Jews and Muslims have been in constant social, political, and theological dialogue with one another for nearly 1500 years — or perhaps even since Sefer Bereishit! But the complex and nuanced history of Jewish-Muslim relations is often caricatured to advance modern political agendas. In this course, we will examine case studies of mutual influence, competition, and antipathy, and explore how the Islamic tradition left a profound mark on Jewish law, culture, and thought.
David Shyovitz is Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies at Northwestern University, and Director of NU’s Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies. He is the author of “A Remembrance of His Wonders: Nature and the Supernatural in Medieval Ashkenaz” and numerous articles in the fields of Medieval History, Jewish Though, and the History of Halakhah.
