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Jan 1, 1492
Expulsion
about 200,000 Jews are expelled from spain. Most go to Venice or Amserdam -
Jan 1, 1516
First Jewish Ghetto established in Venice
many more to come after this first one -
Jan 1, 1525
The "Mappah" was written
This was a extention of The Shulchan Uruch written by Rabbi Moshe Isserlis applying to Ashkenazic Jewry -
Jan 1, 1567
First Jewish University was founded in Poland
This is called a "Yeshiva" -
False Messiah "Sabbatai Zevi"
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Period: to
Enlightenment
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The Decline of Rabinic Authority
As rabbinnic authority gets weaker, they react more extremely than they did before. The rabbis become harsher on halachik matters and less forgiving, For example, they overuse Cherem, which makes Cherem meaningless, especially after Spinoza's rebellion. The more worthless it becomes, the more it is used (reactionary conservatism). The rabbis shift their focus from communal service to service of their own instituion. They emphasized learning as a goal in and of itself. -
Cherem of Baruch Spinoza
Cherem was the only weapon that Rabbinical authority had to maintain communal discipline. If someone was put in cherem he was completely cut off from the community. Baruch Spinoza was the first person who nuetralized the weapon of cherem. After being put into cherem, instead of repenting or converting, Spinoza decided to live as an enlightened individual. This marks modern jewish history because he became the first secular Jew. Many Jews were influenced by Spinoza and followed in his footsteps. -
Spinozas Rebellion
Spinoza rebelled against the rabbinic authority of his time and was put in cherem. When one is put in Cherem they can either repent or convert, however Spinoza did neither. Fed up with the unbase exile that he was placed in, he let go of his ties with his Jewish community by becoming the first secular Jew -
Emancipation In America
Though European powers claim to have given the Jewish people Emancipation, the United States of America is the first county to disregard the phrase "To the Jews as individuals, all rights. To the Jews as people, no rights." Since in comparison to Europe, few Jews lived in America, emancipation only became significant during the next century. -
Moses Mendelsson
Moses Mendelshon was a German philosopher who believed religious truths could be reached through reason. He is concidered the father of the Haskalah, and is trying to securalize Jews.He was considered one of the great Enlightenment thinkers and asks the question is judaism compatible with the enlightenment? -
The Jews Were Emancipated
After the French revolution, the French people had principles of equality and freedom. This is why they decided to grant the Jews citizenship. -
The French Revolution
The French Revolution causes France, along with other European powers to rethink government’s powers, ultimately allowing Jews to maintain equal rights and citizenship. -
Jewish Immagration to America
The Spanish-Portuguese Sephardim arrived in America in the 17th and 18th centuries. They got involved in trans-Atlantic trade, which put them in the upper-middle class. The German immigrants arrived next from C. 1830-1860. They became small businessmen and members of the middle class.The next wave was the Eastern European immigration from the Pale of Settlement from C. 1880-1924. They were poor, lower class, skilled laborers. -
Period: to
Reform Movement
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Nepoleans Sandhedrin
Napolean wishes to unify Europe under one system and to bring the ideals of the French Revolution to the rest of the world. While conquering most of Europe he threatens the Pale of Settlement (a territory created for Jews). He then calls the Grand Sanhedrin for the first time in 1800 years on Shabbat in order to test their loyalty. -
Ber Isaac Ber
He says that the jews have to change their attitide! He says WE NEED TO REFORM/ MODERNIZE so the Jews can fit in. -
The Reform Movement
After the German Jews were emancipated, they were able to reinvent Judaism, which led to the Reform movement. They didn't want to listen specifically to the Rabbis, but they also didn't want to erase Judaism. They believed that since they were granted equal citizenship, Judaism doesn't have to be a nationhood, rather it is a spiritual practice. One of the features built into the reform ideology is if it isn't working, then change it. -
Inauguration of the Hamburg Temple
he Jewish people in Germany had the opportunity to rewrite Judaism after emancipation. They alter religion based on Enlightenment principals. The Reform Movement founded the Hamburg Temple, changing prayer, service, the community and Judaism as a nationality.
