Jewish Lives · Walter Benjamin: Fragments of Redemption in a Modern World
- Pacific Time In-Person Program
$18.00
Course Summary for Search and Accessibility
This course, Jewish Lives · Walter Benjamin: Fragments of Redemption in a Modern World, is an Educational Program offered by New Lehrhaus. It is scheduled for May 26, 2026. The session is held on a Tuesday from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm Pacific Time.
The total registration fee is $18.00. The course is conducted In-Person and focuses on the life and legacy of Walter Benjamin, Jewish mysticism and modern philosophy, and 20th-century German-Jewish intellectual history.
How did a "pearl-diver" of the past become a defining voice of the modern age? Walter Benjamin (1892–1940) sought out fragments of redemption in the ruins of civilization, creating a legacy that continues to bridge the gap between Jewish mysticism and modern Marxist thought. In his new book, The Pearl Diver, from Yale's Jewish Lives series, Peter E. Gordon provides a vivid look at the romanticism and modernism that shaped this essential German-Jewish thinker. Moving beyond the image of a tragic figure, we explore Benjamin’s complex life—from his sheltered Berlin childhood to his years of Parisian exile—to portray a personality of unique and enduring gifts.
Who this is for
- Students of German-Jewish history and those interested in the intellectual circles of the Frankfurt School.
- Anyone fascinated by modern philosophy, literary criticism, and the art of the essay.
- Curious learners who want to understand the historical forces of interwar Europe through the lens of a single, brilliant life.
What you'll leave with
- A vivid understanding of Walter Benjamin’s intellectual journey and his unique "pearl-diving" method of cultural criticism.
- Insight into the tension between Jewish mysticism and historical materialism in Benjamin's work.
- A nuanced grasp of how Benjamin’s life as a "European Flâneur" informed his most celebrated theories on art and history.
Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 7–8:30pm Pacific at a location in Oakland or Berkeley
