Versions of Conversion to Judaism in Germany after 1945: An Exploration of the Impacts on and Contributions to Jewish Communities, Families, and the Sociopolitical Sphere through the Lens of Critical Heritage Studies (CHS)
Author(s)
Publication Name
Publication Date
Abstract
Historically, conversion from Judaism to Christianity was often perceived as a means of overcoming marginality in many spheres of life. This general pattern persisted until the post-1945 period; Germany is no exception to this historical trajectory. However, conversion to Judaism remains both a contentious and an underexplored subject. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, I argue that conversion should be understood not solely in terms of religious transformation; social and “adjunct” forms of conversion must also be taken into account. I approach these forms through the lens of Critical Heritage Studies (CHS), given that conversion affects the lived and living religious as well as vernacular practices of Judaism. Conversion thus constitutes a “social event,” carrying meanings and implications for the community as a whole, even when it does not conform to the parameters of religious conversion.
Topics
Conversion Jewish Identity Main Topic: Identity and Community Post-War Jewish History Ethnography Jewish Heritage Jewish Community
Genre
Geographic Coverage
Original Language
Volume/Issue
19(3)
Page Number / Article Number
315–339
Related
Versionen der Konversion zum Judentum in Deutschland nach 1945 (Other language version)
DOI
Link
Link to article (paywalled), Versions of Conversion to Judaism in Germany after 1945: An Exploration of the Impacts on and Contributions to Jewish Communities, Families, and the Sociopolitical Sphere through the Lens of Critical Heritage Studies (CHS)
Bibliographic Information
Versions of Conversion to Judaism in Germany after 1945: An Exploration of the Impacts on and Contributions to Jewish Communities, Families, and the Sociopolitical Sphere through the Lens of Critical Heritage Studies (CHS). 2026: 315–339. https://archive.jpr.org.uk/10.1163/18748929-bja10158
