Jewish Nation and Religious Persecution - 1627 Words

While religion has the power to draw people together, it can also tear people apart. Throughout history, the Jewish nation has been plagued by persecution as a result of their religion. In Medieval times, the Jews faced blood libels and crusades. If they were to convert, then they would become accepted members into society; however, if they were to remain true to their religious ideals they would be killed. In modern Europe, Jews faced struggles such as Emancipation and the Holocaust. All they wanted was to become accepted in society; however instead they were mistreated and eventually massacred. This all leads up to Jewish life in America, something drastically different than the pattern that has remained constant for centuries. Through†¦show more content†¦Modern Europe differs from medieval Europe in that Jews no longer had the option of conversion—they were seen as an ethnicity and were persecuted as one. This is evident in Karl Duehring’s, The Question of the Jew Is a Question of Race. â€Å" It is precisely the baptized Jews who infiltrate furthest, unhindered in all sectors of society and political life. It is as though they have provided themselves with an unrestricted passport, advancing their stock to those places where members of the Jewish religion are unable to follow†¦ It is impossible that close contact between Germans and Jews will take effect without the concomitant reaction that this infusion of Jewish qualities is incompatible with our best impulses† (Duehring, 2). This article insinuates that it is precisely the Jews that have converted that are the problem. A mixture between Jewish and German ideals is unacceptable, and this ultimately leads into the Nuremberg Race Laws. These laws set restrictions on the lives of Jews in Germany. Firstly, however, these laws re-defined what it meant to be Jewish, taking inspiration from Duehring’s article. â€Å" The Nuremberg laws, as they became known did not d efine a â€Å"Jew† as someone with particular religious beliefs. Instead, anyone who had three or four Jewish grandparents was defined as a Jew, regardless of whether that individual identified himself or herself as a Jew or belonged to the Jewish religious community†¦ Even people with Jewish grandparents who had convertedShow MoreRelatedJudaism : Religion And Religion965 Words   |  4 Pagesreligion itself. Sometimes these cultural traditions appear to create difference and conflict with those outside the faith. Fortunately, to live in America means that we citizens of this nation by law are granted individual rights and liberties to conduct our lives as we see fit. The free exercise of religious is protected expressly under the first amendment, so long as they do not infringe on the rights and liberties of others. 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