Papers by Nureet Dermer
Medieval Encounters, Dec 22, 2021
An unpublished document from late thirteenth-century Paris contains evidence of a Jewish-Christia... more An unpublished document from late thirteenth-century Paris contains evidence of a Jewish-Christian public confrontation, on the one hand, and of Jewish-Christian economic criminal collaboration on the other. Using methods of micro-history, this article traces the story of Merot the Jew and his father-in-law, Benoait of St. Denis, who were caught attempting to smuggle merchandise by way of the River Seine. Their story is told in a verdict handed down by the parloir de Paris, the municipal judicial authority in charge of economic infractions. The parloir decreed the complete confiscation of Merot and Benoait's merchandise on the grounds that "they were foreigners." Taking this terminology as a point of departure, this paper tackles broader socioeconomic aspects of belonging and foreignness among medieval Parisian Jews, and asks: in what ways were Jews considered "foreigners" in late thirteenth-century Paris? What were the implications of such a designation, and how did these perceptions change in the years leading up to the expulsion of 1306?
Medieval Encounters
An unpublished document from late thirteenth-century Paris contains evidence of a Jewish-Christia... more An unpublished document from late thirteenth-century Paris contains evidence of a Jewish-Christian public confrontation, on the one hand, and of Jewish-Christian economic criminal collaboration on the other. Using methods of micro-history, this article traces the story of Merot the Jew and his father-in-law, Benoait of St. Denis, who were caught attempting to smuggle merchandise by way of the River Seine. Their story is told in a verdict handed down by the parloir de Paris, the municipal judicial authority in charge of economic infractions. The parloir decreed the complete confiscation of Merot and Benoait’s merchandise on the grounds that “they were foreigners.” Taking this terminology as a point of departure, this paper tackles broader socio-economic aspects of belonging and foreignness among medieval Parisian Jews, and asks: in what ways were Jews considered “foreigners” in late thirteenth-century Paris? What were the implications of such a designation, and how did these perceptions change in the years
leading up to the expulsion of 1306?..
For more information and to learn about upcoming events visit our website: https://beyond-the-eli... more For more information and to learn about upcoming events visit our website: https://beyond-the-elite.huji.ac.il/
Talks by Nureet Dermer
Link to a lecture series: "Plagues in Historical Perspective: The Jews and The Black Death". The ... more Link to a lecture series: "Plagues in Historical Perspective: The Jews and The Black Death". The current COVID-19 pandemic recalls past epidemics, and most vividly the plague known as the Black Death in medieval Europe (1348-1350). Then, like today, the outbreak of disease had social, financial and cultural implications alongside medical ones. For Jews in medieval Europe, the Black Death was a moment of persecution and expulsion, one in which existing local and religious tensions played out in a variety of ways.
This four-part mini-series features the work of the “Beyond the Elite: Jewish Daily Life in Medieval Europe” project of the Hebrew University, providing historical context and insight to current events
Other by Nureet Dermer
This conference is set to take place in person, but we will remain attentive to current circumsta... more This conference is set to take place in person, but we will remain attentive to current circumstances and open to hosting this event virtually. The final decision will be made two weeks prior to the conference.
In and Out, Between and Beyond: Jewish Daily Life in Medieval Europe
The exhibition In and Out, B... more In and Out, Between and Beyond: Jewish Daily Life in Medieval Europe
The exhibition In and Out, Between and Beyond: Jewish Daily Life in
Medieval Europe is among the final fruits of the European Research Council research group Beyond the Elite: Jewish Daily Life in Medieval Europe, headed by Prof. Elisheva Baumgarten that studies daily life in the Jewish communities of medieval Ashkenaz. The team has worked to construct a history which includes those who were not part of the learned elite alongside those who were learned, about whom we know more. Rather than spotlighting the dramatic events of this period, we have trained our sights on its everyday moments. In addition, we have investigated a complex historical reality: the integration of Ashkenazic Jews within their Christian surroundings, alongside their maintenance of a distinct religious identity.
Reflecting its textual origins, the exhibition is comprised of sixteen units, at the heart of each of which stands a primary source from a particular literary genre. The curator, Dr. Ido Noy, orchestrated a fruitful exchange between the research team and seven Israeli artists, who then produced contemporary expressions of the historic ideas under discussion. The display includes several installations based on medieval artifacts, as well as original works created especially for the exhibition by contemporary artists. Rather than being constructed along a specific linear narrative, the space is divided by pillars into three distinct spaces, reflecting our three guiding themes: In and Out, Between and Beyond. Visitors may begin by reading the historical sources and continue by viewing the objects, or vice versa. We envision viewers making their own way among the displays at the exhibition and experiencing these connections between past and present.
Edited Books by Nureet Dermer
Jewish Daily Life in Medieval Northern Europe 1080-1350: A Sourcebook, 2022
Designed to introduce students to the everyday lives of the Jews who lived in the German Empire, ... more Designed to introduce students to the everyday lives of the Jews who lived in the German Empire, northern France, and England from the 11th to the mid-14th centuries, the volume consists of translations of primary sources written by or about medieval Jews. Each source is accompanied by an introduction that provides historical context. Through the sources, students can become familiar with the spaces that Jews frequented, their daily practices and rituals, and their thinking. The subject matter ranges from culinary preferences and even details of sexual lives, to garments, objects, and communal buildings. The documents testify to how Jews enacted their Sabbath and holidays, celebrated their weddings, births and other lifecycle events, and mourned their dead. Some of the sources focus on the relationships they had with their Christian neighbors, the local authorities, and the Church, while others shed light on their economic activities and professions.
With introduction by Tzafrir Barzilay, Eyal Levinson and Elisheva Baumgarten. Entries by the editors and also by Neta Bodner, Adi Namia-Cohen, Nureet Dermer, Aviya Doron, Miri Fenton, Etelle Kalaora, Albert Kohn, Andreas Lehnertz, Hannah Teddy Schachter, Amit Shafran.
Medieval Encounters, 2021
Conferences by Nureet Dermer
Considering Jewish Expulsions in the Middle Ages, 2024
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Papers by Nureet Dermer
leading up to the expulsion of 1306?..
Talks by Nureet Dermer
This four-part mini-series features the work of the “Beyond the Elite: Jewish Daily Life in Medieval Europe” project of the Hebrew University, providing historical context and insight to current events
Other by Nureet Dermer
The exhibition In and Out, Between and Beyond: Jewish Daily Life in
Medieval Europe is among the final fruits of the European Research Council research group Beyond the Elite: Jewish Daily Life in Medieval Europe, headed by Prof. Elisheva Baumgarten that studies daily life in the Jewish communities of medieval Ashkenaz. The team has worked to construct a history which includes those who were not part of the learned elite alongside those who were learned, about whom we know more. Rather than spotlighting the dramatic events of this period, we have trained our sights on its everyday moments. In addition, we have investigated a complex historical reality: the integration of Ashkenazic Jews within their Christian surroundings, alongside their maintenance of a distinct religious identity.
Reflecting its textual origins, the exhibition is comprised of sixteen units, at the heart of each of which stands a primary source from a particular literary genre. The curator, Dr. Ido Noy, orchestrated a fruitful exchange between the research team and seven Israeli artists, who then produced contemporary expressions of the historic ideas under discussion. The display includes several installations based on medieval artifacts, as well as original works created especially for the exhibition by contemporary artists. Rather than being constructed along a specific linear narrative, the space is divided by pillars into three distinct spaces, reflecting our three guiding themes: In and Out, Between and Beyond. Visitors may begin by reading the historical sources and continue by viewing the objects, or vice versa. We envision viewers making their own way among the displays at the exhibition and experiencing these connections between past and present.
Edited Books by Nureet Dermer
With introduction by Tzafrir Barzilay, Eyal Levinson and Elisheva Baumgarten. Entries by the editors and also by Neta Bodner, Adi Namia-Cohen, Nureet Dermer, Aviya Doron, Miri Fenton, Etelle Kalaora, Albert Kohn, Andreas Lehnertz, Hannah Teddy Schachter, Amit Shafran.
Conferences by Nureet Dermer
leading up to the expulsion of 1306?..
This four-part mini-series features the work of the “Beyond the Elite: Jewish Daily Life in Medieval Europe” project of the Hebrew University, providing historical context and insight to current events
The exhibition In and Out, Between and Beyond: Jewish Daily Life in
Medieval Europe is among the final fruits of the European Research Council research group Beyond the Elite: Jewish Daily Life in Medieval Europe, headed by Prof. Elisheva Baumgarten that studies daily life in the Jewish communities of medieval Ashkenaz. The team has worked to construct a history which includes those who were not part of the learned elite alongside those who were learned, about whom we know more. Rather than spotlighting the dramatic events of this period, we have trained our sights on its everyday moments. In addition, we have investigated a complex historical reality: the integration of Ashkenazic Jews within their Christian surroundings, alongside their maintenance of a distinct religious identity.
Reflecting its textual origins, the exhibition is comprised of sixteen units, at the heart of each of which stands a primary source from a particular literary genre. The curator, Dr. Ido Noy, orchestrated a fruitful exchange between the research team and seven Israeli artists, who then produced contemporary expressions of the historic ideas under discussion. The display includes several installations based on medieval artifacts, as well as original works created especially for the exhibition by contemporary artists. Rather than being constructed along a specific linear narrative, the space is divided by pillars into three distinct spaces, reflecting our three guiding themes: In and Out, Between and Beyond. Visitors may begin by reading the historical sources and continue by viewing the objects, or vice versa. We envision viewers making their own way among the displays at the exhibition and experiencing these connections between past and present.
With introduction by Tzafrir Barzilay, Eyal Levinson and Elisheva Baumgarten. Entries by the editors and also by Neta Bodner, Adi Namia-Cohen, Nureet Dermer, Aviya Doron, Miri Fenton, Etelle Kalaora, Albert Kohn, Andreas Lehnertz, Hannah Teddy Schachter, Amit Shafran.