CU5-23

** Goal ** Students will study the influence of the Enlightenment on Jewish culture, with an emphasis on the work of Moses Mendelssohn. **1.Gain the attention of the learner** Read a familiar passage from the Torah in Moses Mendelssohn’s German translation. ** 2.Relevant past learning ** Recall past discussions about integration versus isolation. Recall also the promise of tolerance associated with the European Enlightenment. ** 3.Introduce new material ** From “The New Jewish Encylcopedia”: “Haskalah **—** A Hebrew term meaning ‘enlightenment’ derivesd from the word ‘sekhel’ (intelligence), and applied to a movement among Jews to bring ‘enlightenment’ or to modern Jews and Judaism. The movement of the //Haskalah// began in the middle of the 18th century in Germany, and spread to Austria, Poland and Russia. “The //Maskilim// (proponents of the //Haskalah//)believed that Jews were persecuted because they differed from the non-Jews in culture, lnaguge, education, dress and manners. Their contention was that as soon as Jews could modernize their schools, learn the spoken language of the land,increase their knowledge of modern science and art, and adapt their manners to those of their neighbors, they would be treated as equal citizens and become emancipated politcally and socially.” Summarize the material in “A Historical Atlas of the Jewish People,” pp. 172-173 and 176-177. Moses Mendelssohn was born in Dessau, Germany in 1729, studied Talmud and followed rabbi to Berlin where he engaged in Jewish studies on top of Latin, English, French, and Italian, history, mathematics, logic, and philosophy.He remained Orthodox Jew but believed, like Maimonides, that Judaism was consistent with reason. He wrote modern philosophy and advocated that every person has certain basic rights just because that person is born human.This influenced American Revolution, American Constitution and Bill of Rights for citizens, French Revolution (“Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity (brotherhood)”). He wanted Jews to live alongside Christians and be equal—but he thought they were still living in Middle Ages, speaking and only reading Yiddish of Middle Ages, living apart.Mendelssohn taught his students to read German and translated Hebrew into German Torah.Because he brought Jews into modern thinking and encouraged living side by side, exposed Jews to languages, he is called Father of Haskalah. ** 4.Provide guided practice ** Mendelssohn was concerned with teaching Jews to speak the language of the surrounding society (German), instead of just Yiddish. Today we have the opposite situation: all of you speak society’s language (English), but do not know much about the special languages of the Jews (Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino). Discuss whether there are any reasons for wanting to learn these language in twenty-first century America. ** 5.Provide independent practice ** Like Maimonides, Mendelssohn believed that there was no conflict between Jewish religious belief and reason. Have each student write an essay explaining whether they agree or disagree with Mendelssohn and why. **6.Close the lesson** Come together and take a poll of the positions taken by the students in their essays.
 * 5:23 The Haskalah **