by Don Queen, OLLI member

This winter term, Erich Gruen will teach "The Jewish Diaspora in the Greco-Roman Era."  Professor emeritus Gruen taught Greek, Roman, and Jewish history for over 40 years at UC Berkeley. He has authored two books on the subject: Heritage and Hellenism: The Reinvention of Jewish Tradition and Diaspora: Jews Amidst Greeks and Romans.

In his course, Professor Gruen will take a new look at images of the Jewish Diaspora and contrast them with what historians know about the experience of the Jewish people during the Greco-Roman Era. Professor Gruen explains:

"The scattering of Jews has been emblematic of their existence for 2,500 years--and the 'wandering Jew' a dominant image throughout the centuries. But that is not the whole story. Jews in the Greco-Roman period settled all over the Mediterranean long before the destruction of the Temple. ... [D]uring the Greco-Roman era (after Alexander the Great and before Nero), the Jews who settled throughout the Mediterranean did so voluntarily and were not exiles. ...The class will explore their relations with Gentiles, accommodation to life under foreign rule, participation in Greek and Roman culture, the tensions between assimilation and tradition, and their attitudes toward the homeland."

Professor Gruen will also address "the treatment of the Jews living in the Diaspora--a sort of prelude to anti-Semitism which is an issue still with us."

Erich Gruen was born in Vienna in 1935. He stated that his family was fortunate to have family and friends generous enough to sponsor them for entry into the United States in 1939. He attended public schools in Washington, DC before entering Columbia University, where his interest in ancient history was developed: "I did have a professor when I was an undergrad at Columbia University who was a wonderful teacher, scholar, and human being who helped me identify Ancient History as the field I wanted to go into." After earning his BA with highest honors in 1957, he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship at Oxford University. He describes the Oxford curriculum of "reading history" with a tutor: "The work that I did at Oxford was extremely important in giving me a sense of how one works in that field." After graduating in 1960 with a BA with First Class Honors, he obtained his PhD in History from Harvard University in 1964, where he then taught until he began teaching at UC Berkeley in 1966.

Dr. Gruen has also been a visiting professor at Oxford, Cornell, Princeton, Stanford, University of Colorado, University of Minnesota, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the Getty Villa in Malibu. He has published ten books and over 90 articles and reviews. Among his many honors and citations, Dr. Gruen is particularly proud of his receipt of the Austrian Cross of Honor for Arts and Letters, awarded in 1999.

After retiring from UC Berkeley in 2007, Professor Gruen has continued teaching and serving on committees for PhD candidates. He also has taught a course at San Quentin State Prison through the PUP (Prison University Program), in which students read and critique original historical materials. He is looking forward to teaching at OLLI this winter where, happily--unlike at San Quentin--reading assignments are optional and no "do not wear denim" dress code applies to distinguish teachers and volunteers from the students.

Erich Gruen will teach The Jewish Diaspora in the Greco-Roman Era on Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-noon beginning January 29.

We hope you know that OLLI offers fee assistance for those who cannot otherwise afford the membership or course fees. Spread the word if you know someone who could benefit! 

To apply, send a letter explaining the circumstances to 1925 Walnut St. #1570, Berkeley, CA 94720-1570 or apply by email to berkeley_olli@berkeley.edu. 

For Winter 2014, the application deadline is Friday, January 17. (Please note, fee assistance is offered only for courses that have spaces open. See the website for currently available offerings.) More info at http://olli.berkeley.edu/lib/FAQs/FAQs-FeeAssistanceProgram.pdf

by Lucille Poskanzer, OLLI member