010093 SE Judaism in Europe (2026S)
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Mo 02.02.2026 10:00 to We 25.02.2026 10:00
- Deregistration possible until Su 15.03.2026 10:00
Details
max. 30 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
- Wednesday 04.03. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 11.03. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 18.03. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 25.03. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 15.04. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 22.04. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 29.04. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 06.05. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 13.05. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 20.05. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- N Wednesday 27.05. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 03.06. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 10.06. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 17.06. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
- Wednesday 24.06. 18:30 - 20:00 Seminarraum 2 (Kath) Schenkenstraße EG
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
Assessment and permitted materials
Referat/Presentation (40%)
SA (60%)Use of AI in the Course
For the use of AI in studies at the University of Vienna see: https://studieren.univie.ac.at/en/studying-exams/ai-in-studies-and-teaching/
The use of AI in this course must follow the following guidelines: https://ssc-kaththeologie.univie.ac.at/en/organising-your-studies/ai-in-studies/
The use of AI must be made transparent along these rules: https://ucloud.univie.ac.at/index.php/s/A5DRyWjGTPjrfGpPlease note: In case of suspicion of non-transparent use of AI not in accordance with the guidelines, the course instructor has the right to conduct a "grade-relevant conversation" and, if necessary, to grade the seminar with an “X” (fraudulent attainment of examination results).
SA (60%)Use of AI in the Course
For the use of AI in studies at the University of Vienna see: https://studieren.univie.ac.at/en/studying-exams/ai-in-studies-and-teaching/
The use of AI in this course must follow the following guidelines: https://ssc-kaththeologie.univie.ac.at/en/organising-your-studies/ai-in-studies/
The use of AI must be made transparent along these rules: https://ucloud.univie.ac.at/index.php/s/A5DRyWjGTPjrfGpPlease note: In case of suspicion of non-transparent use of AI not in accordance with the guidelines, the course instructor has the right to conduct a "grade-relevant conversation" and, if necessary, to grade the seminar with an “X” (fraudulent attainment of examination results).
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
An interest in different disciplinary approaches to religion;
no knowledge of foreign languages is required apart from a good command of English;
all readings will be in English.Preparation of the assigned reading material for each class and active participation are expected.
The assessment will be based on the quality of the presentation and SA.
no knowledge of foreign languages is required apart from a good command of English;
all readings will be in English.Preparation of the assigned reading material for each class and active participation are expected.
The assessment will be based on the quality of the presentation and SA.
Examination topics
Lecture content as well as the texts studied in class.
Reading list
Romero, Elena, and Uriel Macías Kapón. The Jews and Europe: 2,000 Years of History. Illustrated edition. New York: Chartwell Books, 1994.
Vital, David. A People Apart: The Jews in Europe, 1789–1939. Oxford History of Modern Europe. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999.
Śagiʾ, Avraham, and Tsevi Zohar. Transforming Identity: The Ritual Transition from Gentile to Jew - Structure and Meaning. 1. Publ., Repr. ed. London [u.a.]: Continuum, 2009. Print. The Kogod Library of Judaic Studies ; 3.
Meyuhas Ginio, Alisa. Between Sepharad and Jerusalem: History, Identity and Memory of the Sephardim. Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2014. The Iberian Religious World; Volume 1. Web.
Meyer, Michael A. (1988). Response to Modernity: A History of the Reform Movement in Judaism. New York: Oxford University Press.
Biale, David, David Assaf, Benjamin Brown, Uriel Gellman, Samuel C. Heilman, Moshe Rosman, Gadi Sagiv, and Marcin Wodziński. Hasidism: A New History. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017.
Marcus, Ivan G. How the West Became Antisemitic: Jews and the Formation of Europe, 800–1500. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2024.
Vital, David. A People Apart: The Jews in Europe, 1789–1939. Oxford History of Modern Europe. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999.
Śagiʾ, Avraham, and Tsevi Zohar. Transforming Identity: The Ritual Transition from Gentile to Jew - Structure and Meaning. 1. Publ., Repr. ed. London [u.a.]: Continuum, 2009. Print. The Kogod Library of Judaic Studies ; 3.
Meyuhas Ginio, Alisa. Between Sepharad and Jerusalem: History, Identity and Memory of the Sephardim. Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2014. The Iberian Religious World; Volume 1. Web.
Meyer, Michael A. (1988). Response to Modernity: A History of the Reform Movement in Judaism. New York: Oxford University Press.
Biale, David, David Assaf, Benjamin Brown, Uriel Gellman, Samuel C. Heilman, Moshe Rosman, Gadi Sagiv, and Marcin Wodziński. Hasidism: A New History. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017.
Marcus, Ivan G. How the West Became Antisemitic: Jews and the Formation of Europe, 800–1500. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2024.
Association in the course directory
für 011 (15W) FTH 17 oder FTH 26, 198 418 BA UF RK 16, 199 517 MA UF RK 02 oder RK 05, 033 195 (17W) BRP, 18krp, BRP 18ktb
Last modified: Th 26.02.2026 17:45
The course aims for the students to gain a more profound knowledge and understanding of European Judaism in all its diversity, not only as a historical or theological phenomenon but also as a living religion with plural forms and vibrant communities.Description:
For over two thousand years, Jewish communities have been an integral part of the European landscape. This course offers a multidisciplinary exploration of European Judaism, tracing its evolution from antiquity to the modern era. We will examine how Jewish life flourished as a distinct civilization that both shaped and was shaped by the broader European environment.
To capture the full complexity of the Jewish experience, this course utilizes a variety of academic lenses: Historical & Sociological: Mapping the migration, settlement, and communal organization of Jews across the continent. Theological & Textual: Analyzing the core beliefs and sacred texts that have sustained Jewish life. Ethnographic & Ritualistic: Observing the daily construction of identity through liturgy, lifecycle rituals, and the lived experience of Jewish Law (Halakhah).
A central component of our study is the theological and cultic diversity within modern European Jewry. We will examine the emergence and evolution of various religious denominations through their unique ethical writings, legal interpretations, and institutional structures: Traditionalism and its Branches: The distinct worlds of Chasidic and Litvak (Yeshivish) thought within the Ultra-Orthodox framework. The Modern Turn: The development of Modern Orthodoxy, Conservative (Masorti), and Reform movements as responses to European Emancipation. Secular Jewish Identity: The rise of Humanistic Judaism and cultural Jewishness in the European context.
By engaging with various texts, students will gain a nuanced understanding of Judaism not as a static relic of the past, but as a dynamic, multifaceted civilization that remains a vital pillar of the European story.Method:
The course will use frontal teaching and textual learning (in the Chevrutah learning style) to study Jewish texts with a focus on central figures. Each participant will be expected to give a presentation (referat) about a relevant topic.