User:Camar111/sandbox

Some historians present a more positive view of Jewish life in Western Christendom amongst all of the violence and dysfunction. Jonathon Elukin is just one historian who does this. His article “Living Together, Living Apart” portrays peace and a sense of community among Jews and Christians. During times of persecution against the Jews, chronicles show that Christian relations provided them aid and shelter. A chronicler tells a story of a Jewish woman who is given food and shelter for two days from a gentile acquaintance during a time of violence against the Jews during Shavuot. This gentile acquaintance is believed to be Christian. Also, the chronicles show that some Christians converted to Judaism during these times. Converts even sacrificed themselves in order to show loyalty to the Jewish community. This suggests that Christians were drawn to the Jewish community. In England, many Jews worked and lived in small towns mostly made up of Christians. This shows that Jews felt comfortable living and working in places surrounded by Christians.Another example some historians use to show Jewish attachment to their place in Western Christendom is the Jewish expulsion in France. After they were expelled in 1182, they returned in 1198. This can be used as evidence to show how comfortable the Jews must’ve felt in French society. Even after multiple expulsions and persecutions, Jews still returned to their hometown. Once returning to their hometown they prospered. In spite of royal restrictions attempting to limit their success, Jews were building new synagogues and gaining wealth. This was possible through the easy transition the multiple countries provided them upon their return. All of these examples are used by some historians to shine light on a more positive relationship between the two religious groups and on the Jew's ability to prosper. These historians believe that these stories of aid, neighborliness, and prosperity are much more notable and significant than the expulsions and persecutions.