Jewish Studies Winter 2027 Courses

Winter Online Seminar Courses | Make your selection by October 19, 2026

Dear Jewish Studies Students:

Learn with colleagues from across North America and beyond!

This winter, Spertus is pleased to introduce two new additions to the Jewish Studies curriculum. Taught by distinguished international faculty, Jesus and Judaism and Adventures in Rabbinic Responsa invite students to explore the depth and diversity of Jewish textual traditions—from evolving Jewish perspectives on Jesus over the past two millennia to rabbinic responsa that illuminate Jewish life from the Middle Ages to the present.

Registration is now open. If you have questions about registration, contact Scarlett Andes, Senior Manager of Student & Faculty Services, at sandes@spertus.edu. To schedule an advising appointment or to discuss your choice of courses, please book a time with me here.

Yours,

Dr. Daniella Farah
Assistant Director of Jewish Studies
Professor of Jewish Studies
Spertus Institute for Learning and Leadership

Preferred registration deadline: October 19
Final registration deadline: November 2

Winter 2027 | Online Seminar Courses | Sunday, January 10 to Thursday, January 14, 2026

Jesus and Judaism

Taught by Dr. Dov Weiss
3 quarter-hour credits
Fulfills MAJS 2nd Level Core or Elective | DSJS Core (Intergroup Relations) or Elective | DHL Elective Core Reading Course

Seminar Morning Course
9 AM-1 PM CT each day | Meets via Zoom

This course examines the various ways in which Jews — over the last two thousand years — thought about, and reflected on, Jesus of Nazareth. It will cover numerous types of Jewish literature, including, but not limited to, folk stories and Talmudic teachings (from Late Antiquity), published letters, polemical treatises, law codes, philosophical tracks, and mystical writings (from the Middle Ages), and, lastly, works of Reform theology, ecumenical treatises, Zionist literature, and Jewish artistic expressions (in the Modern Period). The course will highlight the shifting Jewish attitudes toward Jesus Christ, from antipathy and scorn (in earlier periods) to celebration and valorization (in later periods).

Adventures in Rabbinic Responsa

Taught by Dr. Matt Goldish
3 quarter-hour credits
Fulfills MAJS 2nd Level Core or Elective | DSJS Text or Elective | DHL Text or Elective Core Reading Course

Seminar Afternoon Course
3 PM-7:30 PM CT each day (with a 30-minute break) | Meets via Zoom

The responsa are letters sent to rabbis for their expert legal opinions on cases which have arisen in the Jewish community. For the historian, the responsa are an almost bottomless source of historical information, biographical fragments, legal curiosities, and especially, stories of Jewish life from the early Middle Ages to the present. We will examine many responsa together, with the aim of learning how historians use the genre, what we can learn from them, and how to analyze these fascinating but complex documents.

Course Registration Details

Course registration is for current Spertus Institute Jewish Studies students. Please review course details before completing your registration.

Before registering for courses, students must be admitted to one of Spertus Institute’s Jewish Studies graduate programs — or be accepted as a non-degree student who meets prerequisite requirements and wishes to enroll in courses for credit. If you are interested in applying to become a Spertus Jewish Studies graduate student, please contact admissions at admissions@spertus.edu.

October 19, 2026 — Preferred Registration Deadline
November 2, 2026 — Final Registration Deadline

Register for Winter 2027 Courses

Course Payment

Spertus students must be in good standing to be eligible to register. This means:

• GPA is 2.7 or above.
• Financial account does not have an overdue balance.

Students who do not meet the financial criteria will need to pay down their overdue balance prior to registering for courses.

Course Costs

For MA in Jewish Studies (MAJS) Students
$400 per quarter-hour credit ($1200 per 3qh course)

For DS in Jewish Studies (DSJS) and Doctor of Hebrew Letters (DHL) Students
$475 per quarter-hour credit ($1425 per 3qh course)

A non-refundable $25 fee is charged on all course registration forms.

Refund policies vary by course format. Please review the specific policy listed on your course registration form.

Course auditing can be arranged on a select basis with approval from the Assistant Director of Jewish Studies. Audited course tuition is $350 per 3qh course.

Questions

For questions relating to Jewish Studies courses or registration, including which course to register for next, please contact Dr. Daniella Farah at dfarah@spertus.edu.