Jewish History Department

Students in the ninth grade study Medieval Jewish History, focusing on the Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jewish experiences during that period. This course begins by looking at the Jews under Islam, turns comparatively to the Jews under Christian rule, and culminates with the early modern Jewish communities that emerged in the wake of the Spanish Expulsion.

Tenth graders study Modern Jewish History. We spend the first semester of that course on the evolution of Jewish communal, political, and religious life in Eastern and Western Europe. During the second semester, we delve into historical and philosophical perspectives on the Zionism and the Holocaust.

This course prepares students to think and talk about Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict in an educated fashion, which is particularly appropriate as they prepare for life on college campuses.

This course focuses on the modern Jewish experience in the American context, enabling students to explore the rich history of their own identity as American Jews.