Jewish History Courses

This course explores the rich and diverse history of Judaism in America, from the arrival of the first Jewish settlers to the American colonies through to today’s thriving Jewish community. Over the span of four lessons, we’ll delve into the challenges, triumphs, and transformations that have shaped the American Jewish experience.

How well do you know your Jewish history? It’s not an objective question, not just that anyway. It’s a profoundly personal question. You are the result of more than three millennia of Jewish history. Your habits, your quirks, your likes and dislikes, your sense of humor, the way you think, the way you see reality, the way you interact with family, your friends, your neighbors, your fellow citizens—all of this is heavily determined by a long heritage of Jewish habits, likes, dislikes, ideas, teachings, etc.. It’s like an extension of psychoanalysis. To really get to know yourself, you need to understand your parents; to understand your parents, you need to understand your grandparents…

You are the result of more than three millennia of Jewish history. Your habits, your quirks, your likes and dislikes, your sense of humor, the way you think, the way you see reality, the way you interact with your family, your friends, your neighbors, your fellow citizens—all of this is heavily determined by a long heritage of Jewish habits. To really get to know yourself, you need to understand your history.

Scroll Down is designed to initiate auditors into a first acquaintance with the Torah and with Jewish history and ideas. The video lessons are presented at an introductory level of Jewish Studies at college.

A history of the Jewish people as detailed in the books of the Tanach (Jewish Bible), beginning with the book of Joshua.

This history of the Jewish people in exile covers roughly two millennia, beginning with the Mishnaic period and continuing through to the Modern Age.

Maimonides codifies the laws governing the construction of the Holy Temple. In this class, we learn about the history of the Holy Temple and the purpose for which it was built.