This class will examine the particular relations of Jewish and other literatures with commercial activity and with trading as an inherent feature of literature and the so-called “Jewish character”. From another perspective we will examine commercial activity as a literary act and what could therefore be learnt about commerce from literature itself. Whether trading is a necessity of life, a fulfilment of patronage or simply the most basic human activity in the Shoa as well, commerce is an important subject in Jewish literatures and those about Jews. During the semester we will read transnationally from the bible through Boccaccio, Shakespeare to Agnon, Orly Castel Bloom and the contemporary.