In 1347 CE the Black Death--known as the Black Plague--struck Europe. It swept across the continent, eventually killing more than twenty million people--one third of the population. The Plague was terrifyingly virulent as described by the poet Giovanni Boccaccio: "People who were perfectly healthy when they went to bed at night could be dead by morning." As gloom and doom spread, and the death rate soared, a rumor erupted that Jews were responsible for the disease. This accusation was not far removed from other bizarre accusations, including the charge that Jews performed ritual killings of Christians. In the case of the Black Plague, "what else," the accusers argued, could explain why Jews...
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