the community, it was almost impossible to join another. The notion of autonomy possibly was a result of the ghettos. Since Jews lived in these ghettos they were separate from the outside community. It was within the ghetto, which Jews were able to make and enforce their own laws and practices. However, there remained interrelations with the "outside" world, usually through the community leaders or representatives. This form of power gave Jewish leaders the ability to pursue endeavours, which they felt would benefit the Jewish community. The laws in these ghettos were based on Jewish law and were carried out by the Rabbis, spiritual leaders of the community or even recognised wise men who were elected into the position. It is important to remember that while the Jews lived in a self-governing entity, it remained within a particular framework set up by the local Christian authorities. The Torah (religion) was the common bond all Jews had; it was the Torah, which was the basis for all Jewish law. It was the Torah, which aided the Rabbis to compose the laws of the communities. Another function of the Torah was the fact that it did/does hold Jews from around the world together, regardless of borders and wealth, it is the common bond or glue of universal Judaism. The Torah, along with the Talmud (Rabbinical interpretation of Torah) are what help guide the Jewish people to practising good behaviour and good deeds, to speed up the arrival of the Messiah and the return to Eretz Yisrael. It is due to these three factors that the traditional Jewish communities of Europe were able to maintain themselves and in most cases even prosper. This segregation from Christian society pleased both cultures because there was a lack of integration, hence lack of threat. Many factors led to the change in the status of Jews, and these changes had profound effects of the religious and cultural values of traditional Jews. Both the Industrialisation and the Enligh...
