HIST 105
Israeli Identity: Changing Perspectives
Nahum Karlinsky
10 sessions—$495
Tuesdays, beginning November 1, 2005
7:00–9:45 p.m.
Free Introductory Session:
Tuesday September 13, 2005 7pm – 8:30 pm at Temple Emanuel
RSVP to Anne Lowenthal at 617-558-8102 or alowenthal@templeemanuel.com
Israeli society has undergone earthshaking changes since achieving independence in 1948. The old image of a society of pioneers and settlers has given way to a fractured society of religious and secular, Sephardi and Ashkenazi, rural and urban.
In this course we will analyze the dynamic changes that Zionism and Israeli society have undergone since the founding of the state. Massive immigration and the absorption of millions of new immigrants, Arab-Israeli wars, the growth of ethnic consciousness among eastern Jews, the burgeoning influence of religion, the Palestinian Intifada and the emergence of free-market economics have transformed this society of pioneers into something else. But what?
Israeli artists, filmmakers, academics, politicians and ordinary Israelis have coped with this question in a variety of ways. Not only historical writings, but also literature, art, films, television documentaries and the like will be incorporated into our discussion. This course is essential for anyone interested in understanding the current political and social environment in Israel.
If you have not graduated from the Me’ah program and are interested in taking this class, please contact Anne Lowenthal at 617-795-7299.