The Economic History of European Jews—Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages

Toch (medieval history, Hebrew U. of Jerusalem) presents a fascinating study of medieval Jewish economic history, though it is a bit more ambitious than just economic history. He focuses on the distribution and livelihood of Jews living in Europe between the 5th and 12th centuries, considering occupational pursuits, family forms, financial institutions, ownership schemes, and cultural pressures to associate in certain ways. The text is organized into two parts, the first dealing with distribution and economic characteristics, the latter drawing more pointed conclusions about economic functions and significance. Toch avails himself of both archaeological findings and historical records about Jews in Byzantium, Italy, Gaul, the Iberian Peninsula, and Eastern Europe. He considers ahistorical assumptions about Jewish economic activity, including their role in international trade, their relationship to money and credit institutions in Europe, and types of craft and enterprise. In a final chapter he also considers gender roles in the cottage industries and the division of labor. The work includes several maps indicating Jewish settlements across Europe and when they were active. Annotation c2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Michael Toch, Ph.D. (1978, Erlangen University), is Professor of Medieval History at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has published monographs, source editions and many articles on the German urban classes, the German and European peasantry, and German and European Jews.