RELG 259 - Jewish Conversions: Transforming the Self

FC ARHU CD

4 credits
While most Jews are born into Judaism, it is also a religious tradition that can be adopted or rejected. This course will explore how and why individuals pursue pathways into Judaism, out of Judaism, and between different interpretations of Judaism. Using conversion as a window onto issues of identity, change, and interreligious contact, this course will consider: 1) the development of conversion within Jewish sacred texts, 2) the history of Jews converting - forcibly or otherwise - to other religious traditions, 3) modern conversions into Judaism, and 4) intra-Jewish transformations.

This course is cross-listed with JWST-259