Lesson 10 Lecture Notes

Review  Why did Jewish identity change after emancipation?  What are the three categories of Jewish identity that develop after emancipation?  What are some things that caused Jews to feel estranged from their people?  Why did some Jews convert to Christianity?

Jewish Identity Challenged and Redefined Part II

“Hear, O Israel”  Primary Source Study (p , from the beginning to “German character and education” and from “Look at Yourselves in the mirror” to “like a greyhoud.” Excerpt from article by Walter Rathenau ( )  Additional Questions What is the title from? How does Rathenau use it? What about Jews doesn’t Rathenau like? Why would we call Rathenau a self-hating Jew?

Jewishness as Unique Sensibility I  Gustav Landauer ( ) Grew up in a Jewish family Studied philosophy, worked as journalist, translator and novelist Arrested and imprisoned for civil disobedience Outwardly, a German intellectual

Jewishness as Unique Sensibility II  Estranged from religion, but not Judaism  Inspired by Martin Buber Spiritual sensibility that is independent of doctrine and ritual prescriptions  “Jewishness is an Inalienable Spiritual Sensibility” (1913) Jewish and German – complex person Not a religious connection Jewish character Jewish features

In Defiance of Anti-Semites I  Arthur Koestler ( ) Assimilated Jewish family Zionist Saw the need for a homeland because of anti-Semitism

In Defiance of Anti-Semites II “A Valedictory Message to the Jewish People” (1949)  Desire to return to Zion is at core of Judaism  Dilemma – now can return  Return to Israel or move on  No longer abandoning a suffering people

Religious Faith I  Franz Rosenzweig ( ) Agnostic Plans to convert Has spiritual reawakening in a synagogue Study as important to faith

Religious Faith II  Lehrhaus Inspired assimilated Jews to rediscover their roots “Jewish Learning and the Return to Judaism” (1920)  An inner remembering  Study for connection and practice Closed by Nazis American schools based on Rosenzweig’s model

“Holocaust Jew” I  Jean Amery ( ) Child of Catholic mother/Jewish father Did not have a Jewish upbringing Defined racially as a Jew by Nazis (Nuremberg Laws) Survives Auschwitz

“Holocaust Jew” II  Reflections of a ‘Holocaust Jew’ (1966) “I cannot be one [a Jew]. And yet must be one.” Identity is developed early and his was not a Jewish identity. But Nazis made him one. Isolated, solitary Jew – not one with connection to generations of Jews

Class Discussion  Do Asssimilationist and Affirmationist responses to identity still exist today?  How have you seen them exemplified?  Have some disappeared or become irrelevant?  Are there any identities that you would add to these categories?

Next Class:  Read pages  Special attention to documents #: 4, 8, 14, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 25, and 26  Think about: Does Emancipation change anti-Semitism? What is political anti-Semitism? What is racial anti-Semitism? Do either of these still exist today? If so, how?