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The True Story of Jews & Freemasons

Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
Probably a good read!

"In the 1600s and 1700s, Jews weren’t allowed to be citizens; they were prohibited from certain occupations; they were pushed into ghettos. And yet, one institution existed that from its very beginning welcomed them. We take this for granted now but back then the idea of people of different religions working together—the fundamental principle of Freemasonry—was uncommon and revolutionary."

http://momentmag.com/Exclusive/2010/2010-02/201002-Freemasons.html
 

JohnXRV

Registered User
Here in Europe and England the persecution of the Jewish community is well known in our recorded history. In York I recall the Jews being run out of the city in the Middle Ages (1300 to 1500)

In the Freemason's Guide & Companion I am reading there is a very early reference to a Jew being initiated soon into the start of recorded speculative masonry
 

JohnXRV

Registered User
That's sad.

Well it's pretty common here in European history.

Firstly from a religious perspective they were seen as the killers of Christ.

From an economic perspective they were the money lenders and therefore envied and reviled e.g. Shylock in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" and another play of the same period call The Jew IIRC. What better way to clear your debt with them than denounce them and have your citizens ransack their homes and drive them out.

From York UK in the Middle Ages through Nazi Germany and Stalin's Russia they have suffered centuries possibly a millennium of persecution in Europe.
 

MasonicHermit

Registered User
Well it's pretty common here in European history.

Firstly from a religious perspective they were seen as the killers of Christ.

From an economic perspective they were the money lenders and therefore envied and reviled e.g. Shylock in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" and another play of the same period call The Jew IIRC. What better way to clear your debt with them than denounce them and have your citizens ransack their homes and drive them out.

From York UK in the Middle Ages through Nazi Germany and Stalin's Russia they have suffered centuries possibly a millennium of persecution in Europe.
Wow!!..... I'm no fan of Jesus ( as is my religious right in this country). But I couldn't hurt anyone else for what they believe, and that includes the Jews. I can't imagine what they had to go through.



Sent from my LG-M153 using My Freemasonry mobile app
 

Keith C

Registered User
From an economic perspective they were the money lenders and therefore envied and reviled ...What better way to clear your debt with them than denounce them and have your citizens ransack their homes and drive them out.

Similar to the fate of the Knights Templar.

...through Nazi Germany and Stalin's Russia...

And Freemasons were included in their persecutions.

As Symbolic Lodge ritual is framed in the Old Testament world, I think it natural that Jews would be accepted and embraced. We re-enact their stories in our Rituals.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Firstly from a religious perspective they were seen as the killers of Christ.
A theory I’ve never understood... the Romans killed Jesus. Yes, the Jewish leaders towed the line but that was fairly common in Roman-held territory. Obey or die doesn’t leave many options.
 

Lightlife

Site Benefactor
Premium Member
I rather think that prior to 1717 many Masons were active Kabbalists - the Kabbalah providing many of the spiritual skills required for Masonic Science. Learning the Kabbalah was perhaps easiest within Jewish traditions.

There is a reason that the leader of a SR valley is The Master of Kadosh. The SR was heavily Kabbalistic until recent years when the ritual was modified.
 

Elexir

Registered User
I rather think that prior to 1717 many Masons were active Kabbalists - the Kabbalah providing many of the spiritual skills required for Masonic Science. Learning the Kabbalah was perhaps easiest within Jewish traditions.

Not just prior to 1717, lets remember that the third degree is younger. There have always been kabbalistic influences in freemasonry.
 
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