Translations by Oren Yirmiya
הו! 18, 2019
תרגום של מבחר משיריה של אירנה קלפפיש בליווי הקדמה קצרה. פורסם לראשונה בהו! 18, עמ' 237-246
Teaching Documents by Oren Yirmiya
This course explores modern Hebrew literature through short prose and poetry (in English translat... more This course explores modern Hebrew literature through short prose and poetry (in English translation) using the lenses of gender and sexuality studies. During the semester, we will follow the late 19 th-century revival of Hebrew letters in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, moving on to 20 th-century modernist and post-modernist writings and ending with contemporary literature. Throughout this historical progression, the class will showcase the different ways in which Hebrew writers reflected and refracted social issues while asking about the sexual norms, gendered roles, and queer realities that have defined and substantiated Jewish lives of the time. The semester itself will be divided into five sections: introduction; 19 th century Fin de Siècle Jewish masculinity; "Women poetry" and the gendered politics of canonicity, 1920-1980s; Intersectional Mizrahi feminist literature, 1920-2010s; Gay, lesbian, and queer Hebrew poetry, 1930-2010s. No prior knowledge in Hebrew, literature, or gender studies is required. All texts will be discussed in English [Hebrew originals will be supplied upon request].
This class explores the art of escape as performance and as a literary trope, and the determining... more This class explores the art of escape as performance and as a literary trope, and the determining role Jewish artists played in this art's conception and history. Throughout the semester, we will contemplate the social meaning of escapology and its representations in art. We will also discuss the historical circumstances that drove Jewish artists to take part in performative bondage that ties together magic, stunt work, mass entertainment, and anti-fascist sensibilities. By the semester's end, we will reflect on the afterlife of escape art, and the ways the creators in question are remembered in contemporary social consciousness. These endeavors will mostly focus on the life and works of four Jewish artists who performed, wrote, and illustrated the art of escapology: Harry
The history of Jewish peoplehood is one of constant migration, of moving from place to place by c... more The history of Jewish peoplehood is one of constant migration, of moving from place to place by choice or force, and building a home on new grounds. This class will chart the trajectories of Jews throughout history, from biblical times to modernity. We will trace this movement around the globe by sampling the fiction, poetry, and essays left in its wake. Through surveying cultural expressions across time and geographies, the class presents Jewish identity and its many iterations, exploring lineages such as Mizrahi, Sephardi, and Ashkenazi heritage and intersections of gender and sexuality.
The class syllabus contains three sections. The first introduces canonical sacred texts of Judaism, covering relevant narratives from the Tanakh, the Talmud, Midrash, and the Passover Haggadah. The second section explores the cosmopolitan transformation of Jewish culture through poetry, travelogues, and philosophy from medieval Iraq, Iran, and Andalusia (Southern Spain). The third section jumps forward to the 20th century, presenting the literature of Jewish immigrants before and after WWII, as they travel back and forth among Europe, North-Africa, Mandatory Palestine, Israel, and the US.
The full syllabus for a freshman\sophmore seminar taught at UC Berkeley during spring 2019. The s... more The full syllabus for a freshman\sophmore seminar taught at UC Berkeley during spring 2019. The seminar reflects on the connection between Jewish literature and the American comic books industry. It also explores main tensions of Jewish living, as it relates to race (where do white-passing Jews fall in the USA racial hierarchy), gender (what are Jewish masculinity and femininity), and God (how do Jews imagine the divine).
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Translations by Oren Yirmiya
Teaching Documents by Oren Yirmiya
The class syllabus contains three sections. The first introduces canonical sacred texts of Judaism, covering relevant narratives from the Tanakh, the Talmud, Midrash, and the Passover Haggadah. The second section explores the cosmopolitan transformation of Jewish culture through poetry, travelogues, and philosophy from medieval Iraq, Iran, and Andalusia (Southern Spain). The third section jumps forward to the 20th century, presenting the literature of Jewish immigrants before and after WWII, as they travel back and forth among Europe, North-Africa, Mandatory Palestine, Israel, and the US.
The class syllabus contains three sections. The first introduces canonical sacred texts of Judaism, covering relevant narratives from the Tanakh, the Talmud, Midrash, and the Passover Haggadah. The second section explores the cosmopolitan transformation of Jewish culture through poetry, travelogues, and philosophy from medieval Iraq, Iran, and Andalusia (Southern Spain). The third section jumps forward to the 20th century, presenting the literature of Jewish immigrants before and after WWII, as they travel back and forth among Europe, North-Africa, Mandatory Palestine, Israel, and the US.