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Chapter 17 - The Family

from Part II - Social and Institutional History

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2018

By
Elisheva Baumgarten
Edited by
Robert Chazan
Robert Chazan
Affiliation:
New York University
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Summary

Although often taken for granted, the family was the most basic mode of organization of medieval Jewish society. This article focuses on the families that comprised the Jewish communities of Northern Europe in the High Middle Ages. The family was the primary unit within which most Jews lived and through which one received permission to reside in specific locations. It was also central in legal, economic and personal negotiations, playing an important role in the determination of marriage, education, professional choices and other opportunities. The essay discusses the role the family played in multiple areas of medieval Jewish life and points to areas for further study that will enhance our knowledge of medieval Jewish family life.
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The Cambridge History of Judaism , pp. 440 - 462
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2018

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