"In this extraordinary work of scholarship, Ari Joskowicz explores the ways in which Jewish public figures--scholars, journalists, parliamentarians, rabbis--used anti-Catholicism and anticlericalism to construct a collective Jewish identity compatible with a modern national identity . Joskowicz has mastered the historical narratives and the historiographical traditions of two of the most studied countries in modern Europe, in addition to the literature produced in four languages about the Jews in both national traditions. He moves effortlessly between or among all of these. This is a stunning and stimulating work of scholarship."--Mitchell B. Hart, German History "[ The Modernity of Others is a] probing, nuanced, and carefully written volume . This is a complex story with sometimes-subtle variations, which could easily lose the inattentive reader. Fortunately, introductions and conclusions in each chapter helpfully keep the essence of the analysis in view .
Joskowicz has done a remarkable job in accomplishing his principal goal. He has mastered a mass of primary and secondary material and brought genuine novelty to our understanding of the Jewish experience in nineteenth-century Germany and France. His book should be read by all serious students of the subject."--Michael A. Meyer, Shofar: Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies "His analysis of the Jewish intelligentsia and the public sphere pulls from a wide range of sources, including literary works, the press, and parliamentary disputes . Organized topically and chronologically, this important contribution to modern Jewish history will challenge advanced students and faculty with its nuanced and compelling thesis . Highly recommended."--M.
L. Scott, CHOICE "With impressive erudition, Ari Joskowicz straddles the divide between French and German history in this important new book about Jewish anti-Catholicism. Not a typical comparative study, The Modernity of Others shows that these histories are 'entangled' rather than fully separate, interacting with one another while remaining distinct. This fascinating approach provides new ways to think about Jewish modernization, as well as about the construction of 'secularism' in modern France and Germany."--Lisa Moses Leff, American University.