Against the grain : Jewish intellectuals in hard times / edited by Ezra Mendelsohn, Stefani Hoffman, and Richard I. Cohen.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Highlighting the seminal role of German Jewish intellectuals and ideologues in forming and transforming the modern Jewish world, this volume analyzes the political roads taken by German Jewish thinkers; the impact of the Holocaust on the Central and East European Jewish intelligentsia; and the conundrum of modern Jewish identity. Several of German Jewry's most outstanding figures such as Scholem, Strauss, and Kohn are discussed. Inspired by Steven E. Aschheim's work, several contributors focus on the fraught relationship between German and East European Jews (the so-called Ostjuden) and between German Jews and their non-Jewish neighbors. More generally, this book examines how Central European Jewish thinkers reacted to the terrible crises of the twentieth century--to war, genocide, and the existential threat to the very existence of the Jewish people. It is essential reading for those interested in the triumphs and tragedies of modern European Jewry.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

In this tribute to historian Steven Aschheim, 16 scholars explore the intellectual contributions of 19th-20th-century Jewish scholars. Leo Strauss and Gershom Scholem dominate the opening chapters. Jewish identity issues united and divided behind Zionism, cultural integration, and more abstract approaches to ethical questions, such as those aired by Emmanuel Levinas. In the final chapters, the Holocaust's pivotal place in the Jewish consciousness becomes the tool for interpreting the contributions of Jewish intellectuals, whether as scholars, legal advisers at Nuremberg, or survivors. Loosely following Aschheim, these brief and largely biographical sketches share a common vision of Jewish intellectuals as sociocultural outsiders struggling to understand the tumultuous challenges of being Jewish in modern society. In his own work, Aschheim helped detach Nietzsche from Nazism, though Nazism held tight to Nietzsche's legacy. Escaping simple labels, Aschheim remains close to his mentor, George Mosse. Consequently, these authors are also inclined to look beyond first appearances for the plethora of pieces that help profile the past. On a more critical note, Aschheim's influence disappears in these articles, whether penned by new or established scholars. Authors appear more interested in their own subjects than in critiquing Aschheim. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, faculty. D. A. Meier Dickinson State University