Translated by Jonathan Chipman.
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 first time the various aspects of the way European Jews regarded members of their own fold in the context of lapses into another religion. It attempts to understand whether they regarded the issue of conversion with self-confidence or with suspicion, and whether their attitude was based on a clear theological position, or on issues of socialisation. The book will primarily interest students and lecturers of Jewish/Christian relations, the Middle Ages, Jews in the Medieval period, and inter-religious research.
Author(s): Simha Goldin
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Year: 2014
Language: English
Pages: xiv+138
Preface page vii
List of leading figures xii
List of abbreviations xiii
1. Early beginnings 1
2. Forced conversion during the First Crusade 22
3. Theological confrontation with Christianity’s success 31
4. Self-definition and halakhah 52
5. Attitudes towards women 77
6. Alternative perspectives: The literature of pietists (Ashkenazic 'hasidim') 95
7. Converts to Judaism 100
8. Conclusions: The change in mentality 112
Bibliography 130
Index 136
