- Majors: Economics, Political Science, and Sociology
- Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
- Year at UNL: Senior
Why did you enroll in ENGL/JUDS 245J?
I had been introduced to Jewish culture through my friends and had enjoyed books written by Jewish-American authors like Safran Foer and Roth. I wanted to expand my knowledge of the Jewish-American experience as well as study literature that I felt I would really enjoy and appreciate.
What are some of the most important things you learned from the course?
While I thoroughly enjoyed all of the novels and stories we read in class, I think the most important things I learned from the course dealt with Holocaust education. In class, we discussed why it was important to remain persistent and conscientious in the pursuit of teaching the events and lessons of the Holocaust in a world where fewer and fewer people observed it first-hand. [Shawn Rubenfeld, the instructor] was incredibly knowledgeable on this subject, and our class had several discussions on Holocaust education informed by our readings. These discussions were very important as they instructed students how to combat anti-Semitism and prevent further hateful persecution through understanding the causes and impacts of the Holocaust.
Why would you recommend the course to others?
I would recommend this course for several reasons. First of all, the readings assigned were diverse, enjoyable, and touched on very interesting themes. Moreover, it was extremely beneficial to gain a better understanding of Jewish culture and the Jewish-American experience. It is also a great course to take for students interested in social justice as many of the concepts touched on dealt with the persecution of Jews and combating hateful rhetoric and actions.
