The Vered Jewish Canadian Studies Program at the University of Ottawa has announced an exciting new course for the Winter semester: Introduction to Jewish Canadian Studies (JCS 2301), taught by Dr. Jesse Toufexis.
This course offers an in-depth exploration of Canada’s Jewish community and its rich history. Students will delve into topics such as Jewish Canadian art, labour relations, encounters with antisemitism, and the westward spread of the community as the population grew.
Dr. Joël Beddows, Vice Dean of Programs in the Faculty of Arts at uOttawa, spoke with the Ottawa Jewish E-Bulletin about the importance of offering this course now and the potential for meaningful dialogue it aims to foster.
E-Bulletin: Why is this an important time to offer these courses, and why are they being opened to the wider community?
Dr. Joël Beddows: The study of histories and stories specific to communities present in our city helps break down misunderstanding and misconceptions. The University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Arts is emphasizing such courses this year. For instance, we’ve introduced our first course on the study of Islamophobia and are placing special emphasis on Jewish studies, including courses on Yiddish and antisemitism. Opening the History of Jews in Canada course to the larger community allows us to gauge interest in such topics beyond the university environment.
E-Bulletin: What do you hope will come from these courses, both within the uOttawa community and the city at large?
Dr. Joël Beddows: I hope to see the dissemination of knowledge rooted in facts, along with the study and comparison of stories specific to different communities. In the longer term, I dream of a return to healthy dialogue between groups on campus and in the broader community—groups that might have more in common than they realize.
If this course interests you, be sure to register by Friday, December 6. When enrolling, indicate that you are taking the course out of personal interest as a non-degree student.
The course will be offered virtually over 13 weeks, running every Tuesday from 7 to 9:50 p.m., starting in January.
For more information on how to enrol as a non-degree (personal interest) student, visit: uOttawa Non-Degree Student Enrolment.