Daily Life of the Jews in the Middle Ages

Reveals what everyday living was like for Jewish peoples in the medieval world Though often touched by tragedy, the middle ages were a dynamic and prosperous time for Jewish civilization. Despite the mass expulsions and periodic attacks that the Jews of the time suffered, they also managed prolonged periods of civil relations with the Christian and Muslim cultures that surrounded them, periods in which the Jewish culture at large produced great poetry and important philosophical and theological works, and made inspired contributions to mathematics and the sciences. In this scholarly but accessible account, Norman Roth explores the diverse cultures of Jewish daily life in the medieval world. The book covers all aspects of daily life: education, marriage and family life, the Jewish community at large, religious customs and observances, work, medicine, literature and the arts, the dangers of being Jewish, and the relationship between Jews and Gentiles. It includes a historical timeline of the critical events in the Jewish experience of the middle ages, a glossary of terms, and a bibliography for further reading. Throughout the work Roth shows the circumstances surrounding and at times invading Jewish life at the time, and paints a picture that is at once intimate and comprehensive. This work will provide school and public librarians with a resource on Jewish culture that is unique, highly informative, and compelling.; Part of the Greenwood Press Daily Life Through History series; The author is a leading scholar in the field; Will appeal to both medieval studies and Jewish studies readerships