Scholars of the Mediterranean and the Mediterranean of Scholars
Elliott Horowitz
Scholars of the Mediterranean and Elliott Horowitz He only who knows many seas, begins to know ocean. In this case, as when we study mankind, it is solely by comparison that can form a general picture. At first, one sea looks us just like another, do negroes, or goats in herd. Soon, however, learn them apart . I So wrote Emil Ludwig first chapter his On Shores, which originally appeared Am Mittelmeer (1923). Some six decades later, epilogue fifth (and final) volume A Society: The Jewish Communities Arab World Portrayed Documents Cairo Geniza, S. D. Goitein recalled having been “impressed” Ludwig’s book “immediately after its appearance”1 year appearance was also Bavarian-born Goitein, then still known Fritz, completed doctorate on Muslim prayer Frankfurt under Arabist Josef Horovitz and, day Rosh Ha-Shana, left for Palestine. There he taught at Haifa’s Reali high school—the extended period life spent near Mediterranean—and three Jerusalem’s newly founded Hebrew University. 1957 Jerusalem made way across Atlantic, University Pennsylvania Philadelphia (where had 1953–54) Princeton, where affiliated with Institute Advanced Study until death 1985.2 [End Page 477] Society, shortly before reviewed these pages),3 (né Cohn, 1881–1948), well-known journalist popular biographer, treated region “as personality,” indeed memorably described there woman—with “caprices storms, longings spites, seductions undercurrents fantasies.” But likely young scholar-Zionist no less struck author’s generally (though not overly) positive account Palestine, place where, asserted, “certain faults conspicuous among European Jews have ceased be noticeable.” Breslau-born Ludwig, converted Christianity some two publication Mittelmeer, attributed change finally country “which they regard their own.” Gershom Scholem, crossed Mittlemeer together 1923 Palestine,4 mentioned letter from Jerusalem, written decade mother Berlin, praising particular comments about country’s pioneers.5 Whatever himself thought those comments, both scholars presumably agreed assertion “who ocean”—a statement epitomized enormous body scholarly work each eventually created, though developed decidedly more oceanic grasp field than other. composed own Fernand Braudel, curiously linked slim travelogue Braudel’s massive Age Philip II, French original 1949. contrast, read upon initial appearance, put off reading great controversial “the available twin paperbacks (in English) could studied away my desk”—that is, during 478] mid-1970s. dense volumes did make Goitein’s Princeton desk because were direct relevance any thousands Geniza documents dominated previous decades. Fred Astren’s wide-ranging essay our forum explores, other things, relationship between multivolume medieval Jewry eastern “total...
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