Jewish Communal Archives and the Social History of the Early Modern Kehillah

Record-keeping was a central facet of Jewish communal life in early modern Europe.

The archive that was maintained by the community can be read by historians interested in daily life and communal social history.

Using examples about communal charities and confraternities from Jewish communities in German lands, Professor Debra Kaplan will demonstrate what the archive tells us about communal leaders, administrators, and residents.

The lecture will be conducted in English