About This Course
The Jewish Diaspora refers to the ‘dispersal’ of the Jewish people from their original homeland in what is now Israel, and dates back broadly to the destruction of the Second Temple in the year 70 CE/AD. Since then, the Jewish people have wandered through empires and nations, finding homes and developing diverse cultures and traditions, all the while surviving through consistent persecution. Today, we can find organized Jewish communities thriving in over 70 countries worldwide, each with a different culture, historical narrative and community structure, yet exhibiting consistent elements that showcase the power of our Jewish tradition. In this Elective, we will take a journey through modern Diaspora history across the world as we seek to understand where we came from, where we are today, and where we may be going as a Jewish people.
Students will show comprehension of the materials through making YouTube response videos. You will post the link to the video in the #PRS chat room. You will also screen capture the YouTube video and upload the picture to the quiz below. The course is proctored by PRS and is not taught directly by the educator.
Students will receive a half credit for this course.
Course Objectives
- To understand the diversity that exists within the world’s Jewish communities
- To develop a more holistic perspective on Jewish culture and history
- To be aware of the differences between Sephardi and Ashkenazi culture and history
- To understand and respect how the formation of Israel has impacted the Diaspora
- To question our assumptions about who Jewish people are
- To learn details about the history and present day lives of lesser-known communities
Meet Your Instructor
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Ratings and Reviews
Donald MeltzerExtremely informative overview of BOTH jewish diaspora history and status of the contemporary diasporic issues...loved the NON-North American prism to think about Jews in the Diaspora and how much we can learn about ourselves from the much smaller communities: Turkey, China, India. All fascinating. Also couldn't help but want to learn from such an upbeat instructor !!
Madison MeljacI did really like the information in the class but I felt that making so many videos was a distraction from the actual learning. I would have loved some more depth. Presentation was good. Kept my interest, but I just wanted a bit more especially on not well known areas like China, India, etc. I have now have extra videos for my you tube channel.
Great survey of World Dispersion of Jews since 2nd Temple...Fun British accent, good balance between Ashkenazi and Sephardic history and manageable assignments.