After spring break, Carolina moved to remote instruction for the remainder of the semester and Jewish studies courses were quickly revised to meet academic requirements while also supporting our students during these trying times. Faculty held synchronous online class sessions, transformed lecture notes into multimedia presentations, arranged virtual guest speakers and set-up remote office hours, all while learning how to harness new technologies. Our events programming also moved online, including a Zoom seminar with David Lambert, department of religious studies, and a remote Twitter Chat, hosted by UNC World View and based on their podcast titled: A Hidden Child of the Holocaust.
For the fall semester, the University is planning to offer a blend of in-person and online instruction and is introducing Carolina Away, a program that offers remote instruction to students that cannot attend classes on campus. In addition to online versions of existing courses, Carolina Away also provides several new courses exploring the COVID-19 pandemic. The format of these courses is based on the Center’s “Confronting Antisemitism” course and will feature a guest expert each week. Robin Buller, Ph.D. student in the department of history, worked with the Center’s director, Ruth von Bernuth, to create a new course focused on religion and disease from the middle ages to the present. Meanwhile, this fall’s Jewish Studies Capstone Course is “Women, Gender, and Judaism.” Discussion topics include feminist Jewish theology, gender identity, the rabbinic ordination of women and representations in media.
This coming year, our faculty members remain committed to providing meaningful instruction and finding ways to keep students connected to Carolina and the Center. Visit our social media sites for ongoing updates as we navigate the fall semester.