A Guide to Jewish Studies: Medieval Period

"Theodore L. Steinberg illuminates many aspects of medieval Jewish life, not as historical curiosities but as living history. He follows two major themes - the survival and accomplishment of Judaism in a world that became increasingly hostile, and the survival of rabbinic Judaism - but he also attempts to capture what life might have been like for Jewish men and women as they went about their ordinary activities." - from the publisher

"This reference work features over 150 A-Z entries on Jewish civilization between the fall of the Western Roman Empire (476 CE) and the discovery of the New World in 1492. Not limited to any one aspect of the Jewish experience, many entries cover topics that have never before been dealt with in Judaic or medieval reference works." - from the publisher

"Featuring abundant illustrations of religious, historical, and cultural objects and documents, this book traces the history of Judaism during the medieval period, from the 11th to the early 16th century. Two major centers of Jewish culture emerged during the Middle Ages: that of the Ashkenazi Jews, concentrated in the Rhineland, particularly in Speyer, Worms, and Mainz; and that of the Sephardic Jews, located on the Iberian peninsula. Both of these traditional populations experienced a period of great cultural bloom between the 11th and 14th centuries, and the intellectual history and social life of European society as a whole were influenced significantly by Judaism during this era. This book focuses on the relationship between the two traditional Jewish groups and their non-Jewish environment, offering interesting insights into Jewish religious rituals and customs, the structure of Jewish communities, and the everyday lives of Jews. It also casts light on the work and influence of Jewish scholars in religion, philosophy, and other fields while emphasizing the contributions of medieval Jews to the development of European society and economy." - from the publishers

"In 70 CE, the Jews were an agrarian and illiterate people living mostly in the Land of Israel and Mesopotamia. By 1492 the Jewish people had become a small group of literate urbanites specializing in crafts, trade, moneylending, and medicine in hundreds of places across the Old World, from Seville to Mangalore. What caused this radical change? "The Chosen Few" presents a new answer to this question by applying the lens of economic analysis to the key facts of fifteen formative centuries of Jewish history. Maristella Botticini and Zvi Eckstein show that, contrary to previous explanations, this transformation was driven not by anti-Jewish persecution and legal restrictions, but rather by changes within Judaism itself after 70 CE--most importantly, the rise of a new norm that required every Jewish male to read and study the Torah and to send his sons to school. Over the next six centuries, those Jews who found the norms of Judaism too costly to obey converted to other religions, making world Jewry shrink. Later, when urbanization and commercial expansion in the newly established Muslim Caliphates increased the demand for occupations in which literacy was an advantage, the Jews found themselves literate in a world of almost universal illiteracy. From then forward, almost all Jews entered crafts and trade, and many of them began moving in search of business opportunities, creating a worldwide Diaspora in the process.The Chosen few offers a powerful new explanation of one of the most significant transformations in Jewish history while also providing fresh insights to the growing debate about the social and economic impact of religion." - from the publisher

"T. M. Rudavsky tells the story of the development of Jewish philosophy from the 10th century to Spinoza in the 17th, as part of a dialogue with medieval Christian and Islamic thought. She gives a broad historical survey of major figures and schools within the medieval Jewish tradition, focusing on the tensions between Judaism and rational thought." - from the publisher

"The Geonic period from about the late sixth to mid-eleventh centuries is of crucial importance in the history of Judaism. The Geonim, for whom this era is named, were the heads of the ancient talmudic academies of Babylonia. They gained ascendancy over the older Palestinian center of Judaism and were recognized as the leading religious and spiritual authorities by most of the world's Jewish population. The Geonim and their circles enshrined the Babylonian Talmud as the central canonical work of rabbinic literature and the leading guide to religious practice, and it was a predominantly Babylonian version of Judaism that was transplanted to newer centers of Judaism in North Africa and Europe. Robert Brody's book- the first survey in English of the Geonic period in almost a century- focuses on the cultural millieu of the Geonim and on their intellectual and literary creativity. Brody describes the cultural spheres in which the Geonim were active and the historical and cultural settings within which they functioned. He emphasizes the challenges presented by other Jewish institutions and individuals, ranging from those within the Babylonian Jewish setting- especially the political leadership represented by the Exilarch- to the competing Palestinian Jewish center, and to sectarian movements and freethinkers who rejected rabbinic authority altogether. He also describes the variety of ways in which the development of Geonic tradition was affected by the surrounding non-Jewish cultures, both Muslim and Christian." - from the publisher

"The attitude of Jews living in the medieval Christian world to Jews who converted to Christianity or to Christians seeking to join the Jewish faith reflects the central traits that make up Jewish self-identification. The Jews saw themselves as a unique group chosen by God, who expected them to play a specific and unique role in the world. This study researches fully for the various aspects of the way European Jews regarded members of their own fold in the context of lapses into another religion." - from the publisher

"Between the years AD 1000 and 1500, western Christendom absorbed by conquest and attracted through immigration a growing number of Jews. This community was to make a valuable contribution to rapidly developing European civilisation but was also to suffer some terrible setbacks, culminating in a series of expulsions from the more advanced westerly areas of Europe. At the same time, vigorous new branches of world Jewry emerged and a rich new Jewish cultural legacy was created. In this important new historical synthesis, Robert Chazan discusses the Jewish experience over a 500 year period across the entire continent of Europe. As well as being the story of medieval Jewry, the book simultaneously illuminates important aspects of majority life in Europe during this period. This book is essential reading for all students of medieval Jewish history and an important reference for any scholar of medieval Europe." - from the publisher

"In the summer of 1096, marauding crusaders attacked Jewish communities in three Rhineland cities. These violent episodes disrupted what had been a fairly peaceful history of coexistence between Jews and Christians for more than two centuries. Although the two groups inhabited fundamentally different religious universes, Jews and Christians lived in the same towns, on the same streets, and pursued their lives with minimal interference, often with considerable cooperation. However, the events of 1096 caused relations between the two communities to deteriorate, with Jewish communities suffering as a result. The careful analyses of people, events, and texts provide a balanced perspective on the fate of twelfth-century Jewish communities. The contributors reveal considerable evidence that old routines and interactions between Christians and Jews persisted throughout this volatile period. The essays intentionally highlight areas of common or parallel activity: in vernacular literature, in biblical exegesis, in piety and mysticism, in the social context of conversion, in relations with prelates and monarchs, in coping in a time of change, renewal, and upheaval. Most importantly, the contributors insist on integrating both Jewish and Christian perspectives into the larger history of a very complex and increasingly urban twelfth-century Europe." - from the publisher

"This book re-evaluates the prevailing notion that Jews in medieval Christian Europe lived under an appalling regime of ecclesiastical limitation, governmental exploitation and expropriation, and unceasing popular violence. Robert Chazan argues that, while Jewish life in medieval Western Christendom was indeed beset with grave difficulties, it was nevertheless an environment rich in opportunities; the Jews of medieval Europe overcame obstacles, grew in number, explored innovative economic options, and fashioned enduring new forms of Jewish living. His research also provides a reconsideration of the legacy of medieval Jewish life, which is often depicted as equally destructive and projected as the underpinning of the twentieth-century catastrophes of antisemitism and the Holocaust. Dr Chazan's research proves that, although Jewish life in the medieval West laid the foundation for much Jewish suffering in the post-medieval world, it also stimulated considerable Jewish ingenuity, which lies at the root of impressive Jewish successes in the modern West." - from the publisher

"'The economic history of European jews' attempts to make sense of the economic foundations of Jewish life in the different parts of late antique and early medieval Europe. In the first part Michael Toch describes the demographic arc, decline, subsequent rise, and spatial distribution of Jewish populations. This data is then broadened to include the range of economic activities. The second part analyses the actual share of Jews in different branches of the economy. This includes the idea of their pioneer role and the notion of an intercontinental network of Jewish commerce, the phenomenon of Jews in agriculture and entrepreneurship, gender roles and the household mode of production, and the difficult subject of the significance of minority status for economic activity, among others." - from the publisher

"Demonstrating that similarities between Jewish and Christian art in the Middle Ages were more than coincidental, Cultural Exchange meticulously combines a wide range of sources to show how Jews and Christians exchanged artistic and material culture. Joseph Shatzmiller focuses on communities in northern Europe, Iberia, and other Mediterranean societies where Jews and Christians coexisted for centuries, and he synthesizes the most current research to describe the daily encounters that enabled both societies to appreciate common artistic values. Detailing the transmission of cultural sensibilities in the medieval money market and the world of Jewish money lenders, this book examines objects pawned by peasants and humble citizens, sacred relics exchanged by the clergy as security for loans, and aesthetic goods given up by the Christian well-to-do who required financial assistance. The work also explores frescoes and decorations likely painted by non-Jews in medieval and early modern Jewish homes located in Germanic lands, and the ways in which Jews hired Christian artists and craftsmen to decorate Hebrew prayer books and create liturgical objects. Conversely, Christians frequently hired Jewish craftsmen to produce liturgical objects used in Christian churches." - from the publisher

"The social structure of medieval Jewry was dominated by men who did not regard women as sharing equal status, and who took responsibility for the entire community, women included. This leadership sought to strengthen the family, the backbone of Jewish society, while attempting to improve their security within the Christian society which was seeking to displace them. However, this wider aim required improvement in status for women, which would provoke internal opposition within the Jewish community. Goldin's study depicts a social conflict within a community, a conflict that was gender oriented, but primarily social in nature. The twelfth century witnessed fundamental changes in the status of Jewish women in terms of their relationships with their husbands and within the family. The prohibiting of polygamy and divorce without the woman's consent gave rise to a quiet revolution. This engaging study looks closely at the changing attitudes towards women and the changes in her social status. Goldin highlights the case of Licoricia of Winchester, who in 1240 married David of Oxford, one of the wealthiest Jews in England - a moneylender whose clients included the King himself. Licoricia was very active with her husband in their joint enterprises. Four years after their marriage, David died leaving her with so vast a fortune that a royal decree was issued for her arrest and she was placed in the Tower of London. Using original Hebrew sources, this engaging study explores the relationships between men and women within Jewish society and the examinable factors in the functioning of community." - from the publisher

"In Contested Treasure, Thomas Barton examines how the Jews in the Crown of Aragon in the twelfth through fourteenth centuries negotiated the overlapping jurisdictions and power relations of local lords and the crown. The thirteenth century was a formative period for the growth of royal bureaucracy and the development of the crown’s legal claims regarding the Jews. While many Jews were under direct royal authority, significant numbers of Jews also lived under nonroyal and seigniorial jurisdiction. Barton argues that royal authority over the Jews (as well as Muslims) was far more modest and contingent on local factors than is usually recognized. Diverse case studies reveal that the monarchy’s Jewish policy emerged slowly, faced considerable resistance, and witnessed limited application within numerous localities under nonroyal control, thus allowing for more highly differentiated local modes of Jewish administration and coexistence. Contested Treasure refines and complicates our portrait of interfaith relations and the limits of royal authority in medieval Spain, and it presents a new approach to the study of ethnoreligious relations and administrative history in medieval European society." - from the publisher

"The mass suicide and murder of the men, women and children of the Jewish community in York on 16 March 1190 is one of the most scarring events in the history of Anglo-Judaism. This book sets it into the context of other attacks on Jews across England at the time, looks at how the narrative of events was created, and considers the circumstances and processes through which Christian and Jewish neighbours became enemies and victims." - from the publisher

"On a spring day in 1277, the prominent Jewish businesswoman Licoricia of Winchester was found by her daughter, murdered, stabbed to death in her own house. Alongside Licoricia's body was that of her Christian maid, Alice. Why was Licoricia killed? And why was her death reported as far away as Germany?" "The micro-history of Licoricia and her family sheds new light on the Jewish community in medieval Winchester, itself strangely neglected by scholars. It reveals to the reader something of the social life of the Jewish enclave in this period, and demonstrates the extensive communication networks between Jewish communities, as well as the tribulations they suffered of regular, punitive taxation and arbitrary imprisonments. By using Licoricia's family as an example of the impact such measures had, Bartlet demonstrates the gradual deterioration in the conditions of even the wealthiest Jews in England, as well as drawing together the fragments of a medieval life which has long fascinated historians, but has never been fully investigated." - from the publisher

"The Jews of Khazaria chronicles the history of the Khazars, a people who, in the early Middle Ages, founded a large empire in eastern Europe (located in present-day Ukraine and Russia). The Khazars played a pivotal role in world history. Khazaria was one of the largest-sized political formations of its time, an economic and cultural superpower connected to several important trade routes. It was especially notable for its religious tolerance, and in the 9th century, a large portion of the royal family converted to Judaism. Many of the nobles and commoners did likewise shortly thereafter. After their conversion, the Khazars were ruled by a succession of Jewish kings that began to adopt the hallmarks of Jewish civilization, including the Torah and Talmud, the Hebrew script, and the observance of Jewish holidays. In this thoroughly revised edition of a modern classic, The Jews of Khazaria explores many exciting new discoveries about the Khazars' religious life, economy, military, government, and culture. It builds upon new studies of the Khazars, evaluating and incorporating recent theories, along with new documentary and archaeological findings. The book gives a comprehensive accounting of the cities, towns, and fortresses of Khazaria, and features a timeline summarizing key events in Khazar history." - from the publisher

"Jews lived in Egypt over many centuries, from biblical times until the middle of the previous century. Nevertheless, Jewish life in medieval Islamic Egypt was for many years an obscure and understudied theme. The present book offers the reader a wide-ranging picture of Jewish life in medieval Egypt as depicted by most recent scholarship. Starting from the last phases of the Byzantine era and ending with the Mamluk period, the book presents a scholarly yet vivid description of Jewish communal organization, judiciary, economic frameworks, family life, and lingual practices, as well as religious and literary activities of the medieval Jews of Egypt." - from the publisher

"Norman Stillman has produced a comprehensive and articulate history of the turbulent and complex relationships in the Middle East that brilliantly captures the people and the history."

"This landmark book probes Muslims’ attitudes toward Jews and Judaism as a special case of their view of other religious minorities in predominantly Muslim societies. With authority, sympathy and wit, Bernard Lewis demolishes two competing stereotypes: the Islamophobic picture of the fanatical Muslim warrior, sword in one hand and Qur’ān in the other, and the overly romanticized depiction of Muslim societies as interfaith utopias." - from the publisher

"In a world troubled by religious strife and division, Lowney's book takes us back to a medieval Iberia that prefigured the Renaissance, offering a hopeful historical reminder: Muslims, Christians, and Jews once lived together in Spain, creating a centuries-long flowering of commerce, culture, art, and architecture. In 711, a ragtag army of Muslim North Africans conquered Spain and launched Western Europe's first (and to date only) Islamic state. In 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella vanquished Spain's last Muslim kingdom, and forced Jews to convert or emigrate. In the years between, Spain's Muslims, Christians, and Jews forged a golden age and distanced Spain from a Europe mired in the Dark Ages. Medieval Spain's pioneering innovations touched every dimension of Western life." - from the publisher

"These essays detail the lives, art, theology, religious practice, and representation of Jews through the long history of Byzantium, with discussion of individual communities as well. A sample of the individual topics includes: the legal status of Jews, their role in the Byzantine economy, their survival in Late Antique Alexandria, and evidence for Jews and Judaism in the church history of Eusebius of Caesarea."