Class Nº1 - The Jew

Main questions that this class will seek to answer:

Before 1990, representations and stereotypes of the Jew traditionally fell into one or more of the following categories: racialised and antisemitic; invisible or non-existent; idealised, de-Judainised and de-Semitised, often replaced by the Gentile mimicking the Jew; ethnicised, anxious and neurotic; or victimised and humiliated
How has the portrayal of Jewish characters evolved over the past 30 years?

​

Learning tools/methodology:

Critical viewing of clips from movies and tv shows that portray Jewish pro and antagonists

Class Nº2 - Religion

Main questions that this class will seek to answer:

How has Judaism as a faith been portrayed in cinema? Is it representative of your personal identity?

​

Learning tools / methodology:

Active research into films that portray Judaism and Jewish culture. Groups will present the Jewish religion through the lens of Hollywood’s camera.

Class Nº3 - Passivity

Main questions that this class will seek to answer: 

A classic Jewish adage states, ‘Who is a hero? He who conquers his desire’. Since toughness was downgraded in normative rabbinic culture, physical, martial and bodily virtues, which flowered in natural surroundings, were rejected in favour of a scholarliness that thrived indoors. 
How have movies reinforced the notion of the “weak” diaspora Jew? Is this portrayal one that should be celebrated, forgotten or reimagined

​

Learning tools/methodology:

Critical viewing of films that portray Jews as passive and weak. 

Class Nº4 - Agency

Main questions that this class will seek to answer: 

In response to the nationalistic antisemitism of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries there emerged an emphasis on Jewish ‘toughness, courage and physicality loyalty, self-discipline, readiness for self-sacrifice, robustness, manliness,’ that is the inversion of the weak, victimised Jew (Breines 1990: 126–27). 
How has modern cinema forced this changed? Has there been a societal change that has forced movies to reimagine the portrayal of the Jew?

​

Learning tools/methodology:

Use of clips and scholarly articles to investigate the way Jews are portrayed today. Examining whether that portrayal is accurate and how it merges into other forms of media.

Class Nº5 - Holocaust

Main questions that this class will seek to answer: 

The portrayal of the Holocaust as both a way to memorialize, publicize testimony, and deeply examine the greatest crime in human history has become a staple of modern cinema. Why is this the case? What issues can arise when portraying such a sensitive historical event?

​

Learning tools/methodology:

Viewing a selection of clips from well-known and lesser-known movies to encourage discussion on the central questions.

Class Nº6 - Comedy

Main questions that this class will seek to answer: 

How has Jewish humor been represented in film?
   * What are the common tropes and stereotypes associated with Jewish humor in cinema?
   * How does Jewish humor reflect Jewish identity and cultural experiences?
   * Is Jewish humor always well-received, or does it sometimes cross a line?
 

Learning tools/methodology:
   * Watch clips from comedic films featuring Jewish characters or themes.
   * Discuss the use of irony, self-deprecation, and social commentary in these films.
   * Analyze how Jewish humor is used to address serious issues like prejudice and discrimination.
   * Explore the potential for humor to both challenge and reinforce stereotypes.

Class Nº7 - Concluding Projects

Main questions that this class will seek to answer: 

Has the portrayal of Jews and Judaism evolved? What key themes have you learnt in this course? What do you believe the future holds for Jewish cinema?

​

Learning tools/methodology:

Group presentation using class films and films of your choice to reflect on the themes covered throughout the course.