Levi's eerste kerstfeest. Jeugdverhalen over jodenbekering, 1792-2015

Abstract

The Christians must respect the Jews, for they are God’s chosen people, and Jesus himself was a Jew. However, the Jews must be converted: They must recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Thus the essence of many children’s books on missionary work among the Jews. In this study, Ewoud Sanders investigates eighty of these stories: 13 from a Roman Catholic background, and 67 from Dutch Protestant sources. He elucidates their origin and printing history, relates them to their historical background, analyses their contemporary reception, and examines their narrative structures. Children’s stories about missionary work among the Jews are by no means a marginal phenomenon; in the 20th century several of these stories were brought out in huge editions. They were published as books, as serials in newspapers, in periodicals, in textbooks, as Christmas gifts, or as plays. Stories like these, of missionary work and conversion, are still being published today. In most of these stories the philosemitic message – ‘We cherish the Jews’ – has gone hand in hand with antisemitism. Jewish children maltreated by their parents because they want to convert, Jews spitting on the ground whenever they mention ‘filthy Christians’ or ‘filthy goyim’ – right now such stories are recommended reading for Dutch Reformed children from eleven years onward.