Social Relations

This chapter shows that although residential and economic factors brought Jews into continual contact with Christians, Jews maintained most of their social relations with other Jews. Spare time activity and social relations may have been at a premium and are among the least researched spheres of Jewish daily life, but this should not imply that Jews did not enjoy leisure activities. Many males studied in their spare time. They also occasionally gambled, drank, and traveled together. Some males joined societies that provided companionship, and in a few communities, women formed such societies as well. Usually Jews and Christians encountered each other primarily in business, but some maintained sporadic casual relations as well.