ABSTRACT
Polemical attacks against Judaism and attitudes towards the Jews have always played a role in shaping the confessional identity of the Catholic Church. This chapter outlines some of the expressions of eighteenth-century Polish Catholic identity as reflected in different attitudes towards Jews and Judaism. Around a half of all Jews lived within the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth during the eighteenth century. From participation in the Northern War to the partitions of the state, eighteenth-century Poland was characterized by the decentralization and deterioration of the state apparatus and by the growing involvement of foreign powers in Polish affairs. Within reform projects in eighteenth-century Poland, there were therefore concerted efforts to change the social position of Jewry. During the eighteenth century considerable changes took place in the approach taken by some Polish clergy towards Jews. The most important institution which eventually gathered together many of the more enlightened Polish clergy was the Commission for National Education established in July 1773.
