Objectives: The course aims to provide students with a foundational knowledge of the main aspects of the Jewish world from a historical, religious, and cultural perspective, with particular attention to its relationships with analogous phenomena in Christianity.

Learning outcomes: It is expected that by the end of the course, the students will possess a basic knowledge of Jewish history and thought, enabling them to further explore areas of personal interest and relate them to Christianity.

Contents : In the first part, the course will follow a historical path starting from Second Temple Judaism, introducing students to the main events and the contemporary religious, literary, and intellectual currents of Judaism: the varieties of Second Temple Judaism and the place of Jesus’ preaching and the New Testament within them; the emergence of Rabbinic Judaism and its development in parallel with Christian identity; the development of Jewish thought in the Middle Ages and Kabbalah; Judaism in the modern and contemporary periods.

The second part will instead be organized thematically, focusing in particular on liturgy, Jewish life and the role of commandments, the importance of Israel, the Holocaust, the diversity of contemporary Judaism, and Jewish–Christian relations.

Methodology : The professors will explain the scheduled topics as the course progresses, supporting them, whenever possible, with readings of texts in translation. In each lesson, adequate time will be dedicated to questions and answers to clarify and deepen aspects that capture the students’ attention.

Means of evaluation: (paper) elaborato.