Jerusalem University College

History of the Holy Land from the Rise of Islam to 1948

MECR 5/342 History of the Holy Land from the Rise of Islam to 1948

Lectures: Wednesdays, 8:30-11:00am (ET)

Credit Hours: 3

Cost: $555 Audit; $2,205 Credit

Recorded Lectures: Yes

Note: This course will be delivered in a hybrid format. Online students will participate via live video stream from the classroom in Jerusalem. Because the instructor will be actively engaging with students in person, they may not always be centered on camera throughout the session. While every effort will be made to ensure a quality viewing experience, the course is designed to prioritize interaction with both in-person and online participants.

Description

The course examines key developments in the Holy Land from the Muslim conquest until the establishment of the State of Israel, with emphasis placed on the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Objectives

By the end of the course, a student should be able to:

  • use techniques to read and analyze primary sources with key emphasis placed on political and diplomatic sources;
  • understand the origins of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict;
  • identify and characterize the nature and contributions of the dynasties that ruled the Holy Land from AD 638 to 1948; and
  • understand the religious significance of the Holy Land for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Equivalencies

  • Middle Eastern Studies
  • Non-Western Civilization
  • Medieval and Modern History
  • International Relations
  • British Colonial History

Instructor

Jonathan Kaplan holds a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Jewish History from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His major research interests include the history of the Zionist Movement, the modern Jewish settlement of the Holy Land and Israeli society. He has been a lecturer and administrator at the Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University, and served as the school’s Director of Undergraduate Studies and later as Vice Provost. Jon was born in the United States, and immigrated to Israel in 1972; since 1986 he has been on the JUC faculty. He is currently working on a book dealing with the moderate "Weizmannist" trend of Zionism which dominated the movement during the years between the two world wars.