Emancipation refers
to the granting of rights to the Jews. Prior to the late 17th century, Jews
in Western Europe lived under heavy restriction and were primarily confined
to urban ghettos. The Enlightenment brought with it a new attitude that allowed
Jews to live as free citizens. For many Jews, however, it also meant assimilation
into Western European culture, the abandonment of Jewish traditions, and even
conversion to Christianity. Perhaps the most recognized figure of the emancipation
is Moses Mendelssohn (1729-1786) who emerged from a Prussian ghetto to become
one of the leading intellectuals of modern Judaism.
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