This seminar explores the intersection of Judaism, Jews, and international human rights law, examining how Jewish teachings, values, and traditions shape perspectives on human dignity, social justice, and ethical responsibility. It will analyze challenges and opportunities for Jewish law, Jews, and Israel in engaging with contemporary human rights discourse. Topics include antisemitism, discrimination, law as a political tool, state-social movement dynamics, and biases in international human rights law.
As a survey course, it covers subjects that could warrant full-semester study. The syllabus includes provocative readings that offer critical insights into the role of law, the strengths and limitations of human rights approaches, and Israel’s place in the international system and Jewish Diaspora life. Readings will include Jewish texts, contemporary sources, and international legal documents.
Students will gain knowledge of Jewish and human rights law while critically reflecting on whether Jewish historical experiences—such as antisemitism, exile, and the Holocaust—offer unique perspectives on human rights advocacy. The course encourages philosophical inquiry into ethics and law, examining how Jewish traditions intersect with modern human rights concerns. Ultimately, it provides a framework for understanding this relationship and contributing to contemporary debates from both Jewish and human rights law perspectives.
Dulitzky, Ariel E.