Publisher Description

Thought-provoking explorations of the relationship between psychoanalysis and Judaism, which investigate themes of tradition, forgiveness, hysteria, the body, unconscious communication, religious experience, trauma, anti-Semitism, and victimization. Based on the hugely successful Jewish Thought and Psychoanalysis lecture series, it contains contributions from Eli Zaretsky, Stephen Frosh, Sander L. Gilman, Marsha Aileen Hewitt, Eran Rolnik, Ruth Calderon, and Harvey Schwartz. Freud's relationship with his Judaism – his by virtue of his self- description as a "fanatical Jew" – was framed by two of his convictions. He was centered both by his passionate cultural affiliation and by his atheism. Within these internal guideposts lay a Jewish life layered by tensions, pleasures, and identifications. His creation – psychoanalysis – has labored to honor its Jewish influences. Recent studies of these insights have contributed to the current interest in listening more carefully to the individual meanings of analysands' religious life. This lecture series was designed to introduce to the public both the similarities and the differences between the psychoanalytic and the Jewish world views. The contributors are among the thought leaders of our generation who work at the interface of the intrapsychic and religious states of mind. We learn how each has influenced the other and perhaps how each has been enriched by the other. A tour de force delving into the influence of Freud's Jewish roots on the development of psychoanalysis. AUTHOR: Dr Harvey Schwartz is a training and supervising analyst at the Psychoanalytic Association of New York (PANY) and at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia (PCOP). He currently serves as the chair of the International Psychoanalytical Association in Health committee. He is a contributor to and (co)editor of four books including Psychodynamic Concepts in General Psychiatry and Illness in the Analyst: Implications for the Treatment Relationship. He is the producer of the IPA podcast Psychoanalysis On and Off the Couch and is the founder of the Jewish Thought and Psychoanalysis lecture series website.

Author Biography

Dr Harvey Schwartz is a training and supervising analyst at the Psychoanalytic Association of New York (PANY) and at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia (PCOP). He currently serves as the chair of the International Psychoanalytical Association in Health committee. He is a contributor to and (co)editor of four books including Psychodynamic Concepts in General Psychiatry and Illness in the Analyst: Implications for the Treatment Relationship. He is the producer of the IPA podcast Psychoanalysis On and Off the Couch and is the founder of the Jewish Thought and Psychoanalysis lecture series website.

Table of Contents

AcknowledgementsAbout the editor and contributorsPrefaceCHAPTER ONE
Insight and tradition: The Enlightenment, psychoanalysis, and the Jews
Eli ZaretskyCHAPTER TWO
Forgiveness in Judaism and psychoanalysis
Stephen FroshCHAPTER THREE
Sigmund Freud, the Jewish body, and hysteria
Sander L. GilmanCHAPTER FOUR
Unconscious communication, psychoanalysis, and religious experience
Marsha Aileen HewittCHAPTER FIVE
Psychoanalysis in Israel: Trauma, anti-Semitism, and victimization
Eran RolnikCHAPTER SIX
A Talmudist and a psychoanalyst encounter a Talmud tale
Ruth Calderon and Harvey SchwartzReferencesIndex

Review

fascinating in pointing out the history of psychoanalysis, its trajectory and its strong links to Freud's Jewish identity and Jewish thought. Many of these concepts continue to influence therapeutic practice today. -- Val Simanowitz, counsellor and supervisory – Therapy Today Sept 2020
'timely and pertinent […] The dialogue between the two protagonists — one, a female talmudic scholar, the other a clinically practicing psychoanalyst — is fascinating. This final discussion also serves to complete the circle of looking at the ways in which Jewish thought and psychoanalysis have influenced and fertilized one another, and how some aspects of this union are viewed through the lens of current social issues.' -- Shmuel Erlich, The Hebrew University, 'Becoming Post-Communist: Jews and the New Political Cultures of Russia and Eastern Europe'

Review Text

"This fascinating collection analyzes aspects of Judaism and Jewish history from a perspective that is deeply informed and rich with psychoanalytic theory. The authors offer remarkably original insights about the nature of modern Jewish identity and subjectivity and also about the origins, development, and cultural significance of psychoanalytic treatment." Susannah Heschel, Eli Black Professor of Jewish Studies, Dartmouth College "This is a rewarding series of lectures with rich and expert exegesis of both Biblical Judaism and psychoanalysis, the Jew as the symbolic feminine, forgiveness, spiritual, mystical, and unconscious communication, Israel, and Judaism. Harvey Schwartz's introductions to each lecture are personal, intimate, and refreshing. The book poses many stimulating questions for the reader." Peter Loewenberg, Professor of History and Political Psychology, Emeritus, UCLA; Training and Supervising Analyst and Past Dean, New Center for Psychoanalysis, Los Angeles

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