Lecture - Everybody Expects the Spanish Inquisition? Jewish Life in Medieval Spain

Dr. Jonathan Ray, the Samuel Eig Professor of Jewish Studies in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Georgetown University, discusses how the Jews of medieval Spain represent one of the most fabled societies in all of Jewish history. To this day, the outstanding philosophers, poets, and courtiers of the age – names like Maimonides, Judah Halevi, and Isaac Abravanel – remain beloved examples of Jewish cultural achievement. At the same time, the Spanish Inquisition and the summary Expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 still rank among the most devastating events in Jewish history. The reality of daily life for medieval Jews was often far different, and perhaps far more familiar, than these legends have us believe. This talk highlights some of the key aspects of the Jewish experience in medieval Spain, focusing on the complex composition of the Jewish community and the Jews’ relationship to their Muslim and Christian neighbors. Dr. Ray provides some insights on this so-called “Golden Age” of Jewish civilization and how it relates to Spain’s Siglo de Oro that followed it.