ABSTRACT
That the great majority of German Jews—around three-quarters of them—were liberals hardly comes as a surprise, particularly in the light of their economic, social, and political relationships. Too much has been made of German liberalism's reluctance to reciprocate with "liberal" attitudes toward the Jews. The partial secularization of the liberal Jews' self-identity opened the way to their dalliance with notions of race. For most liberal Jews, religion and tradition constituted the Jewish component of their being. Jewish liberals sought to honor both commitments. Several of the Jewish communities distinguished themselves by placing their welfare facilities at the refugees' disposal and especially by providing them with temporary food, shelter, and advice. Far from viewing their stand against Eastern Jewish influence as a betrayal of liberalism, Jewish liberals regarded themselves as defenders of their best ideals against narrow-spirited Jewish nationalism. Liberal attitudes of tolerance and mutual respect were growing even among those opposed to Liberal Judaism.
