B000044 - LABORATORY OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY HEBREW LITERATURE

Italian

Part 2 (15 hours, 3 CFU)

Introduction to Holocaust Fiction in Israel.

In view of the current lockdown, which involves amongst other things libraries, as much bibliography as possible will be uploaded on Google Drive. Further details regarding the access to the relevant folder will be provided at the beginning of the course.

Required reading:
- Gershon Shaked, "Narrativa ebraica moderna. Una letteratura nonostante tutto", Milano, Terra Santa 2011;
- Lara Tavarnesi, Raccontare la catastrofe: il «problema» della Shoah nella letteratura israeliana contemporanea, «Materia Giudaica» XV-XVI (2010-2011), pp. 545-554;
- 1 paper to be chosen amongst the ones listed below.

- Rachel Feldhay Brenner, "Discourses of Mourning and Rebirth in Post-Holocaust Israeli Literature: Leah Goldberg's "Lady of the Castle" and Shulamith Hareven's "The Witness".", «Hebrew Studies» 31 (1990), pp. 71-85;
- Dvir Abramovich, "Post-Holocaust Identity and Unresolved Tension in Modern-day Israel: Savyon Liebrecht's "Apples from the Desert"." «Women in Judaism» 3/1 (2002), pp. 1-13;
- Omer Bartov, "Kitsch and Sadism in Ka-Tzetnik's Other Planet: Israeli Youth Imagine the Holocaust", «Jewish Social Studies» 3/2 (1997), pp. 42-76;
- Moshe Pelli. "A Late Encounter with the Holocaust: Paradigms, Rhythm and Concepts in "The Brigade" by Hanoch Bartov", «Hebrew Studies» 22 (1981), pp. 117-254;
- Nitza Ben-Dov, "Vengeance or Rescue? The Tragic Dilemma in Hanoch Bartov's "The Brigade".", «Hebrew Studies» 57 (2016), pp. 299-321;
- Gabriella Moscati Steindler, "Sho'ah e immaginario nella letteratura israeliana", in Paolo Amodio, Romeo De Mano, Giuseppe Lissa (eds), "La Sho'ah tra interpretazione e memoria", Atti del Convegno Internazionale, Napoli, Vivarium 1997, pp. 255-270;
- Eadem, "Catarsi nazionale e catarsi individuale: il dramma della Sho'ah in Israele", in Francesco Aspesi, Vermondo Brugnatelli, Anna Linda Callow, Claudia Rosenzweig (eds), "Il mio cuore è a Oriente", Quaderni di Acme 101, Milano, Cisalpino 2008, pp. 709-718;
- Leo Yudkin (ed), "Hebrew Literature in the Wake of the Holocaust", London, Associated University Press 1993;
- Zoe Vania Waxman, "Writing the Holocaust. Identity, Testimony, Representation", Oxford, Oxford University Press 2006;
- Asher Salah, "La Shoah nel cinema israeliano", in Marta Baiardi, Alberto Cavaglion (eds), "Dopo i testimoni. Memorie, storiografie e narrazioni della deportazione razziale", Roma, Viella 2014;
- Vittorio Dan Segre, "Le metamorfosi di Israele", Torino, UTET 2006;
- George Bensoussan, "Usi e abusi della memoria della Shoah in Occidente" in Marta Baiardi, Alberto Cavaglion (eds), "Dopo i testimoni. Memorie, storiografie e narrazioni della deportazione razziale", Roma, Viella 2014.

This 15-hour Laboratory will focus on contemporary Israeli fiction revolving round the Shoah and will enable students to:

a. acquire the basic concepts of contemporary Israeli fiction centred round the Shoah.
b. understand the main methodological issues concerning the use of literature as Holocaust testimony.
c. refine their ability to read and critically evaluate primary texts.

Students must have a basic knowledge of Hebrew.

Lessons will be given remotely, in compliance with the guidelines issued by the University in order to contain the diffusion of the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Classes can be delivered either in real time through Google Hangouts Meet (a Skype-like videochat programme) or as recorded presentations. In any case, students are strongly advised to email me prior to the beginning of the course (11 May 2020) in order to discuss the most suitable option for them. My email address can be found on my personal webpage on PEOPLE (www.unifi.it).

The course will consist of two parts:
1. a theoretical introduction (6 hours);
2. critical analysis of a selection of primary texts (9 hours).

This module (15 hours, 3 CFU) is taught by Dr Legnaioli in the second half of the second semester, starting from 11 May 2020.

Exams will be held remotely, following the instructions that can be found on the University website. Examinations will be oral and will consist of three parts, two of which cover the assigned reading material (see the "Suggested readings" section), whereas the last one centres round the primary texts analysed in class:

1. main literary currents and trends in contemporary Israeli fiction (Shaked's handbook);
2. Israeli narrative strategies in depicting the Shoah and relevant issues + topic concerning the second paper (see the "Suggested readings" section).
3. reading, translation and critical analysis of a selection of passages amongst those discussed in class.

The examination will not be given a mark, as per University's rules. The candidate's preparation will be declared either adequate or inadequate on the basis of their performance during the assessment.

The candidates will be tested on what follows:
1. knowledge of the basic concepts in the history of contemporary Israeli fiction;
2. the ability to read, translate and critically evaluate primary texts, using proper terminology;
3. conciseness and clarity of expression.

«HE IS NOT FROM HERE. HE IS NOT ONE OF US.» IDENTITIES IN CONFLICT IN CONTEMPORARY ISRAELI FICTION.
The course will analyse the literary representation of the encounter between sabras and Holocaust survivors, in the different forms displayed within 1960s-80s Israeli fiction. Through a critical analysis of selected texts by Katzetniq, Hanoch Bartov, Amos Oz, Shulamit Hareven and Savyon Liebrecht we will outline the slow and tortuous path that led Holocaust survivors to be legitimately accepted in the literary space by Israeli audiences. This process mirrored closely the one faced by the same survivors when they entered the conflict-laden social arena of the levantine state.

Reading list (only selected parts):

- Ka-tzetnik 135633, "Kachol me’efer", Tel Aviv, ‘am ‘oved 1966 ("Phoenix Over the Galilee", Harper & Row 1971, out of print)
- Hanoch Bartov, "Pitz‘e bagrut", Tel Aviv, ‘am ‘oved 1965 ("The Brigade", Holt, Rinehart and Winston 1968, out of print)
- Amos Oz, "Laga‘at bamayim, laga‘at baruach", Tel Aviv, ‘am ‘oved 1973 ("Touch the Water, Touch the Wind", Vintage Publishing 1992)
- Shulamit Hareven, "Ha-‘ed", in "Bedidut", Tel Aviv, ‘am ‘oved 1980
- Savyon Liebrecht, "Chagigat ha-’erusin shel Chayyuta", in "Tappuchim min ha-midbar", Tel Aviv, Sifriyyat po‘alim 1986 ("Hayuta's Engagement Party", in "Apples from the Desert", Loki Books Ltd 1998)