But Were They Good for the Jews?: Over 150 Historical Figures Viewed from a Jewish Perspective. This item is unavailable.But Were They Good for the Jews?: Over 150 Historical Figures Viewed from a Jewish Perspective

A rare cultural reference offers an analysis of historical figures--such as Oliver Cromwell, William Shakespeare, Napoleon, Richard Nixon, Voltaire, John Locke and others--based on how their actions and decisions affected the Jewish population.

The history most of us remember and were taught in school is usually from the viewpoint of the conquerors. Rosenberg, a former history teacher in New York's public schools, has selected many of the leading non-Jewish personalities and he questions their conventional wisdom appraisal with the folk question, "But were they good for the Jews?" Some of these are quite interesting mixed cases, such as Nixon's anti-Semitism and his actions in defense of Israel. Using a variety of secondary literature, Rosenberg has created a very readable record of the philo-Semitic or more commonly anti-Semitic acts and writings of history's most notable. These include leaders from Antiochus IV to President Clinton, along with select cultural figures, including Wagner, Tolstoy, and others. This may become popular reading because of Rosenberg's conversational writing style, but more serious readers might be encouraged to examine biographical entries in the Encyclopaedia Judaica or more detailed monographs.?Andrew B. Wertheimer, Univ. of Wisconsin Lib., Madison
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