Middle Chapters: Anti-semitism, Zionism, and Judaism

[Jessica]

What roles did anti-semitism, zionism, and Judaism play in Einstein's life? How were they connected? What turned him into a Zionist?

Was he religious? What did he think of Judaism? Was the anti-semitism a response to "relativism" in his work?

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Note: This discussion refers to topics through Chapter 16. Some readers of this thread may not have finished the book. If you are referring to events that occur after Chapter 16, please use "Spoiler Warning" in the subject line of your post. Thanks!

[KathyH]

These are wonderful questions to study. I've been reading through the book but feel I need to take notes, which is great! I read Niall Ferguson. With him, not only do I need to take notes and use those little flag post-its, but I need my dictionary. If I don't write words, definitions, and ideas, I won't remember them the next time they come up.

I'd also like to hear others' opinions. We're all reading the same text, but we come to it with different knowledge, experience, lives, etc.

KathyH