Anthony Blackwell HIST 239 Professor Shelford 28 February 2011 Writing Exercise: Nadler Chapters 1-3 Stephen Nadler,

in his first chapter of Rembrants Jews, provides an anthropological description of Amsterdam in the early to mid 17th Century, differentiates between the two distinct Jewish populations of the city and their relationships with the gentiles, and also recounts a history of the immigration of Jewish populations into Amsterdam due to historical factors such as inquisition and war. The second chapter focuses on different religious and cultural attitudes towards images in Holland and then on the political, intellectual, and artistic developments in the citys distinct religious populations. The third chapter paints a picture of Menasseh ben Israel, his wranglings with other Jewish leaders, and his relationship with Rembrant. The description of Amsterdam at the beginning of the book seemed out of place or inconsequential until Nadler began revealing the importance of Rembrants relationships with Menasseh and the artistic and mercantile hub of Amsterdam later in the third chapter. Also, it is not clear (after reading through the third chapter) why Nadler gives the present-day description of Amsterdam or his stories about traveling through the city. His arguments, however, follow a similar pattern. He gives background information or a short story, poses a question, gives possible answers, states that those reasons are probably not supremely valid and then synthesizes new ideas and some of the previous information to give a very convincing answer to his

questions. This sort of stream of consciousness analysis of historical problems is a very approachable and gratifying way to learn about the past, especially when thinking about a relatively small geographical area, such as Amsterdam, or a relatively small group of people, such as the Sephardim Jews in Amsterdam. Halfway through the second chapter Nadler begins to focus on Dutch identity and its relation to the study of Jewish texts and history and the conversion of Jews in Holland. As he is searching for the reasons behind the Dutch toleration of Jews, Nadler points to the Millenarian belief that the sincere conversion of the Jews by argument, not arms will have the effect of bringing about the End of Days that many Dutch theologians believed would come sometime in the mid-17th Century. On page 90, Nadler states that the study of Jewish language and text was necessary for Christians to have a complete grasp of the Bible. But he discredits these rationale because most members of the Dutch Reformed Church were not conversionist millenarians. This leads into the battle history of Dutch soldiers fending off the Spaniards in a manner allegorically similar to that of Moses leading the Israelites from the Egyptians through the Red Sea. Afterwards, he notes that the Dutch consequently believed that they were the population in Gods favor, likening them to the Jews. It is here that the Dutch affinity of being the current chosen people of God brings to mind many other historical accounts of different nations interpreting their military victories as divine intervention. Divine right of kings is the belief that God has ordained those in power, and this belief was common in England, Scotland and France soon after the Protestant Reformation. To this day many Americans believe that their nation has been chosen by God to be the shining city on a hill. This belief has and still does influence Americas foreign policy and serves as a prism

through which many evangelical Christians interpret the events of the world. There is the belief that current events in the Middle East and at home are a sign of the End of Days. These first few chapters enlighten the reader to the Jewish situation in Amsterdam. They also serve to explain the unique relationship and toleration between Christians and Jews in Holland during the 17th Century. Rembrant was original in his artistic portrayal of Jews as human and this reflected the Dutch Christian toleration of Jews in Holland at a time when Jews were not allowed to practice their religion in much of Europe.

I pledge that this is my own work and that I have not misrepresented anyone elses work as my own. Anthony Blackwell