Jewish History Test
Emancipation
The French Revolution: The Declaration - pg. 13
The French revolution lasted 10 years from 1789 to 1799
Broke out on July 14th, 1789 when revolutionaries stormed a prison called the Bastille, a period of time in France when the people overthrew the monarchy and took control of the government.
After revolution broke out, French national assembly issued this declaration of man and citizen:
Equality for everybody
Freedom of religion
No one will be molested for his ideas of beliefs
Reflected ideas of democracy
Debate on the Eligibility of Jews for citizenship- Pg. 14
Jews not given equal rights like all the other French citizens
Debate in French National Assembly about giving the Jews emancipation/citizenship 4 months after declaration, on December 23, 1789
Against Jewish Rights: Monsieur De La Fare
Jews didn’t deserve it bc they had double loyalty (France and Israel) Pray to return to Israel
Jews have 108 valueless days they don’t work on like Shabbat, holidays, fasts, festivals “lazy nation”
People of France/Alsace-Lorrain hate the Jews bc they are money lenders and the ppl will rebel if France will give the Jews equality (lose their land and jobs)
FOR granting equal rights: Monsieur the Count of Clermont-Tonnerre (p 14-15)
French Constitution says all ppl in France are equal no matter their religion, therefore the Jews must get emancipation
Answers De La Fare (Jews are corrupted w money and don’t deserve citizenship) this situation owes to the French ppl who for many centuries didn’t allow Jews to do anything other than money lending. Emancipation: they will become useful citizens. The ppl of France will stop hating them.
Double loyalty: do not give citizenship to a nation but to individuals. Certain disloyal individuals can get punished/expelled. Giving citizenship to the Jews as a nation would create a nation within a nation in France (undesirable situation)
The Jews of France- Pg. 7
Many jews of Europe (especially in countries like Germany and France), got more rights and freedoms. Many were able to get out of the ghettos and become part of the non-jewish society
However, they still did not get full equality
Only after the French revolution, the Jews got emancipation and full equality
40 000 Jews lived in France
2 main Jewish Groups during the 18th century
Sephardim - marranos who came from Spain (beginning of 16th century). They were in France for many years, acculturated, spoke French, were professional businessmen. already got many rights from the various kings of france. lived in South of france
Ashkenazim - lived mainly in Alsace-Lorraine (north east, border of germany). newcomers in france. traditional jews, spoke yiddish, mainly money lenders, were majority of jews in france
Rights for the Sephardim – Pg. 18
The sephardic Jews managed to convince the french national assembly to give them emancipation before the ashkenazi they got citizenship on January 1790 (6 months after the declaration)
Told the french national assembly they deserved equality and should be separated from the ashkenazi jews because they don’t belong to the same tribes: sephardim belong to the tribe of judah, while the ashkenazim belong to the ten tribes of Israel
Besides, unlike the ashkenazim, the sephardim lived in france for many years, they are acculturated, and already got many rights from the kings of france
Rights for Ashkenazim – Pg. 18
Got equal rights on Sept 3, 1791 (almost 2 years after the declaration)
Napoleon and the Jews – Pg 19-21
Officer in the French army during the French revolution
After the revolution and the beheading of King Louis XVI, the monarchs attacked France to stop Revolution, so he helped defend French borders, brave general
Involved in politics, appointed as Consul of the Republic, later proclaiming himself Emperor of France (ruled in enlightened and democratic way)
Energetic ruler: build roads, canals, ports, boulevards, monuments, beautified cities, strengthened economy, established bank of France and French Bourse/stock exchange
Introduced Napolean Code - enlightened codes of law emphasizing equality, religious freedom, liberty, sanctity of family
The Assembly of Jewish Notable (Only question 3) – Pg 27
Napoleon invited 111 Jewish leaders to Paris to discuss over complaints of the peasants
Assembly took place in 1806 in Hotel deVille
Planned to ask the Jews questions about their relationship with the French people
According to their answers, he would decide whether to take away their citizenship or not
Question examples: polygamy, intermarriage with the French, powers of rabbis and usury
Rabbenu Gershom - make Takana not to marry more than one wife, it is renewed often
Made white lies to not upset Napoleon
3 Questions:
Concepts/terms -
Emancipation -
During the 19th century, many countries in Europe granted the Jews emancipation.
Europe granted the Jews emancipation.
The Jews got out of the ghettos and became successful as businessmen, doctors, lawyers, politicians, academia, the press, and the arts.
This caused jealousy among the non-Jews who did not like the growing success and competition of the Jews.
French National Assembly - They debated whether to give Jews citizenship. de Tonnerre wanted to give Jews citizenship, and de la fare was against citizenship.
The lower French court -
Enlightened ruler - Napoleon, built many establishments
Assembly of Jewish Notables -
Parisian Sanhedrin - After the assembly of Jewish Notable N decided to establish a permanent institution of Jewish leaders that would meet with the French government once a year to discuss over Jewish issues in France,
Intermarriage - Napoleon asked them about it
They said that the bible doesn't say anything about Christians (because it didn’t exist) only the 7 Canaanite nations (amalekite, Moabites). Besides, everyone in France including the jews can marry as he wishes, but a rabbi will not conduct the wedding ceremony; between a Jew and a Christian, they will have to marry civilly.
The Infamous decree - In 1808 napoleon passed a decree against the jews of alsace (10 yrs)
They couldn't be money lenders bc they only made 5%
Jews had to go to the army because they couldn't pay money to not go anymore
They didn't want to go bc they keep shabbat etc
The Manifesto of Palestine -
Sephardim - south of France many years after the expulsion, they were acculturated, professionals. They belong to the tribe of judah and benjamin
Ashkenazim - the majority of the Jews are newcomers, yiddish speakers, not acculturated, from Alsace Lorriane, and from the 10 tribes of Judah
Napoleon -
Office in the french army during the french revolution
He helped defend the borders of france
He went into politics and was first in the consul of the republic
He proclaimed himself emperor of france
Build road, bridges, canals, strengthened economy, the bank of france
Napolean code - enlightened codex of laws emphasizing equality, religious freedom, liberity and the sanctity of the family
He helped peasant and spread ideas of democracy
He tried to conquer Russia and he lost because he couldn't cope with the winter
After this is 1814 CE he was exiled to the island of elba
He escaped took control of france again but then 7 countries formed to stop him he lost and they exiled him to St Helena, where he died 6 years later
Modern Anti-Semitism
Many people wanted to invade France because they didn't want the ideas of democracy to spread into their country from french they are monochords they dont want that they don't want elections and voting
Anti-Semitism Intro – Ancient/Medieval/ Modern/Contemporary
Ancient time/classical antisemitism: hating the Jews for being different (The Jews were the only nation that believed in monotheism)
Medieval Anti-eremitism/Christian Anti semitism: hated toward the Jews because of religious reasons ( the Jews killed Jesus and refused to accept Christianity)
Modern Anti Semitism: (19th Century) the hatred towards Jews was based mainly on racism and nationalism (The racist theories and the national movements were very prominent in Europe in the 19th century)
Contemporary anti Semitism: (20, 21 C) hatred toward Jews today in mainly in a form of:
Muslim anti-semitism
Hatred towards Israel and denying its right to exist
Holocaust Denial
Modern Anti-Semitism – Reasons
Racism: development of racist theories during the 19th century led to anti-semites to identify the Jews as an inferior race which endanger the purity of the Aryan race.
Nationalism: the 19th century was the age of ‘’age of nationalism’’ Many countries got independence (italy, Greece..) and nationalistic feelings get high the Jews were regarded as outsiders and disloyal (Xenophobia: hatred towards minorities’’ The dislike of the unlike)
Emancipation: During the 19th century many countries in europe granted the jews emancipation.The jews got out of the ghettos and became successful as businessman , doctors, lawyers, politics, academia, arts… this cause jealousy among the non Jews who did not like the growing success and competition of the jews
Democracy: the majority countries in Europe embraced democracy and there were elections every 4 years. Many political parties included anti-semetic ideas in their platforms which helped to get more votes.
Press: during the 19th century the people of Europe used to read newspapers regularly. Anti-semetic article and cartoons spread lots of anti-semitism
Conspiracy theories: jews were blamed for plotting to take over the world (their “protocols of the elders of zion”). Or accusations of treason against their country (example - alfred dreyfus who was tried as a spy)
Communism/Capitalism: communists blamed Jews as capitalists who exploit the working class in Europe (example: the famous rich Jews like the Rothschilds). Capitalists blamed the Jews as communists who instigated revolutions and instability in Europe (because of the many Jews who were members of the socialist and communist party). Eg: Trostky who was one of the leaders of the communist revolution in Russia or Lassele, the founder of the socialist party in germany.
Charles Darwin and Social Darwinism – Pg. 44
In 1831 - Charles Darwin joined the crew of the beagle as a naturalist on a british expedition to south america
The ship arrived at the Galapagos islands where Darwin saw that in each island there were different kinds of finches. He investigated the matter and realized that in every island there were different conditions, and in order to adapt to their surrounding, the finches had to change some of their characteristics
Darwin concluded that in order to survive in a changing environment some species must go through the process of evolution.
Those animals or plants that can change successfully and adapt to changed will survive while those who are not successful to do it will extinct
Later this process would be called ‘’Survival of the fittest’’
His famous books:
Darwinism
Upon returning to Britain Darwin published his theory of evolution 2 book:
Origin of species
The Descent of Man
Darwin also claimed that people are descended from apes his finding angered the Church because it contradicted the bible
Social Darwinism
Herbert spencer: applied Dawrin's theories to society, politics, and economics. The application of Darwin's ideas regarding fauna and flora to human society is called ‘’Social Darwinism'’
Spencer believed in the idea of survival of the fittest in the human world. According to this, he claimed that the European countries that were rich and developed were the fittest and superior to those countries that were underdeveloped such as the countries in asia and Africa which were inferior
This led to the development of racial theories that placed the aryan race as the superior race, while the jews were regarded as the inferior race
Darwin's scientific views of species adapted to a new condition was taken by Spencer who twisted it and eventually, it turned into racist theories
We are the survival of the fittest because we have adapted, the destruction of the temple, etc
According to darwin we are the superior race, because we can evolve, so he is twisting the ideas of darwin
Summary
Darwinism - Darwin maintained that animals or plants that can go through a process of evolution in order to adapt to their changing environment will survive (‘’Survival of the fittest’’)
Spencer/Social Darwinism - applied Darwin's theory into human society and maintained that the rich and developed countries of Europe are the fittest and the superiors
Racists - believe that the Aryan race is the ‘’Superior Race’’ while the Jews are the ‘’Inferior race’’
Duehring – Pg. 49
Karl Eugen Duehring - racial anti-semitism
Duering was a german economist and philosopher and one of the proponents of racial anti-semitism in the 1880’s
He claimed that jews are an inferior race, and they carry “bad” genes in their blood which cause them to be corrupt people. Therefore, the jews should be subjugated and separated from the german society
Duering claimed that:
“The most dangerous jew is the baptized jew”
“ the jews are to be defined solely on the basis of race, and not on the basis of religion”
“Mixed marriage between jews and germans can endanger the purity of the aryans”
Wilhelm Marr – Pg. 50
1879- Published an anti semitic pamphlet “The Victory of judaism over Germandom” this pamphlet reached its 12th editions
Established the “league of antisemites” which organized lectures and meetings.
Introduced the word “anti-Semite” into the political lexicon
Mar claims that after germany granted emancipation to the jews, there is no stopping them, and they are taking over Germany
Mar mentioned names of jews who became famous politicians to prove his point that the Jews are taking over Europe (Eg: Benjamin Disareli who became the Prime Minister of Great Britain or the Semite Lassalle who was the founder of the social Democratic party in Germany)
Dreyfus – Pg. 56
The Dreyfus Trial
Dreyfus was a Jewish officer in the French army who was accused of passing on classified military documents to the Germans
Dreyfus's trial stirred a wave of anti-sematism in France
The French court found him guilty of treason and Dreyfus was sent to life in prison on Devil’s island in the Atlantic ocean
Following his trial, Dreyfus had to go through a ceremony of public degradation where his officer's insignia were torn off and his sword was broken into two pieces
Two years later it was found that the real spy was not Dreyfus but Colonel Esterhazy. However, the army refused to open the case again.
Herzel
Benjamin Ze’ev Herzl, journalist, reported on the Dreyfus trial in Paris
Saw that anti-Semetism was stirred during trial
Heard mob shouting “Death to the Jews” during public degradation of Dreyfus
Upset about wave as France was supposed to be a symbol of freedom and equality
Decided no matter the emancipation, there was no future for the Jewish in Europe, needed homeland
“The Dreyfus Trial turned me into a Zionist”
J’Accuse – Pg. 58
Emil Zola - J’Accuse
Emil Zola, a non jewish French author published an article in which he exposed the military corruption regarding their handling of the Dreyfus Affair
He accused the military the judges and the press of being quick to blame Dreyfus as the spy because he was a Jew
Zola's article and growing public pressure helped to open the case again and it eventually helped Dreyfus
Protocols of the Elders of Zion – Pg.
1897- The protocols of the Elders of Zion was the fabricated minutes of meeting of Jewish leaders who plotted to take over the world by instigating revolutions, wars, economic crisis and political unrest
As part of this plot, the Jews are said to be behind the harmful forces of modernity (liberalism, democracy, capitalism, marxism, the press, etc.) so they undermine society and take over the world
It was found later that it was written by the Russian secret police and was translated to many languages. The “Protocols” spread anti-Semitism in and out of Russia
The protocols were proved as fraud because it was found that it adapted a political satire written in 1864 in France by Maurice Joly which had nothing to do with the jews. The russian secret police changed a few details to give the impression that it was wiritten by the jews
Why did many believe that these were authentic?
Yiddish vocabulary was inserted eg “GOY”
The protocols were published at the time of the First Zionist Congress (1897), and it made sense for people that Jewish leaders to meet to discuss issues and to make plans. (Except the Zionists didn’t meet secretly, and their agenda was to take only over Palestine, not over the whole world.)
When the “protocols” were written it was towards the end of the 19th century, and by that time the people of Europe were exposed to a lot of anti-Semitic hatred. This was the time for the rise of modern anti-semeitism and the people were ready to accept and believe in the idea that the jews are plotting to take over the world
Damascus Affair – Pg. 38
Affair in 1840 in Damascus, Syria
Jews accused of murdering a Christian monk for ritual purposes (blood libel)
Two famous Jews helped protect the Jews:
Sir Moses Montefiore (rich Jew from England– House of Lords)
Adolphe Cremieux (minister in the French government – from France)
The Jews were upset because they thought that after they got emancipation such antisemitism (medieval style) should not occur, especially in France which was a symbol of democracy and liberalism
Mortara Affair – Pg.39
Baby Edgar got sick, and his catholic nurse decided to save his life by baptizing him into Christianity.
This is an example of Medieval Antisemitism during Modern time. Explain why.
The baptism was done without permission of his parents. After the church and the pope insisted that after this baby Edgar should grow up by the church, as a Christian. this is an example of forced baptism
Why did many Jews all over the world become upset?
because the Jews thought that after they got emancipation that it is very upsetting that such an incidence of anti-semistism occurred.
The Alliance Israelite Universelle – Pg. 40
Adolphe Cremieux (a famous politician in France) established it in 1860 in Paris.
They had two missions
Defending Jewish rights and fighting antisemitism all over the world to protect Jews everywhere
Establishing chain of modern Jewish schools in deprived Jewish communities and in North Africa and the Middle East to grow Jewish education and success
Concepts:
19 Century: rise of modern anti semitism mainly about nationalism and racism
Evolution: animals and plants change in order to survive
Superior race: the aryan race as the superior race, while the jews were regarded as the inferior race
Survival of the Fittest: Those animals or plants that can change successfully and adapt to change will survive while those who are not successful to do it will go extinct. Later this process would be called ‘’Survival of the fittest’’
Xenophobia: hatred towards minorities “The dislike of the unlike”, Jews regarded as minority
Alliance Israelite Universelle: Adolphe Cremieux (a famous politician in France) established it in 1860 in Paris. They had two goals:
defending jewish rights and fighting antisemitism all over the world
establishing chain of modern Jewish schools in North Africa and the Middle East
Moses Montefiore: Sir Moses Montefiore (rich Jew from England– House of Lords) who came to help reopen the dreyfus case
Adolph Cremieux: Adolphe Cremieux (minister in the French government – from France) who came to help reopen
Karl Duhring:
Duering was a german economist and philosopher and one of the proponents of racial anti-semitism in the 1880’s
He claimed that Jews are an inferior race, and they carry “bad” genes in their blood which cause them to be corrupt people. Therefore, the jews should be subjugated and separated from the german society