Moses Montefiore: Jewish Liberator, Imperial Hero“A rich gift to history—and not just Jewish history—for its account not just of what Moses Montefiore did or did not do, but also of what he was.” —New Republic Humanitarian, philanthropist, and campaigner for Jewish emancipation on a grand scale, Sir Moses Montefiore (1784–1885) was the preeminent Jewish figure of the nineteenth century. His story, told here in full for the first time, is a remarkable and illuminating tale of diplomacy and adventure. Abigail Green’s sweeping biography follows Montefiore through the realms of court and ghetto, tsar and sultan, synagogue and stock exchange. Interweaving the public triumph of Montefiore’s foreign missions with the private tragedy of his childless marriage, this book brings the diversity of nineteenth-century Jewry brilliantly to life. Here we see the origins of Zionism and the rise of international Jewish consciousness, the faltering birth of international human rights, and the making of the modern Middle East. Mining materials from eleven countries in nine languages, Green’s masterly biography bridges the East-West divide in modern Jewish history, presenting the transformation of Jewish life in Europe, the Middle East, and the New World as part of a single global phenomenon. As it reestablishes Montefiore’s status as a major historical player, it also restores a significant chapter to the history of our modern world. “A masterpiece of scholarship and historical imagination.” —Niall Ferguson, New York Times bestselling author of The Square and the Tower “Entertaining.” —The Economist “A perceptive, solidly researched biography with expressive period illustrations attesting to Montefiore's global celebrity.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Deeply impressive. . . . One of the essential works on modern Jewish history.” —Tablet Magazine “Fair and illuminating.” —The Wall Street Journal |
Contents
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| 1549 | |
| 1550 | |
| 1555 | |
| 1565 | |
A World beyond Business | 1577 |
The Road to Jerusalem | 1589 |
Rise Sir Moses | 1605 |
Grief and Sore Troubles | 1730 |
Mission to Marrakesh | 1741 |
Building Jerusalem | 1754 |
Crisis in Romania | 1765 |
Fading Glory | 1777 |
The Final Pilgrimage | 1790 |
End of an | 1805 |
Conclusion | 1817 |
The Land of Milk and Honey | 1622 |
The Damascus Affair | 1635 |
Unity and Dissent | 1651 |
Winds of Change in Russia | 1661 |
Trial and Error | 1677 |
The Crimean War and After | 1696 |
The Mortara Affair | 1717 |
Appendix A BarentCohen Family Tree Showing Judiths Cohen and Rothschild Relatives | 1820 |
Appendix B Montefiore Family Tree | 1821 |
Notes | 1822 |
Archives Consulted | 1874 |
Index | 1875 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abraham Adolphe Crémieux Alexandria Alliance Israélite Anglo-Jewish appeal April Archives Ashkenazi BDMB blood libel Board of Deputies brethren Britain British brother Catholic century chap charity Christian City civil Committee Congregation consul Crémieux Damascus Affair David diary East Edgardo Mortara Egypt England English Europe European Evangelical Finn folder fols foreign France French Goldsmid Guedalla Hamagid Hebrew Hodgkin Holy Land humanitarian ibid Israel Jaffa Jerusalem Jewish Chronicle Jewish community Jewish emancipation Jewry Jews JMTD Joseph journey Judith July June LDMS letter living Livorno Loewe London Lord Mehmed mission Mocatta Montefiore's Moroccan Morocco Mortara Muslim Nathan nation Ottoman Empire Oxford Palestine Palmerston Pasha political protection Rabbi Ramsgate Reform Relief Fund religious Romanian Rothschild Russia Russian Salomons Sephardi Sept Sir Moses Montefiore society sultan synagogue Syria Torah traditional Victorian Vilna wrote Zionism