ABSTRACT
Dr. Parkes is a sane and humane scholar who has published a number of studies on the relation between Jews and Christians, not to defend one or excuse the other, but to promote real understanding. Despite his obvious and generally successful effort to be fair to all sides even when it gives the appearance of favoring the underdog, Dr. Parkes’ knowledge of Jewish history is not always sufficient to enable him to understand the Jewish position in various situations. On the whole, Dr. Parkes’ book may be safely recommended as one of the best statements of the problem of anti-Semitism in its historical setting. Mr. Lewisohn’s central idea is, of course, the unity of the Jewish people which, according to him, has a unique speech and an “eternally unique moral and spiritual nature and its own incomparable way of dealing with man and nature and God”.
