The Legacy of German Jewry
Hermann Levin Goldschmidt, author
David Suchoff, translator
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823228263, $50.00 www.fordhampress.com 1-800-247-6553
Written by Hermann Levin Goldschmidt (1914-1998), who founded and
directed the Judisches Lehrhaus in Zurich from 1952 to 1962, and first
published in 1957, Legacy of German Jewry is a thorough reexamination of
the German-Jewish experience, now available in English translation. Part
One explores the transition to modernity, retracing the philosophical
accomplishments of thinkers such as Moses Mendelssohn, Spinoza, and
religious figures such as Baal Shem Tov. This modern path embraces the
concept that "remnants" of the radical past could provide
ideas and impetus for re-envisioning the modern world. Part Two
discusses the political history of the Jews in modernity and the facets
of Jewish culture as perceived in German-Jewish thought and exemplified
in the public figures of Leo Baeck, Hermann Cohen, and Franz Rosenzweig.
Part Three examines the post-Auschwitz complex, and draws upon the Book
of Job for strength to overcome the tremendous trauma inflicted by the
horrors of the Holocaust. A visionary work that embraced the concept of
multiculturalism before the word itself was commonly used, Legacy of
German Jewry is highly recommended as a welcome contribution to Judaic
studies shelves.
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NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.