Western Civilization and the Jews: A Shared History

Since October 7, the decline of our universities has become clear to all but the most partisan observers. Outbreaks of anti-Semitism have become routine. Equally ominous is the rabid hostility toward the West and the founding principles—equality, liberty, and natural rights—of the United States. Such a moment forces us to consider some basic questions about the meaning of liberal education and the study of the Western tradition. It is especially urgent for Jewish students, the primary target of anti-Western hostility on campus, to understand the value of a liberal education.

The concept of liberal education emerges in ancient Greece. Perhaps the oldest definition is found at the beginning of Plato’s dialogue, the Laws: an “education that makes one desire and passionately love to become a perfect citizen who knows how to rule and be ruled with justice.” Liberal education is essential to justice and citizenship. In the Republic, Plato examines the nature of justice, and in doing so, raises doubts about whether it can fully be realized in political life. Yet justice is central to living a good life; in particular, without justice it is impossible to reconcile what we owe to our community and what we wish for ourselves.

The focus on justice is central to the Western tradition for another important reason. The West is the product not only of the traditions that emerge in Athens, but also those that emerge in Jerusalem from the Hebrew Bible. The prophet Micah teaches that justice is the key to obeying God: “what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”