Haskalah, << hahs kah LAH, >> was a religious cultural movement that tried to modernize traditional Jewish beliefs and practices. Haskalah is the Hebrew word for enlightenment. The movement began among German and Polish Jews during the late 1700’s and gradually spread to other Jewish communities in Europe.
In western Europe, the Haskalah encouraged Jews to dress like non-Jews rather than in traditional Jewish clothing. It called for Jews to adopt the language of the country in which they lived instead of relying on Yiddish, a Jewish language. The Haskalah also urged Jews to enter such fields as agriculture, the arts, and science. The movement believed that Jews should seek a nonreligious education as well as a Jewish education. By following these goals, leaders of the movement hoped to draw Jews into the mainstream of western European culture.
The Haskalah greatly affected Jewish life. It was responsible for starting modern Hebrew literature and Jewish newspapers. The Haskalah movement helped develop a national and critical approach to the study of Judaism and its holy books. At the same time, it caused many Jews to lose their faith and seek to become totally absorbed into European society. Many attitudes of the Haskalah were adopted by the Jewish nationalist movement known as Zionism and greatly influenced the founders of the state of Israel.
