The Expulsion of the Jews from the Masonic Brotherhood Temple during the Enlightenment

This article intends to provide impetus to research concerning the history of relations between Freemasonry and Judaism during the 18^th century. This subject is all the more worthy because it calls into question one of the fundamental beliefs of Freemasonry, duly mentioned in its normative texts: the Christian identity of Freemasonry, the gradual identification of the Masonic Cosmos with Christianity as well as the emergence of ecumenical projects aiming to reunite within the Brotherhood Temple those who had been separated by the process of denominationalism in Europe. In Western Europe, Freemason practices always had links with the secular and religious environment. Whereas in England and in the United Provinces, Freemasonry had always accepted wealthy members of the Jewish community as members, in France and Germany, even the most assimilated and enlightened of Jews – such as the ‘notables’ of Bordeaux or the Berlin champion of Emancipation, Moses Mendelssohn – were not allowed to join the lodges. In those countries, Freemasonry believed that a brother could only be a fellow Gentile or a completely assimilated Jew. If someone differed too much from the cultural norm, he was to be kept on the fringes of the Brotherhood. All in all, Freemasonry was not more tolerant than the secular population was towards the Jews who incarnated the absolute ‘Other.’ In fact, Freemasonry was even more vigilant in keeping Jews at bay.