Haskalah Movement

The Haskalah, or Jewish Enlightenment, was an intellectual movement in the 18th-19th centuries aimed at modernizing Jewish life and thought. It encouraged secular education, engagement with European culture, and the adoption of rational, scientific approaches while maintaining Jewish identity. The movement sought to integrate Jews into broader society, reduce traditional insularity, and promote critical thinking. It influenced Jewish communities across Eastern Europe and beyond, leading to cultural, educational, and societal reforms, and played a significant role in shaping modern Jewish identity and in the development of Jewish nationalism and reform movements.