Simone Weil and Post-Holocaust Judaism

Publication Type

Journal Article

Year of Publication

1997

Author

Bell, Richard H.

Journal

Cahiers Simone Weil

Volume

20

Number

1

Pages

48-63

Language

English

Keywords

affliction (malheur)
Lévinas, Emmanuel
Holocaust
Judaism

Annotation

Bell looks, at Weil’s complex and troubling relationship with Judaism, especially in light of the Holocaust and the development of Jewish theology after it. Bell is especially interested in Weil’s argument, that being Jewish is something one can choose to ‘leave behind’. Referring to Levinas' comments on Weil, Bell acknowledges Weil's ignorance of the Torah and the errors to which her ignorance led. He goes on to examine aspects of post-Holocaust theology, noting its compatibility with much of Weil’s thought.