Jewish Life in Medieval Spain - (Jewish Culture and Contexts) by Jonathan Ray (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Jewish Life in Medieval Spain is a detailed exploration of the Jewish experience in medieval Spain from the dawn of Sephardic society in the ninth century to the expulsion of 1492. An important contribution of the book is the integration of the rise and fall of Jewish life in Muslim al-Andalus into the history of the Jews in medieval Christian Spain. It traces the collapse of Jewish life in Muslim Spain, the emigration of Andalusi Jewry to the lands of Christian Iberia, and the long and difficult confluence of these two distinct Jewish subcultures. Focusing on internal developments of Jewish society, it offers a narrative of Jewish history from the inside out, bringing to light the various divisions and rivalries within the Jewish community. This approach, in turn, allows for a deeper understanding of the complex relations between Spanish Jews and their Muslim and Christian neighbors. Jonathan Ray's original perspective on the Jewish experience is particularly instructive when considering the widescale anti-Jewish riots of 1391. The combination of violence and mass conversion of the Jews irrevocably shifted the dynamics of interreligious relations as well as those within the Jewish community itself. Yet even in the wake of these tragic events, the Jews of Spain continued to flourish, fostering a culture that they would carry into exile and that would preserve the memory of Jewish Spain for centuries to come"--Front flap of dust jacket.

Book Synopsis

Jewish Life in Medieval Spain is a detailed exploration of the Jewish experience in medieval Spain from the dawn of Sephardic society in the ninth century to the expulsion of 1492. An important contribution of the book is the integration of the rise and fall of Jewish life in Muslim al-Andalus into the history of the Jews in medieval Christian Spain. It traces the collapse of Jewish life in Muslim Spain, the emigration of Andalusi Jewry to the lands of Christian Iberia, and the long and difficult confluence of these two distinct Jewish subcultures.

Focusing on internal developments of Jewish society, it offers a narrative of Jewish history from the inside out, bringing to light the various divisions and rivalries within the Jewish community. This approach, in turn, allows for a deeper understanding of the complex relations between Spanish Jews and their Muslim and Christian neighbors. Jonathan Ray's original perspective on the Jewish experience is particularly instructive when considering the widescale anti-Jewish riots of 1391. The combination of violence and mass conversion of the Jews irrevocably shifted the dynamics of inter-religious relations as well as those within the Jewish community itself. Yet even in the wake of these tragic events, the Jews of Spain continued to flourish, fostering a culture that they would carry into exile and that would preserve the memory of Jewish Spain for centuries to come.

Review Quotes

"An important new study...[Ray] has sought to highlight the diversity and complexity of Spanish Jewish life over the key seven centuries of Jewish existence in Spain...[and] argues for the need to focus on the internal factors impacting on Spanish Jewry. He has shone new light on our understanding of this period, adding a new dimension to Spanish Jewish history."-- "Journal of Religious History"

"Scholars of Jewish history in medieval Spain have long lacked an accessible survey suitable for assigning to students or for recommending to colleagues interested in familiarizing themselves with the topic...Jonathan Ray's Jewish Life in Medieval Spain effectively remedies that lacuna. It is an intriguing, readable volume that cohesively presents Jewish history in the medieval kingdoms of Castile and Aragon from a new perspective and effectively incorporates recent scholarship."-- "Speculum"

"This erudite and engaging new history of the Jews in medieval Spain reframes a storied period in Jewish and Spanish history. Instead of centering interfaith relations and comparing Jewish life under Muslim and Christian rule, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain foregrounds internal Jewish dynamics. It explores Jewish migrations, socioeconomic tensions, and intellectual rivalries, as well as the full spectrum of Jewish responses to Muslim and Christian conversionary pressures. Above all, it exposes the diversity of Jews' experiences."-- "Jewish History"

"[W]ell documented with extensive sources, the text examines Jewish lifewith numerous examples provided by individual and communal stories...For those already knowledgeable about the broad outlines of Al-Andalus, the Reconquista, the early Inquisition, and Sephardic history generally--particularly those reading for academic purposes--this book provides a compelling micro perspective adumbrated by daily life events."-- "Choice"

About the Author

Jonathan Ray is Professor of Jewish Studies at Georgetown University.