L'attitude envers les prosélytes en Allemagne et en France du XI^e au XIII^e siècle

How did the Jewish communities in medieval Europe relate to the converts who joined them? Were they perceived as part of the community, or, in spite of their formal conversion, did these converts remain a separate group within the community they had joined? Based on examination of a number of sources, I will argue that a major change occurred in the second half of the twelfth century and the beginning of the thirteenth century. While converts in the eleventh century formed a distinct group which suffered discrimination within their new community, during later periods, very few chose to join the Jewish communities, and these became integral parts of the community and sometimes even its culture heroes. This article centers upon the facts demonstrating this process and an attempt to explain it.