Jewish Universalisms

“Though they accused us of globalizing, our ambitions were universalizing—not only the turning of the Jew into the human but also the turning of the human into the Jew. Fogel—philosopher, poet, secular gaon—relates and interprets this tradition with lucid and thoroughgoing passion.” -- Joshua Cohen, author of The Netanyahus, winner of Pulitzer Prize and the National Jewish Book Award “Examining the works of two highly influential, modern Jewish philosophers, Fogel guides us through a deep understanding of the universal teachings Judaism and the particular Jewish way of life have to offer. Mendelssohn’s and Cohen’s thought are driven in very distinct ways by the idea of a just political order for all of humanity. The thought-provoking, comparative inquiry is brilliantly written and a pleasure to read.” -- Grit Schorch “Not being one of admirers of the Jewish Enlightenment, I still adore the achievement of Fogel’s Jewish Universalisms. This excellent and engaging study of an absolutely urgent quest is likely to draw much scholarly and public attention.” -- Yitzhak Y. Melamed, Johns Hopkins University “Fogel has written a book that is philosophically insightful, thought-provoking, and enjoyable to read. His analysis shows us that ‘universalism’ need not be understood in only one way, and that new and different types of universalisms have been and can be possible. He thus provides us with fruitful resources for challenging the ethical problems that stem both from colonialist forms of universalism and from the abandonment of efforts at thinking universally.” -- Daniel H. Weiss, University of Cambridge