Jews and Money

In the West, there has always been a complicated relationship between Jews and money. In the first part of this course, we will examine, both theoretically and empirically, the complex relationship between Jews, capitalism, socialism, nationalism, and anti-Semitism. In the second part of the course, we will return to the one aspect of the “cultural capital” that is sometimes said to have helped Jews to prosper: their religious tradition. We will put these religious teachings into conversation with pressing modern questions such as: What is “wealth” and “ownership”? Do the rich and poor have obligations to each other?