs and/or the General Studies program. Another possibility is to design a Liberal Studies degree with emphasis on Jewish Studies. The Jewish Studies minor is available to all graduating students who complete the program’s requirements.
Program Organization
A wide range of Jewish Studies courses and independent studies is offered under both General Studies and program acronyms. These courses provide both a wide scope for studies in breadth and an opportunity for thorough investigation of specific issues. Courses that are relevant to the program will be offered every year and are open to any student at Stockton. Every formal Jewish Studies course carries 4 credits and is classified as belonging to one of three major categories:
- Topics in Jewish Language and Culture
- Topics in Jewish History and Civilization
- Contemporary Jewish Issues
Requirements
- Students interested in completing the Jewish Studies minor will be required to take four courses in Jewish Studies in at least two different content areas. Two of these courses may be related to Holocaust Studies.
- All students wishing to complete the Jewish Studies minor must, in addition, enroll in either an independent study or internship project as a capstone to their program. Project topics must be approved by the Jewish Studies coordinator and be supervised by a member of the Jewish Studies faculty (or by another Stockton faculty member upon the request of the Jewish studies coordinator).
- ANTH2230 Ethnicity
- ANTH2237 Jewish Culture
- GAH 1044 Women in the Bible
- GAH 1052 Jewish Stories and Storytellers
- GAH 1320 The Bible, Art and Literature
- GAH 1355 The American Jewish Experience
- GAH 1362 Jewish Culture and Western Civilization
- GAH 1365 Influences of Jewish Civilization
- GAH 1367 Current Issues in Judaism
- GAH 1368 Heritage: Civilization and the Jews
- GAH 2171 Major World Religions
- GAH 2176 Jewish Spirituality
- GAH 2118 Christian, Jews, Muslims
- GAH 2144 Women in the Bible
- GAH 2149 Biblical Ethics, Modem Times
- GAH 2157 Jewish American Writers
- GAH 2239 Old Testament and Film
- GAH 2248 Seriously Dangerous Religion
- GAH 2302 American Jewish Literature
- GAH 2304 Jewish Stories and Storytellers
- GAH 2305 Basic Judaism
- GAH 2327 How Judaism Approaches Life
- GAH 2376 American Jews in Film
- GAH 3634 Ethnicity Through Film
- GIS 3230 Jewish Women
- GIS 3630 Finding Joseph
- GSS 2193 Jewish Organizations
- GSS 2195 Blacks and Jews: Future Hope
- GSS 2246 Introduction to Middle East
- GSS 2436 The Arab-Israeli Conflict
- GSS 3240 Holocaust and Genocide Education
- GSS 3946 Holocaust Center Internship
- HIST 1310. Early Christianity
- HIST 2117 Modem Germany
- HIST 2106 Modem Middle East History
- HIST 2169 American Jewish Women
- HIST 2131 Islam and Eastern Christianity
- HIST 2200 Ancient Israel
- HIST 2405 Eastern Christianity
- LANG 1255 Beginning Hebrew I
- LANG 1256 Beginning Hebrew II
- LANG 1257 littermediate Hebrew I
- LANG 1258 Intermediate Hebrew II
- LITT 3213 Literature of the Bible
- PHIL 2102 Issues: Religion and Society
- PHIL 2402 Abrahamic Faiths
Additional Information
For more information contact:
Dr. Marcia Fiedler, Coordinator of Jewish Studies
609-626-6087
Marcia.Fiedler@stockton.edu
Opportunities
Opportunities for related overseas studies are available at Tel Aviv University and
other universities in Israel. Stockton, along with the other New Jersey State colleges
and universities, participates in a semester-long program of study at Tel Aviv University.
The courses offered at Tel Aviv are conducted in English and include classes in Judaica
and in subjects of a more general nature. Opportunities also exist for students to
spend a year at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem or Ben Gurion University in Be’er
Sheva. Interested students should contact the coordinator of international education.
Stockton students may also undertake study visits to Israel during the summer or winter
break and carry out their credit-bearing projects under the auspices of Stockton’s
International Education program; scholarships to help defray the cost of study in
Israel are often available for this purpose.
Students who are studying for the Jewish Studies minor are eligible to apply to the
Stockton Foundation for several special scholarships and book awards. These scholarships
and awards are designated for students who are completing the Jewish Studies minor,
planning a career in Jewish communal work, have made major contributions to Jewish
life on campus, or have made major contributions to multicultural harmony on campus.
Extensive cultural activities of relevance to Jewish studies are offered at Stockton,
sponsored by the Jewish Studies faculty and Stockton’s active Jewish Student Union/Hillel.
The Stockton Library has a strong collection in Jewish Studies. A regional Holocaust
Resource Center housed in the Library was opened at Stockton in 1990. The Center serves
as a focal point for the study of the Holocaust and its meaning. It helps to train
teachers and also houses artifacts and oral histories of the Holocaust. Students are
able to serve internships for academic credit at the Holocaust Center.
The Jewish Studies faculty works closely with the Jewish Federation of Atlantic and
Cape May Counties. Students interested in careers in Jewish communal work can serve
internships with the Federation or its agencies. Internships in Washington D.C., of
relevance to Jewish Studies, may also be available.