PDF The Emancipation of Europe's Muslims: The State's Role in Minority Integration (Princeton Studies in Muslim Politics) by Jonathan Laurence in History

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Early Modern Jewry boldly offers a new history of the early modern Jewish experience. From Krakow and Venice to Amsterdam and Smyrna; David Ruderman examines the historical and cultural factors unique to Jewish communities throughout Europe; and how these distinctions played out amidst the rest of society. Looking at how Jewish settlements in the early modern period were linked to one another in fascinating ways; he shows how Jews were communicating with each other and were more aware of their economic; social; and religious connections than ever before. Ruderman explores five crucial and powerful characteristics uniting Jewish communities: a mobility leading to enhanced contacts between Jews of differing backgrounds; traditions; and languages; as well as between Jews and non-Jews; a heightened sense of communal cohesion throughout all Jewish settlements that revealed the rising power of lay oligarchies; a knowledge explosion brought about by the printing press; the growing interest in Jewish books by Christian readers; an expanded curriculum of Jewish learning; and the entrance of Jewish elites into universities; a crisis of rabbinic authority expressed through active messianism; mystical prophecy; radical enthusiasm; and heresy; and the blurring of religious identities; impacting such groups as conversos; Sabbateans; individual converts to Christianity; and Christian Hebraists. In describing an early modern Jewish culture; Early Modern Jewry reconstructs a distinct epoch in history and provides essential background for understanding the modern Jewish experience.