Teaching Jewish Civilization: A Global Approach to Higher Education

Recent years have witnessed an unprecedented growth in the study of Jewish civilization throughout the world. Globally, over 1,300 universities and colleges offer courses on some aspect of Jewish civilization. Some universities in areas which had little contact with Jewish heritage, such as the former Soviet Union, the Pacific Rim, and Africa, are increasingly introducing such studies into their course offerings. This volume addresses the challenge of developing courses of study about Jewish civilizations appropriate for different peoples in many parts of the world at the same time. The more than 60 selections cover a broad range of conceptual, historical, thematic, pedagogic, and administrative areas and address the basic issues which confront university Jewish civilization studies. Such concerns as the incorporation of Jewish studies into general disciplines, the re-introduction of Jewish civilization studies into non- Western organizational university structures, and the place of Israeli universities in serving an ever-increasing number of universities abroad are addressed as the contributors elucidate the objectives, progress, achievements, and still unfulfilled goals of these programs. Of special utility is a world register of Jewish studies programs which provides a comprehensive global profile of institutions engaged in teaching Jewish history and civilization.