The History of the Second Jewish Commonwealth

Philadelphia: The Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning, 1933. First edition. Hardcover. vg. 8vo. xii,78pp. Brown cloth with gold lettering on spine. Gold faded. Head and tail of spine and corners slightly bumped and rubbed. Some staining and scuffing to boards. "In this book I have tried to describe the political and economic forces which operated to divide the Jewish people into two factions during the wars between Syria and Egypt, the one favoring the Ptolemies and the other the Seleucides. I have attempted to analyze the underlying forces which brought about the emergence of the Hellenistic party under the leadership of Menelaus and its policy towards the Jewish State; the revolt under Hasmonean leadership on the one hand against the Hellenistic who were committed to a policy of assimilation, and on the other hand against the Hassidim whose philosophy would ultimately have resulted in national suicide; and finally, the establishment of the Jewish State on a more democratic basis." (S. Zeitlin). Business card of author laid-in. Overall very good condition.