Jewish Lifecycle
Übung 09137 – SoSe 2021
The Jewish Lifecycle in Medieval and Early Modern Contexts
Instructor: Dr. Rachel Furst
How did Jews in centuries past mark the birth of a child, celebrate a marriage, or mourn a beloved relative’s death? In this course, we will examine the ways medieval and early modern Jews understood and observed the passage of time on individual and communal levels, including what they identified as distinct stages of life and how they transitioned from one stage to the next. We will consider which elements of these practices remained constant and which changed, and we will analyze how local cultures and societies impacted Jewish life and rituals. Readings and class discussions will take us from late antiquity to the dawn of the modern age, and from Christian Europe to the Islamic East. We will devote particular attention to reading primary sources as a window into the lives of ordinary people.
Time: Do 10:00-12:00 c.t.
Location: This course will be held online, via Zoom.
Language of instruction: English