Explores the long history of depictions of Jewish people and Jewish religion in popular culture, from ancient and medieval art to modern retellings of biblical stories, contemporary representations of the Holocaust, and depictions of American, Israeli, and European Jewry in film and literature.
Athena Title
Judaism in Popular Culture
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will identify and analyze key themes in the representation of Jewish people and Jewish religion across different time periods and media, including television, film, and literature.
Students will compare the ways in which Jewishness is handled in mainstream cultural media (e.g., sitcoms, films) with more historical representations, such as medieval art and biblical retellings.
Students will examine the evolution of Jewish cultural representation in the context of key social issues, including anti-Semitism, Holocaust education, and religious observance, as portrayed in media and public discourse.
Students will apply critical thinking skills to assess representations of Jewish holidays and religious practices (e.g., Passover, Hanukkah, Bar/Bat Mitzvah) in popular culture, considering both authenticity and the potential for misrepresentation.
Students will explore the intersection of comedy and Jewish identity by analyzing how humor shapes and reflects cultural attitudes toward Jewishness.
Topical Outline
I. Introduction to Jewish Representations in Popular Culture
II. Early Representations of Jewishness
III. The Jewish Presence in Modern Comedy
IV. The Holocaust and Jewish Identity in Media
V. Jewish Holidays and Religious Observances in Media
VI. Jews and Superheroes
VII. Contemporary Issues in Jewish Representation
VIII. Religion, Comedy, and Jewish Identity
IX. The Golem, Dybbuks, and Jewish Mythology in Pop Culture
