“They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s… talk about it.”

The 20th century gave us examples of the most extreme Jewish powerlessness and unheard-of Jewish power as well. But the history of Jews and political, military and social power—especially so-called “soft power”—is much more complicated, much more nuanced than popular consciousness has led us to believe.

How did Jews use communal wisdom and the concerted application of influence to ensure centuries of survival? Where was the Church, the Reformation, the growth of secular power and the emergence of modern society for all of this? There are several perspectives to consider, and we’ll break it down, from Philo to philo-Semitism.

Taught by David Feder.