Christian and Jewish Women in Britain, 1880-1940: Living with Difference

ISBN-13: 9783319825106 / Angielski / Miękka / 2018 / 240 str.

Anne Summers

Opis

This book offers an entirely new contribution to the history of multiculturalism in Britain, 1880-1940. It shows how friendship and co-operation between Christian and Jewish women changed lives and, as the Second World War approached, actually saved them. The networks and relationships explored include the thousand-plus women from every district in Manchester who combined to send a letter of sympathy to the Frenchwoman at the heart of the Dreyfus Affair; the religious leagues for women's suffrage who initiated the first interfaith campaigning movement in British history; the collaborations, often problematic, on refugee relief in the 1930s; the close ties between the founder of Liberal Judaism in Britain, and the wife of the leader of the Labour Party, between the wealthy leader of the Zionist women's movement and a passionate socialist woman MP. A great variety of sources are thoughtfully interrogated, and concluding remarks address some of the social concerns of the present century.

Recenzje

"This book is a treat, even for those whose interests do not lie in denominational or women's history. Though it is an academic study, based on thorough archival research and a deep scholarly mastery of its subject, it is a pleasure to read. Above all, it opens up an entirely new perspective on the Jewish and Christian women who collaborated in the field of voluntary, charitable and philanthropic work between 1880 and 1940."  (Anthony Grenville, AJR Journal, ajr.org.uk, Vol. 20 (8), August, 2020)
"The existence and scope of co-operation, and the relationships that developed between the Christian and Jewish women in Anne Summers' study is an intriguing and engaging read, and sheds light on an otherwise hidden aspect of women's history. ... The research undertaken for this book is remarkable, and serves as a reminder that historians are, at heart, detectives." (Susan Cohen, Women's History Review, January, 2018)

"This book is remarkable, not only in its detailed content highlighting the involvement of women in these 'charitable collaborations' but also in enlightening readers about the detective work in carrying out such research. ...  Summers' noteworthy book remains engaging and accessible." (Diane Lukeman, Jewish Renaissance, July, 2017)

Spis treści

Introduction.- PART I: GROUP ENCOUNTERS, 1870s-1918.- 1. Women and Men in a Religious Landscape: Britain in the Late Nineteenth Century.- 2. Joint Enterprises:  ‘The co-operation of ladies who are not Christians’.- 3. ‘Dear Madame Dreyfus’.- 4. ‘Votes for Women!’.- PART II: FRIENDSHIP IN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC, 1890s-1930.- 5. ‘A dear good “god-mother” to her’: Margaret MacDonald and Lily Montagu.- 6. ‘We fell in love with each other at first sight’: Charlotte Mason and Netta Franklin.- PART III: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE, 1920s-1940s.- 7. False Start or Brave Beginning? The Society of Jews and Christians.- 8. Separatism without Separation: Rebecca Sieff, Englishwomen and Zionism.- 9. Refuge and Asylum.- Conclusion.- Coda: Rachel Bernstein goes to Surrey Lane.

O autorze

Anne Summers is Honorary Research Fellow at Birkbeck, University of London, UK. She was formerly a Curator of Modern Historical Manuscripts at the British Library. Her many publications on women’s history include Angels and Citizens: British Women as Military Nurses, 1854-1914 and Female Lives, Moral States: Women, Religion and Political Culture in Britain, 1800-1930.