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deborahk@arizona.edu
Kaye, Deborah A
Principal Lecturer
deborahk
Currently Teaching
RELI 321 – Women in Judaism
This course examines religion and gender through the study of women in Judaism. How do scholars construct a history of women in ancient Judaism when Jewish sacred texts are written by and for men? How have modern Jewish women accommodated feminist ideals without undermining the authority of the established tradition? What impact has the feminist movement had on Jewish communal institutions in the United States and Israel? In this course, we explore these questions and others by examining the influence Jewish religious beliefs and practices have played in the formation of Jewish women's identities, image and their understanding of power and authority. Students study the role of women in the formation of Judaism and Jewish society as a culturally constructed and historically changing category through archaeology, biblical studies, rabbinics, theology, folklore, social and political movements.
This course examines religion and gender through the study of women in Judaism. How do scholars construct a history of women in ancient Judaism when Jewish sacred texts are written by and for men? How have modern Jewish women accommodated feminist ideals without undermining the authority of the established tradition? What impact has the feminist movement had on Jewish communal institutions in the United States and Israel? In this course, we explore these questions and others by examining the influence Jewish religious beliefs and practices have played in the formation of Jewish women's identities, image and their understanding of power and authority. Students study the role of women in the formation of Judaism and Jewish society as a culturally constructed and historically changing category through archaeology, biblical studies, rabbinics, theology, folklore, social and political movements.
RELI 332 – The Holocaust: Witnesses and Representations
This course explores Holocaust memory and representation in Europe, Israel and the United States through various media and genres from diaries, memoirs and oral testimonies to Yiddish and Hebrew poetry, second generation graphic novels and film to memorial gardens and resistance monuments, archives and museums. We engage with some of the most fundamental questions of memory and Holocaust trauma from multiple perspectives and contexts. Is it possible to communicate the horrors of the concentration camp? Who has the right to speak about the Holocaust? How does "Jewish" memory of the Holocaust shape our understanding of the history of Nazism, genocide, World War II and its aftermath? In what ways, has Holocaust memory become associated with movements for historical justice and human rights, in particular, in the United States?
This course explores Holocaust memory and representation in Europe, Israel and the United States through various media and genres from diaries, memoirs and oral testimonies to Yiddish and Hebrew poetry, second generation graphic novels and film to memorial gardens and resistance monuments, archives and museums. We engage with some of the most fundamental questions of memory and Holocaust trauma from multiple perspectives and contexts. Is it possible to communicate the horrors of the concentration camp? Who has the right to speak about the Holocaust? How does "Jewish" memory of the Holocaust shape our understanding of the history of Nazism, genocide, World War II and its aftermath? In what ways, has Holocaust memory become associated with movements for historical justice and human rights, in particular, in the United States?
RELI 372A – Interpreting the Bible (Old Testament): Approaches to Understanding Israelite Religion and Society
The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is one of the most influential and widely studied texts in the world. For more than two millennia, it has played a central role in shaping Western culture, religion, and ethics. However, the stories, laws, and prophetic writings contained in the Bible are products of a specific time and place--embedded in the ancient Near East, where the Israelite people lived and interacted with other cultures over the course of many centuries. This course explores the contexts in which the Bible was written and compiled, drawing on literary analysis, historical criticism, and the witness of archaeology evidence. Students analyze key topics in Israelite religion and society, including the daily life of men and women, the emergence of monotheism, the role of the priesthood, development of the prophetic tradition, the political formation of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah among others.
The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is one of the most influential and widely studied texts in the world. For more than two millennia, it has played a central role in shaping Western culture, religion, and ethics. However, the stories, laws, and prophetic writings contained in the Bible are products of a specific time and place--embedded in the ancient Near East, where the Israelite people lived and interacted with other cultures over the course of many centuries. This course explores the contexts in which the Bible was written and compiled, drawing on literary analysis, historical criticism, and the witness of archaeology evidence. Students analyze key topics in Israelite religion and society, including the daily life of men and women, the emergence of monotheism, the role of the priesthood, development of the prophetic tradition, the political formation of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah among others.
RELI 370B – History of the Jews: Cultural Loss and Resilience from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution
In this course, we will explore key events and themes in Jewish history from Late Antiquity to the 18th century, with a focus on Jewish life in Europe and the Mediterranean. Students will examine how Jewish communities adapted and persisted in the face of challenges like exile, persecution, and political instability, through the close reading of primary sources such as legal texts, autobiographies, chronicles, and letters. They will engage with important questions about how Jewish culture evolved across different regions and historical periods, and what has contributed to its remarkable resilience. This transnational, global course connects Jewish history to broader world events and cultural shifts. For students interested in understanding how cultures endure and adapt, this course provides valuable insights into the historical forces that shape identity and community across time and space, while engaging deeply with primary sources that bring these experiences to life.
In this course, we will explore key events and themes in Jewish history from Late Antiquity to the 18th century, with a focus on Jewish life in Europe and the Mediterranean. Students will examine how Jewish communities adapted and persisted in the face of challenges like exile, persecution, and political instability, through the close reading of primary sources such as legal texts, autobiographies, chronicles, and letters. They will engage with important questions about how Jewish culture evolved across different regions and historical periods, and what has contributed to its remarkable resilience. This transnational, global course connects Jewish history to broader world events and cultural shifts. For students interested in understanding how cultures endure and adapt, this course provides valuable insights into the historical forces that shape identity and community across time and space, while engaging deeply with primary sources that bring these experiences to life.