The Allied Countries and the Jews

Speaking to his New York congregation during the First World War, Rabbi H. G. Enelow connects Jewish history with the prospects of democracy. These seven short addresses, collected in 1918, consider France, England, Russia, Italy, Palestine and America before turning to the war and the future. Enelow traces changing civil rights, religious life and public attitudes, arguing that the fortunes of Jewish communities are closely tied to the growth of political freedom.

The opening address moves through French Jewish history, from early communities and medieval restrictions to citizenship during the Revolution. A later passage on Italy describes craftspeople, scholars and Hebrew printing, challenging narrow assumptions about Jewish occupations. The language retains the direct appeal of a sermon, combining historical examples with religious conviction. Readers interested in wartime public speech or Jewish civic life can follow how one American rabbi used the past to frame hopes for a more inclusive society.