The Jews of Medieval France: The Community of Champagne

(Hardback)

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Description

This book studies the Jewish community of Champagne from the fifth century to the expulsion of 1306. It documents the growth and decline of the community, examines its interrelationships with the larger Christian culture, and presents a model for the study of other communities. The economic and political consolidation of the county, coupled with the development of Jewish self-government and a system of education in Talmudic law, were important factors in the growth of Champagne's Jewish community. The subsequent decline of the community in the mid-13th century was also attributable to economic and political factors, as well as a growing church influence. The Jews of Medieval France: The Community of Champagne also offers an in-depth analysis of women's place in the Jewish and gentile worlds of medieval France. Details and comparisons of women's status within the family and in business, and examples of attitudes toward women in literature and law are all thoroughly integrated into the text.

Reviews

The author succeeds in showing that the Champenois Jews were active participants in their society, and that although 11th-century Jewish scholars stressed the rights of individual communities, by the 12th-century, some Jewish authorities were calling for a greater homogeneity and conformity in terms of law. This is a very solid overview of Champenois Jewry, and will be of value to students of medieval historyboth general and Jewish. Upper-division undergraduates and above. * Choice *

Author Bio

Emily Taitz, adjunct professor at Adelphi University, has spoken and written for many years on topics concerning women's history and Jewish law. She is coauthor (with Sondra Henry) of Written Out of History: Our Jewish Foremothers and a series of young adult books. She has a PhD in medieval Jewish history from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.