Benjamin Disraeli
Twice elected prime minister of Britain, Benjamin Disraeli initially turned to writing in an effort to repay his debts; his early works were fashionable “silver-fork novels” depicting an aristocratic lifestyle he had yet to attain. When he entered politics, he soon became a prominent member of the emerging Conservative Party and was elected prime minister of Britain in 1868. The only person of Jewish birth to have held this office (he converted to Christianity at age twelve), Disraeli wrote throughout his life, often romances that reflected on political issues and the relationship between Christianity and Judaism.
Entries in the Posen Library by This Creator
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Vivian Grey
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The Wondrous Tale of Alroy
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Utilitarian Follies
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Political Life and Thought, 1750–1880
Jews debated all sides of the major political issues of their day. Some welcomed the idea of equality, whereas others feared the loss of their religious-institutional distinctiveness.