Although the Holocaust looms large as the defining feature of Jewish life in Germany, it was not an isolated historical event for German Jews. The Shoa followed a long and tragic trail of massacres, pogroms, and persecutions. However, the historical relationship between the Jewish and German peoples consisted of more than bloodshed and hardship. As David explains in this lecture, “the symbiotic relationship between the Jews of Germany and the general German population was nothing short of astounding.”
In this podcast episode, From Exile in Paradise to Redemption in Hell Jews and Judaism in Germany: past, present, and future, David explores the long and fascinating story of German Jewish life, from the days of the Roman Empire to the present, covering:
- Jews and the Roman Empire
- the beginnings of Ashkenazi Jewry and the influence of Rabbeinu Gershom
- the Rhineland Massacres of the 11th century, known in Jewish history as the Akedah
- Meir of Rottenberg and Asher ben Yechiel
- the constant return of Jews to Germany despite ongoing persecution and recurring massacres
- the impact of the Reformation
- the restriction of Jews to money lending and their subsequent influence on economic policy
- Moses Mendelssohn, the Enlightenment, and secular Judaism
- Jewish conversion to Christianity as an essential requirement for advancement in 19th Germany
- Jewish mystical interpretations of the relationship between Jews and Germany
- the growth of contemporary Jewish communities in Germany
- the enormity of the Shoa and its place in history
- the integral nature of Jews to German life and history.
You can also watch the lecture on YouTube.
David delivered this talk in 2013 at the Jewish Museum of Berlin, accompanying the special exhibition “The Whole Truth.”
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:05:58 — 84.1MB)
