10311 The Jews of North Africa: 1830-1956 1

Credits: 6 advanced credits in Modern History of the Jewish People or in History of the Middle East

Prerequisites: 36 credits, including one course in Middle Eastern Studies or in Modern History or in Modern History of the Jewish People. Students must also fulfill all English requirements and take bibliographic instruction in the Library.

Recommended: Jews in an Era of Transition

Authors: Yaron Tsur, Haim Saadoun, Hagar Hillel

Jews in an Era of Transition (10204) discussed changes that took place in Jewish communities under the influence of processes characteristic of the modern age. In this course, students enhance their knowledge and concentrate on changes in one area: North Africa. The course focuses on the history of three communities: The Jews of Algeria, 1830-1902; the Jews of Tunisia, 1882-1939; the Jews of Casablanca, 1907-1956. Each of these communities is discussed in relation to a different historical period, determined by the timing of its encounter with French colonialism, which completely changed North Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Students examine the circumstances of the Jewish community on the eve of French occupation and its development under French rule. Extensive attention is given to the influence of modern Jewish ideological schools of thought on community life, from the Enlightenment through Zionism. The course also addresses the following topics: colonial policy and the Jewish minority, Muslim-Jewish relations, the immigration of Moroccan Jews to Israel.

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1Students may write a seminar paper in this course, although it is not required.