Reconsideration of Spinoza's expulsion There has been a renewed debate in modern times about Spinoza's excommunication among Israeli politicians, rabbis and Jewish press, with many calling for the cherem to be reversed. A conference was organized at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York entitled "From Heretic to Hero: A Symposium on the Impact of Baruch Spinoza on the 350th Anniversary of His Excommunication, 1656–2006". Presenters included Steven Nadler, Jonathan I. Israel, Steven B. Smith, and Daniel B. Schwartz.Schwartz. The First Modern Jew: Spinoza and the History of an Image. Princeton: Princeton University Press 2012, xi There have been calls for Spinoza's cherem to be rescinded, but it can only be done by the congregation that issued it, and the chief rabbi of that community, Haham Pinchas Toledano, declined to do so, citing Spinoza's "preposterous ideas, where he was tearing apart the very fundamentals of our religion", the Amsterdam Jewish community organised a symposium in December 2015 to discuss lifting the cherem, inviting scholars from around the world to form an advisory committee at the meeting. However, the rabbi of the congregation ruled that it should hold, on the basis that he had no greater wisdom than his predecessors, and that Spinoza's views had not become less problematic over time.
reconsideration of spinoza's expulsion there has been a renewed debate in modern times about spinoza's excommunication among israeli politicians rabbis and jewish press with many calling for the cherem to be reversed a conference was organized at the yivo institute for jewish research in new york entitled "from heretic to hero a symposium on the impact of baruch spinoza on the 350th anniversary of his excommunication 1656–2006" presenters included steven nadler jonathan i israel steven b smith and daniel b schwartzschwartz the first modern jew spinoza and the history of an image princeton princeton university press 2012 xi there have been calls for spinoza's cherem to be rescinded but it can only be done by the congregation that issued it and the chief rabbi of that community haham pinchas toledano declined to do so citing spinoza's "preposterous ideas where he was tearing apart the very fundamentals of our religion" the amsterdam jewish community organised a symposium in december 2015 to discuss lifting the cherem inviting scholars from around the world to form an advisory committee at the meeting however the rabbi of the congregation ruled that it should hold on the basis that he had no greater wisdom than his predecessors and that spinoza's views had not become less problematic over time