Jewish Civilization: The Jewish Historical Experience in a Comparative Perspective (review)

Book Reviews 111 Jewish Civilization: TheJewish Historical Experience in a Comparative Perspective, by S. N. Eisenstadt. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1992. 314 pp. $74.50 (c); $24.50 (P). Most Jews in the United States and even in Israel give their religious tradition no sustained attention, assuming that its texts no longer speak directly to the world they inhabit. Apart from the self-described Orthodox in both lands, Jews may be aware of some of the basic structures of the religion, but they no longer have much of a sense of the concrete struggles and dilemmas that gave Jewish civilization its dimensions and shape. S. N. Eisenstadt's new book on Jewish civilization is a self-conscious attempt to produce a "usable past" for the modern educated Jew. He describes the varying historical contexts in which the classic texts and central structures ofJudaism were developed and shows how each epoch evolved not only in relation to the challenges posed by other competing cultures but also in reference to the sacred books revered and used by earlier generations. Jewish civilization is Eisenstadt's term for a system that embodies not only traditions but also a system of authority. A civilization organized around a body of sacred texts also legitimizes a particular kind of leadership. Even in the very earliest stages of the Jewish experience, the "elite groups ... were not embedded in the various ascriptive tribal or territorial units . . . [and were] major carriers of the common political, national, and religious bonds ... (p. 27). According to Eisenstadt, the ideological core of Judaism is built around several closely related ideas: monotheism, commandments, and the presumed contractual relationship between God and the Jewish people. Eisenstadt claims that Judaism's distinctiveness lies not in its customs but rather in their inscription as legal codes. And while several different kinds ofelite groups fought for exclusive authority to interpret these principles-and the interpretations could be radicallydifferent-Eisenstadt suggests that these elites pursued a common strategy with reference to a set of sacred texts, thus maintaining Judaism's integrity by offering constraints against fragmentation. In Eisenstadt's view, the maintenance ofJewish civilization has always been a project undertaken by various kinds of leaders, all of whom were influenced in one way or another by developments in their larger nonJewish contexts and by their understanding of the heritage as bestowed by previous generations. Different historical periods generated different mixtures of contemporary culture and tradition. Political and economic circumstances affected both the process of cultural exchange and its final product. In Eisenstadt's account, then, the development of Zionism as well as the emergence of religious denominations in the United States 112 SHOFAR Winter 1994 Vol. 12, No.2 constitutes continuities rather than ruptures in the elaboration ofJewish civilization. As I have noted, Eisenstadt is interested in providing a vivid and usable past, and·in many ways he has succeeded. The struggles Eisenstadt denotes as crucial to the maintenance ofJewish civilization are intellectual and depend on familiarity with a textual tradition. Eisenstadt rarely mentions faith as an ingredient sustainingJudaism. Ironically, however, his emphasis on Judaism's texts issues from a faith that there will be sufficient support for sustainingJewish literacy. When peopledisagree about primary principles, consensus on the sacredness or relevance of any text cannot be taken for granted. Moreover, in an age committed to autonomy and free discussions, the fact that elites are engaged in debates over the predicates of]ewish survival may prove insufficient to the task. Still, Eisenstadt's book is a reminder of the need to link religious principles to shrewd institutional arrangements. As Jewish leaders consider the status of the Jewish community in the United States and in Israel as well as their aspirations for the future, this is an important lesson to keep in mind. Donna Robinson Divine Department of Government Smith College Jewish Social Ethics, by David Novak. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. 252 pp. $39.95. David Novak is one of the more profound contemporary academics writing on Jewish ethics. His concern has been not only to articulate traditional Jewish ethics in terms of the Western academic discussion, but to do so in a way that makes true...