Exploring the evolution of autobiographical writing by Jews throughout history, this work delves into its significance as a source for Jewish history. It employs contemporary literary theory to challenge traditional notions of autobiography and truth, while also incorporating insights from cognitive neuroscience. Michael Stanislawski offers a critical analysis of key autobiographical texts, revealing their complexity and the ways they reflect the Jewish experience across different eras.
Politics, Religion, and Violence in Modern Jewish History
The assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Itshak Rabin in 1995 raised profound questions about intra-community violence, particularly when an Orthodox Jew was the perpetrator. Historian Michael Stanislawski delves into a similar incident from 1848, where an Orthodox Jew murdered the Reform rabbi of Lemberg, marking a significant moment in Jewish history. This event is presented as the first recorded murder of a Jewish leader by a Jew since antiquity, setting a precedent for future conflicts within the Jewish community. Stanislawski's research uncovers previously inaccessible records, offering a comprehensive analysis of this pivotal case.
This Very Short Introduction discloses a history of Zionism from the origins of modern Jewish nationalism in the 1870's to the present.