Notion of Modernization of Jewish Identity I New Norms and Values radical changes in the values and practices of society a Break or transformation b c Geographic distinctions Internal dissolution vs external influence II Communal Authority the Jewishness they run in to isn t the Jewishness they expected and this causes tension authority structure is being challenged a Marranism i Benedict Spinoza ii Uriel da Costa III Sabbateanism a Sabbetai Sevi 1665 1666 and after i He is a sinner because by sinning he enters the world of evil in order to redeem mankind ii The rise of mystical theology god is not distant and that we can somehow contact him for Christians Jesus is the intermediary but Judaism does not have an intermediary 1 Mystics began to believe you could experience god directly and that they could change the world that the task of mankind was those commandments because by doing them they are redeeming the universe empowering of mankind b Broad appeal c Justifying apostasy holiness through sin i After upsetting the rulers he doesn t want to cause a lot of drama so Sabbetai converts d D nmeh Greece outwardly Muslim and inwardly Sabbatean IV Another Theory how Modernity comes into the Jewish World Social Breakdown Frankists Polish a Azriel Shohat i Class tensions they are open to these new ideas because of a social breakdown in and among Ashkenazi Jews the pattern of settlement and migration Jews tend to live in isolated settlements this will tend to prevent them from developing the really strong traditional communities that can impose authority ii Right of residence b Jacob Katz V Semi Neutral society a Intellectual space Amsterdam had begun to breed a society composed of many different religions and this created an intellectual community instead of one dominated by a religion personality b Masonic lodges the places to go to study and learn Masons are not frowned upon rather they were the guys who were excited about reason and intellect Jews were allowed to join c Mendelssohn and Lessing i Mendelssohn got out of the world of traditional Jewish thought and had the nerve to write his true thoughts also those directed at the king ii Father figure of the Haskalah enlightenment transitive term telling people they should become more enlightened iii Tried to avoid the question of religion or tradition still remained an observant Jew and member of the community arguing against the legitimacy of the Jewish authority over people VI Geography a Usually understood as west to east transfer b Germany to i Eastern Europe Poland and Russia and ii Ottoman Empire Middle East and North Africa c Danger of this simplistic model i Local context ii Agencies of change VII Enlightened Expectations VIII Externality of the Enlightenment Isaac de Pinto Sephardic vs Ashkenazic Jewish types 1762 a Voltaire b c Portrayal of Jews and Judaism in Encyclopedia is negative d The Enlightenment did not exist in a vacuum a For Jews this was both a source of attraction and a limitation b Seen as threatening traditional life c d Is the Maskil a radical Conservative