How have Jews been changed by America? And how have Jews in turn transformed America? To address these questions, this class traces the development of Jewish culture in America during the last half century. We will examine a range of cultural forms including literary works, essays, films, plays, stand-up comedy, and musical recordings. Themes to be discussed include the tensions between “high” and popular culture, the problem of responding to the Holocaust, American assimilation and its discontents, the meaning of Israel for American Jews, and the quest to reassert cultural traditions in modern and postmodern forms. As we pursue the shifting meanings of Jewishness in the United States, we will also ask broader questions about race, peoplehood, and religion in a multiethnic nation.

Course Requirements:

Requirements include short responses, two papers, and a final.