Program
- Education Series
- Streaming
Introduction to Judaism Beyond Nationalism Cohort 4
What is a Jew? What is Judaism? And what does Jewish life look like when it's grounded in ethics, history, and practice rather than nationalism?
Whether you're Jewish, Jew-ish, exploring conversion, or simply curious, you're invited into this space.
Introduction to Judaism Beyond Nationalism is a 16-week survey course broken up into two modules, covering Jewish history, belief, practice, lifecycle, philosophy, and culture from the ancient world to the present.
We'll ask hard questions, sit with complexity, and learn together.
Introduction to Judaism Beyond Nationalism
Tuesdays, 6:30–8:00 pm Pacific
Module 1 begins April 20, 2026
Course Overview
Introduction to Judaism Beyond Nationalism is a broad-stroke survey of Jewish life, culture, belief and non-belief, and the major ideas that have shaped Jews and Judaism across time. The course offers participants a grounding in the practices, philosophies, and expressions of Jewish life from the ancient world to the present.
The course is divided into two 8-week modules. A third module, focused on personal Jewish development and practice-building, will be offered after the conclusion of Module 2.
Recordings will be provided for anyone who cannot attend live. We encourage regular participation, while recognizing that life happens. The course pairs well with either Judaisms by Aaron Hahn Tapper or Jewish History: A Very Short Introduction by David Meyer.
Course Pricing
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Module One: $300
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Module Two: $300
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Modules One & Two Together: $550
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Scholarships available by application
Module 1: History and Ideas
April 20 – June 8, 2026
This module traces the historical development of Judaism from biblical times to postmodernity, with attention to key philosophical questions, diaspora as a civilizational framework, the advent of Zionism, and Jewish responses to nationalism.
Weekly Topics
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April 20 — Introduction: What is a Jew?
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April 27 — The Jewish Timeline, Pt. I: From Abraham to Maimonides
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May 4 — The Jewish Timeline, Pt. II: From Ramban until Today
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May 11 — Torah: From the Bible to the Talmud and beyond
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May 18 — Jewish Belief
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May 25 — What Is Zionism?
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June 1 — Antisemitism
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June 8 — The Jews in America: Movements & Secularism
Module 2: Practices and Lifecycle
June 15 – August 3, 2026
This module explores Jewish practices, lifecycles, and rituals. Grounded in lived experience rather than nationalist narratives, it introduces the rhythms and symbols that shape Jewish religious and cultural life.
Weekly Topics
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June 15 — Introduction to Shabbat
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June 22 — The Jewish Lifecycle: Birth, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and Marriage
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June 29 — The Jewish Lifecycle: Divorce, Death, and the Afterlife
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July 6 — Prayer: An Introduction
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July 13 — Fall Festivals: Elul, Slichot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur
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July 20 — Sukkot, Passover, and Shavuot: Harvest Festivals
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July 27 — Purim and Chanukah
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August 3 — Jewish Symbols and Ritual Objects: Their Meaning and Use
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This course will provide students with a unique venue for this inquiry. Students will be introduced to key concepts, theories, and methods that can help us make sense of loaded terms like "Judaism," "fascism," and "antifascism"; to historical readings and case studies that illuminate the lineages of Jewish antifascism -- including anarchist, Bundist, liberal, and Marxist varieties -- as well as the lesser known histories of Jewish fascism; and to recent texts and other media that address the crisis within contemporary Judaism. Finally, the course will feature ample opportunities for open discussion, and will conclude with a consideration of the possibilities for an emancipatory Judaism and a world without fascism.
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