2025 Fall
JEWISH 120A 002 - LEC 002
Special Topics in Jewish Languages and Literature
"Jewish Humor"
Aug 27, 2025 - Dec 12, 2025
Tu, Th
09:30 am - 10:59 am
Class #:33734
Units: 4
Instruction Mode:
Online
Offered through
Jewish Studies Program
Current Enrollment
Total Open Seats:
15
Enrolled: 0
Waitlisted: 0
Capacity: 15
Waitlist Max: 3
No Reserved Seats
Hours & Workload
3 hours of instructor presentation of course materials per week, and 6 to 9 hours of outside work hours per week.
Course Catalog Description
Study of selected Jewish languages including Hebrew and Yiddish, and Jewish literature including prose, poetry, and drama, from various periods and geographic areas, in the context of time and place. Selections may vary from semester to semester depending on the interests and expertise of the instructor.
Class Description
This course will trace the history of humor among Jews in Europe and beyond, from the earliest instance of Yiddish writing in 1272 to Yiddish on Duolingo in 2025. This inquiry will take us back to Eastern Europe, where Yiddish-speaking Jews evolved their own distinct concept of themselves and the world around them. We will also collect jokes and analyze a variety of humorous genres (short fiction, film, stand-up, jokes, music) using a variety of analytical perspectives (historical, psychological, ethnographic, queer, and literary). We will examine how laughter has served in the Jewish tradition as both a coping mechanism and an instrument of self-defense.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat Rules
Requirements class fulfills
Meets Arts & Literature, L&S Breadth
Reserved Seats
Current Enrollment
No Reserved Seats
Textbooks & Materials
See class syllabus or https://calstudentstore.berkeley.edu/textbooks for the most current information.
Guide to Open, Free, & Affordable Course Materials