essay

An anecdote about an event in Auschwitz appears on page 134 of Religions of the West Today.  Explain the significance of what is described there, especially the fervor with which the Jews present “sang and danced and cried.”  Why is the knowledge of Sh’ma Yisrael (shema) by the young boy an occasion for such joy among the Jews in the death camp?  Be as specific as possible in explaining the meaning of this anecdote.

2 pages, typed and double-spaced. 

Due SUNDAY January 24^th

Strategies for writing short papers

Good Strategies

Trust your own ability to read and interpret the text.

Read the text carefully, and make use of relevant sections of the textbook to help make sense of the context in which the text you are considering appears.

Put your explanation in your own words.  Think of how you might explain what you’ve learned to a friend who asked you about  the class you’re taking.  

Bad Strategies

Quoting the powerpoint slides used in class.

Going online to find how others have interpreted this text. 

Plagiarizing online sources. 

Forgetting to provide the explanation asked for in the assignment.