The First Modern Jew: Spinoza and the History of an Image

(Princeton University Press) Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza, though excommunicated by the Sephardic Jews of Amsterdam in 1656 for his beliefs, has come to be regarded as one of Judaism’s most celebrated figures. In this book, Schwartz examines the posthumous trajectory of Spinoza, analyzing how he has come to be known as “the first modern Jew.” Schwartz is an assistant professor of history at George Washington University.