Pavel Sládek
Dr. Sládek belongs to very promising and gifted specialists in Hebrew and Jewish Studies of the youngest generation in the Czech Republic. His main interest focuses on the traditional rabbinical literature starting with the Talmud and comments to it. His Ph.D. thesis was devoted to this topic. He lectures Jewish subjects such as traditional Hebrew literature and culture, history of Hebrew lettering, life and work of prominent Jewish personalities, both to Czech and foreign students at Charles University. He has been proving his high professional and teaching abilities also as an invited special lecturer of guided tours around Jewish sites in the Czech Republic.
Core course: Czech Culture and Civilization
The course traces essential events and periods of Czech history and culture. However, its goal and method are not descriptive. The emphasis is laid upon issues that underlie today’s way of thinking of Czech people, their views and stances. One of the central issues dealt with in the course is the issue of personal/individual identity. While the 19th century prefers the idea of an individual fitting in and belonging to a national (religious, local, professional) collective, the modernity turmoil challenges this idea and unveils a personal/individual identity crisis.
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Milestones of Czech History and Civilization
The course provides an introduction to cultural aspects of Czech and in broader sense Central European environment. It concentrates on major historical events and processes that have shaped future developments in the area and contributed to various aspects of the Czech national identity. Cultural awareness is initiated through readings and lectures followed by discussions. Visits to historically important sites in Prague and the Czech Republic are an integral part of the course.
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Jews in East Central Europe: Life of a Minority
The course describes the life of the Jewish community in Europe since the formation of Jewish settlements around the 10th century until the present time. The historical aspect is enriched by detailed insights into both Jewish spirituality and social life. In-class lectures are combined with the field trips to Prague Jewish monuments.
The course has three foci:
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