Purpose of the course is to introduce the student to some of the most important themes of the Jewish and Israeli history, from the Biblical to our time, through an interdisciplinary study of religion, history and politics. The object of study is the people of Israel, faith of Israel (including Christianity) and the Land of Israel. Emphasis is on the modern State of Israel: its development, its role in the Middle Eastern turmoil, and its influence on Jewish, Christian and Muslim theology.

Biblija, Stari i Novi zavjet (1987-2009). Zagreb: Kršćanska sadašnjost (selected chapters); B. Havel (2013). Arapsko-izraelski sukob: religija, politika i povijest Svete zemlje. Zagreb: Naklada Ljevak (selected chapters); B. Havel, “Haj Amin Al-Husseini: Herald of Religious Anti-Judaism in the Contemporary Islamic World.” The Journal of the Middle East and Africa 5 3 (2014): 221-43; B. Havel, “Hajj Amin Husseini’s Anti-Semitic Legacy.” The Middle East Quarterly 22 3 (2015): 1-11. M. Kasapović (2010). Politički Sustav i Politika Izraela. Zagreb: Politička kultura, 2010 (selected chapters); M. Kasapović, ur. (2016). Bliski Istok: Politika i Povijest. Zagreb: Fakultet političkih znanosti Sveučilišta u Zagrebu. (selected chapters); B. Morris (2008). 1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War. New Haven i London: Yale University Press (selected chapters).

F. Ajami (2014). In This Arab Time: The Pursuit of Deliverance. Stanford: Hoover Institution Press; B. Havel (2014). Pregled povijesti Izraela od Abrahama do moderne Države. Zagreb: Izdanja Antibarbarus; J. Flavius (1998). The War of the Jews (in The Complete Works translated by William Whiston). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers; B. Lewis (2010). Faith and Power: Religion and Politics in the Middle East. Oxford: Oxford University Press; M. Modrić (2013). Sveta zemlja Isusova domovina. Studijski vodič. Split: Verbum; M. B. Oren (2002). Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East. London: Penguin Books; P. Johnson (1988). A History of the Jews. New York: Harper Perennial; A. Rebić (2007). Odnos između Židova i kršćana kroz povijest. Zagreb: Kršćanska sadašnjost; S. Spero and Y. Pessin (1989). Religious Zionism: After 40 Years of Statehood. Jerusalem: Mesilot & The World Zionist Organization; N. A. Stillman (1979). The Jews of Arab Lands: a History and Source Book. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society in America; C. Sykes (1959). Orde Wingate: a Biography. Cleveland: The World Publishing Company.

1. Class Attendance: mandatory 70% attendance is required;
2. Seminar Assignments: in-class presentation and seminar paper;
3. A minimum of 35% of the grade should be acquired through regular course activities: seminar assignments and two quiz exams

1. Course activities: seminar assignments; Quiz 1 (written), Quiz 2 (written)
2. Final Exam (oral)

Grading Scale:

Failure (1) – 0 do 49,9%

Satisfactory (2) – 50 do 64,9%

Good (3) – 65 do 79,9%

Very Good (4) – 80 do 89,9%

Excellent (5) – 90 do 100%

Final Grade Calculation:

a) In-class Activities – 70 % 

• Seminar Assignments – 20%
• Quiz 1 – 25%
• Quiz 2 – 25%

b) Final Exam – 30%

• Oral exam – 30%