The Book of Beliefs and Opinions by Saadia Gaon presents the full set of beliefs that every Jew subject to divine law must uphold. These beliefs interlock to form a coherent system of philosophical theology. The title of the book particularly caught my attention, intrigued me, and drew me toward my own theological pursuits — especially as an “unbeliever” who nonetheless approaches matters of faith with respect.

Many tend to think of post-Zionism Jerusalem as a forsaken provincial Ottoman town, entangled in a net of hatred originating in its various religions. This image coincided with the Zionist redemption vision, which sought to revive the deserted land. Lemire, studying Jerusalem of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century from within its own context – the writings of its inhabitants, documents of its governing bodies, maps, and economic reports – depicts a completely different picture. For over seventy years, members of the different religions - Jews, Christians, and Muslims - lived a life of incredible coexistence. Mutual respect and reciprocation dominated the city and its enlightened Ottoman rulers were aware of the needs of its various communities. Only the rise of nationalism and the city’s partition into quarters destabilized its unique social fabric. Vincent Lemire did not write a nostalgic document about a long-lost past, but rather illustrated an important political outlook, demonstrating that the national and religious animosity in Jerusalem is not necessarily inherent to the city.

A hundred texts by over thirty French intellectuals of the 18th century translated into Hebrew.