Pertinent Academic Courses
Union recently hired a director for its emerging Religious Studies Department. Further development of the department should enhance opportunities for minoring in religious studies and for developing rich interdepartmental majors. Professor Stephen Berk serves as the Henry and Sally Schaffer Professor of Holocaust and Jewish Studies. Although Union currently does not offer a major in Jewish studies, students may work with professors to create an individualized program. Typical courses of particular interest to Jewish students offered in recent years or being offered at present at include:
- Hebrew I
- Hebrew II
- Hebrew III
- Modern Jewish History
- The Early History of the Jews
- The Holocaust
- Jewish Women Writers
- The World of the Bible
- Middle East Politics
- Judaism/Christianity/Islam
- Humanities: the Origins
- World Religions and Music
- Philosophy of Religion
- Problem of Evil
- Religion and Politics
- Psychology of Religion
- Anthropology of Religion
- Yiddish Literature in Translation
- The American Jewish Experience
- Politics of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
- The Modern History of the Middle East
- Shoah: Literary, Artistic and Film Representations of the Holocaust
More advanced Hebrew courses can be taken for credit through the University at Albany.