The Cambridge History of Judaism: Volume 6, The Middle Ages: The Christian World The Cambridge History of Judaism Series

Volume 6 examines the history of Judaism during the second half of the Middle Ages. Through the first half of the Middle Ages, the Jewish communities of western Christendom lagged well behind those of eastern Christendom and the even more impressive Jewries of the Islamic world. As Western Christendom began its remarkable surge forward in the eleventh century, this progress had an impact on the Jewish minority as well. The older Jewries of southern Europe grew and became more productive in every sense. Even more strikingly, a new set of Jewries were created across northern Europe, when this undeveloped area was strengthened demographically, economically, militarily, and culturally. From the smallest and weakest of the world's Jewish centers in the year 1000, the Jewish communities of western Christendom emerged - despite considerable obstacles - as the world's dominant Jewish center by the end of the Middle Ages. This demographic, economic, cultural, and spiritual dominance was maintained down into modernity.

Introduction Robert Chazan; Part I. Jews in the Medieval Christian World: 1. The Prior Church legacy Robert Chazan; 2. Medieval Church doctrines and policies Anna Sapir Abulafia; 3. Mutual perceptions and attitudes David Berger; 4. Byzantium Nicholas de Lange; 5. Italy: (a) South David Abulafia; (b) North Robert Bonfil; 6. Spain: (a) The transition to Christian rule Yom Tov Assis; (b) Under Christian rule Mark Meyerson; 7. Southern France Ram Ben Shalom; 8. Northwestern Europe Robert Chazan; 9. Germany Alfred Haverkamp; 10. Northeastern Europe Nora Berend; Part II. Social and Institutional History: 11. The sources Ephraim Shoham-Steiner; 12. Demography and migrations Michael Toch; 13. Economic activities Michael Toch; 14. Communal and religious organization Jeffrey Woolf; 15. Schools and education Ephraim Kanarfogel; 16. Annual cycle and life cycle Elisheva Baumgarten; 17. The family Elisheva Baumgarten; Part III. Spiritual and Intellectual History: 18. The sources Daniel Lasker; 19. Languages and translations: (a) Languages David M. Bunis; (b) Translations James T. Robinson; 20. Book production Malachi Beit-Arié; 21. Bible studies Martin Lockshin; 22. Talmudic studies Ephraim Kanarfogel; 23. Jewish law Alyssa Gray; 24. Liturgy and Piyut: (a) Liturgy Stefen C. Reif; (b) Piyut Elisabeth Hollander; 25. Philosophy Mauro Zonta; 26. Science and medicine Gad Freudenthal; 27. Mysticism Elliot Wolfson; 28. Belles-lettres Jonathan Decter; 29. Polemics Daniel Lasker; 30. Historiography Eva Haverkamp; 31. Material culture and art Katerin Kogman-Appel; Suggested readings; Index.

Robert Chazan serves as Scheuer Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University, where he was founding chair of the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies. He has published widely on medieval Jewish history in many books and numerous articles in American and foreign academic journals. Two recent books are The Jews of Medieval Western Christendom (Cambridge, 2006) and Reassessing Jewish Life in Medieval Europe (Cambridge, 2010). He is a Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America and the American Academy of Jewish Research, where he has served as President.