The History of Jewish Persecution

The History of Jewish Persecution

Every religious group has suffered a time when their religion was not considered to be popular or right. Out of all of these religious groups that have suffered, no one group has suffered so much as that of the Jewish religion. They have been exiled from almost every country that they have ever inhabited, beginning with Israel, and leading all the was up to Germany, France, Spain, England, and Russia. Not only have they been exiled but also they have suffered through torture, punishment, and murder. Thus, because of the history of the religion, the Jewish people have become a very resilient people. They have survived thousands of years carrying their religion with them from one country to the next and never loosing their faith. They have traveled form Eastern Europe, to the United States and have finally managed today to settle comfortable all over North America. The Jewish religion has suffered tremendously throughout the centuries, and unfortunately it did not become any easier for them during the twentieth century.

The Jewish people's problems began long before the Common Era; they were persecuted long ago by King Nebuchadnezzer. Because of the treaty that was signed with King Nebuchadnezzer the Jews were uprooted from their home in Jerusalem and were forced into exile in the city of Babylon. The Jews were not treated poorly, though they were bitter because of being taken away form their beloved Jerusalem. Due to this bitterness they became more intensely Jewish than ever before. (1)

After seventy years of exile the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem. Most of them gave up this option and elected to stay in Babylon. Those who stay in Babylon became ...

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...s problems in the past. Many religions would have fallen and ceased to exist under this kind of persecution. To the Jewish believer this is perhaps because they are the ‘chosen people.’ This religion continues to prove its strength and resilience even today and will continue to do so.

Works Cited

1) Fast, Howard. The Jews. The Dial Press, Inc., New York:1968.

2) Goldberg, David J. The Jewish People, A History and Their Religion. Viking, New

York: 87.

3) Kantor, Mattis. The Jewish Time Line Encyclopedia. Jason Aronson Inc., New

Jersey: 1992.

4) Perry, Marvin. Western Civilization A Brief History (third edition). Houghton

Mifflin Company, New York: 1997.

5) Perry, Marvin. Peden, Joseph R. Von Laue, Theodore H. Sources of the Western

Tradition third edition). Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston: 1995.