Hebrew and Jewish Civilization – Israeli Literature 3600-HE-CHZLI-OG

The course introduces students to Israeli literature, focusing on its authors and the themes addressed in their texts. The objective of the classes is to present and analyze selected processes and phenomena reflected in contemporary Israeli literature written in Hebrew. The course serves as an essential introduction to further studies in Hebrew and Israeli literature, while familiarizing students with Israel's core social issues and conflicts, including the memory of the Holocaust, attitudes toward religion, the military, social divisions, national minorities, and emigration. The course will cover works by authors representing diverse social groups.

Course coordinators

Anna Piątek

Type of course

general courses

Mode

Classroom

Learning outcomes

The graduate knows and understands:
- at an advanced level, the most significant phenomena, trends, and literary texts of Israel and the Jewish diaspora.
- at an advanced level, the influence and role of historical processes, religion, and the philosophical systems of Judaism on the conditions of the contemporary world.
- jewish philosophy and religion.
- the impact of the natural environment, economy, international relations, as well as ethnic, demographic, and political situations on the social and cultural issues of Israel from both historical and contemporary perspectives.
- at an advanced level, methods of analysis and interpretation of various cultural products specific to native Jewish traditions.

The graduate is able to:
- correctly position the State of Israel within the context of its natural environment, geopolitical, and economic conditions.
- read and interpret literary texts and other works of cultural expression (film, press, social literature), correctly placing them within their cultural context, as well as analyze, compare, and identify correlations between them and the issues of tradition and modernity.
- present issues in the field of Israeli and Jewish cultural studies in Polish and Hebrew, taking into account the intellectual tradition of Judaism.

The graduate is ready to:
- explore cultural diversity, its sources, and its significance for the contemporary world.
- reflect on the place and significance of Jewish and Israeli culture within world culture.
- recognize the socio-cultural values of Judaism and Israel, drawing upon them for personal development and effective intercultural communication.

Assessment criteria

- Ongoing preparation for classes (reading of the assigned texts at home)
- Active participation in class discussions
- Short presentations on the lives and works of authors, as well as selected socio-historical issues concerning Israel
- Oral exam at the end of the semester

Admission to the final assessment is conditional upon meeting the minimum attendance requirement. The maximum allowed number of unexcused absences is 15%; the total number of both excused and unexcused absences permitting a student to take the exam is 30%.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is strictly prohibited when preparing papers and presentations. The course instructor reserves the right to conduct additional verification in the event of justified doubts regarding the authenticity and independence of the prepared project.

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes: