Washington, Shakespeare and the Jews

In this episode, we cover a lot of ground with our guest and true Renaissance woman, Sarah Skwire. We originally invited Sarah to discuss an article she wrote about the significance of George Washington's letter to the Hebrew congregation in Newport, Rhode Island. During that portion of the discussion, we explore the letter’s historical context, Washington’s deft usage of language in the letter, Rhode Island’s unique role in religious toleration in America, and the impact of this letter on Jewish communities in the country. However, as Sarah has a PhD in English Literature and expertise in Shakspeare, I would have been remiss if I hadn’t asked her the question on the tip of everyone’s tongue…was The Bard anti-Semitic? The last piece of Sarah’s deep well of knowledge we examine is her love of free-market economics, specifically Adam Smith's philosophy and economic theories. As you can see, this was a wide-ranging conversation, and I suspect only the first with Sarah. We hope you enjoy it! Links from our discussion: Truro Synagogue Sarah's article on Washington’s letter In Praise of Sauntering Adam Smith Works Tikvah Online