Weil's anti-Judaism

Weil's writings on Judaism are the focus of this work by Rochelle Millen

Millen, Rochelle L. "Simone Weil: A French Jewish Intellectual Journey in the 1930s and 1940s." Different Horrors / Same Hell: Gender and the Holocaust. Eds. Goldenberg, Myrna and Amy Shapiro. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 2013. 59-78

Other works that I have collected on Weil and Judaism include:


Calvert, Timothy John. "Simone Weil: Patron Saint of Outsiders." New Blackfriars 81.951 (2000): 177-83.

Canciani, Domenico. "Simone Weil Antigiudea?" Un Granello Di Senape: Attualità Di Simone Weil. Eds. De Perini, Alessandra, Nadia Lucchesi and Gianni Manziega. Supplement Di Esodo. Venezia: Esodo, 2009. 64-69.

---. Simone Weil: Le Courage De Penser. Bibliothèque Beauchesne. Religions Sociétés Politique. Paris: Beuchesne, 2011.   Includes a preface by Robert Chenavier p. 5-16 and  Postface - "Simone  Weil telle que je l'image" by Daniel Lindenberg 435-457

Chavarria, Adriá. "Simone Weil y el Judaísmo." Simone Weil, La Conciencia Del Dolor y de  la Belleza. Ed. Bea Pérez, Emilia. Colección Estructuras Y Procesos . Serie Filosofía. Madrid: Trotta, 2010. 95-107.

Chenavier, Robert. "Simone Weil, Issue De La Judéité Ou Assignée À La Judéité? : Avec Quelques Remarques Au Sujet De Hannah Arendt." Judaica 64.4 (2008): 303-32.

---. "Simone Weil, ''La Haine Juive De Soi?''  Historical Reflections-Reflexions Historiques 23.1 (1997): 73-103.

---. "Simone Weil, Un Cas De Femme Philosophe Qui Refuse Sa Judeite." Les Femmes Dans La Shoah. Ed. Dray-Bensousan, Renée. Cahiers d'Ares. France: Association pour la recherche et l'enseignement de la Shoah, 2005. 64-89.

Courtine-Denamy, Sylvie. "Rejet Identitaire et Quête de «Spiritualité» : Raïssa Maritain, Edith Stein, Simone Weil " L’europe et les Juifs Eds. Benbassa, Esther and Pierre  Gisel. Genève: Labor et Fides, 2002. 141-65.

Di Porto, Bruno. "Simone e l’ebraismo:la radice disconosciuta." Testimonianze 468-469 (2010): 112-21.

Emery, Mark Thomas. "The Embers of Antiquity: The Wartime Political Philosophy of Simone Weil." Diss. Yale University, 2000.

Forni Rosa, Guglielmo. "Judaisme et Christianisme: L'essai d'une Nouvelle Christologie." Cahiers Simone Weil 18.3 (1995): 241-56.
François, Anne M. "Simone Weil: Ambivalence in Search of God." French  Women Authors: The Significance of the Spiritual (1400-2000). Eds. Haskett, Kelsey L. and Holly Faith Nelson. Newark, Del.: University of Delaware Press, 2013. 131-47.

Gabellieri, Emmanuel. "Simone Weil between Paganism  and the Bible : A Hermeneutic Dialogue with Ricoeur, Levinas, Schelling and Pascal." Trans. Blundell, Boyd S. Between the Human and the Divine : Philosophical and Theological Hermeneutics. Ed. Wierciński, Andrzej  Hermeneutic Series. Toronto: The Hermeneutic Press, 2002. 456-70.   This chapter provides an in-depth and well-informed discussion of Weil’s anti Judaism especially in relation to her desire to connect pagan traditions to Christianity.  It begins with a brief reflection on some of Ricoeur’s comments about Weil, then goes on to consider the attitude towards Jewish Scripture in the modern European philosophical tradition, and the impact of this tradition on Weil’s thought.  Gabelleri turns to looks at Weil’s reading of Durkheim and its influence on the development of her understanding of the Jewish tradition particularly in light of her literal reading of the Jewish scripture.  He then goes on to evaluate Levinas’s critique of Weil followed by a comparison of Weil’s thoughts on the relationship between paganism, Jewish and Christian thought to that of Schelling and Pascal. Gabellieri concludes his discussion by raising some provocative questions for a further investigation of Weil’s thought on these subjects

---. ""Simone Weil Contre La Bibel"?" Mythe et Philosophie : Les Traditions Bibliques. Eds. Berner, Christian and Jean J. Wunenburger. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 2002. 33-51.

---. "Simone Weil entre le paganisme et la Bible: Un Dialogue Herméneutique Avec Ricoeur, Lévinas, Schelling et Pascal." Cahiers Simone Weil 26.1 (2003): 27-49.

Goldschläger, Alain, and Jacques Charles Lemaire. "Simone Weil et le Sabbat " L'imaginaire Juif. Liège: Université de Liège, 2007. 171-89.

González, Alejandra Adela. Simone Weil y  Étienne de La Boétie : Ensayos sobre el deseo de libertad y la voluntad de servidumbre. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Ediciones del Signo, 2011.

Hirsch, Yaël "Réflexions sur la conversion juive : les implications politiques et sociales du transfert identitaire dans la première moitié du 20e siècle en Europe." PhD Thesis. Institut d'études politiques. 2009.

Kaplan, Francis. "Simone Weil  (1909-1943)." La passion antisémite: habillée par ses idéologues . Paris: Le Felin, 2011. 251-77.   References to Simone in other sections of this work, consult the index

---. "Un antisémitisme patiemment argumenté: Simone Weil" Temps modernes 62.642 (2007): 90-116.

Lindenberg, Daniel. "Politique De Simone Weil." Esprit 8-9 (2012): 30-48. Test first appeared as the preface of Domenico Canciani's  Simone Weil. Le Courage de penser, Paris, Beauchesene, 2011.

Loades, Ann. "Simone Weil: Resistance and Writing " International Journal of Public Theology 4.1 (2010): 100-17.  After a brief discussion of Weil’s life and work and some of the scholarship on her, Loades turns to focus on the ‘public life of her (Weil’s) time’ (p. 102).  She begins with a well-informed discussion of Weil’s experience of war and its consequences.  She then turns to Weil’s thoughts on ‘divine justice’ contrasting her views to those of Miroslav Volf.  In the section ‘Weil and Religious Affiliation’, Loades raises the issue of Weil’s troubling relation to Judaism, noting Weil’s ignorance of many aspects of the Jewish tradition.  Weil’s attitude towards and experiences of work and her relationship to workers are next addressed, followed by a short discussion of Weil’s search for the ‘real’ and its unexpected manifestation in her life.   The final pages of the article takes up the subject of ‘Weil and ‘Resistance’’, noting how Weil’s ability to ‘resist’ was circumscribed by her geographical location in London in the final months of her life.

Lotringer, Sylvère. "Artaud était-il chrétien?" Fous d'Artaud. 10-Vingt. Paris: Sens and Tonka, 2003. 13-38.  Extensive discussion comparing  Artuad's and Weil's relationship to Judaism and Christianity.

Mendelson, Alan. "Simone Weil: Grant's Saint." Exiles from Nowhere: The Jews and the Canadian Elite. Ed. Mendelson, Alan. Montreal, Quebec: Robin Brass Studio, 2008. 255-79.

Mongin, Olivier. "Maurice Blanchot, un lecteur attentif de Simone Weil Entre Emmanuel Levinas et Albert Camus." Esprit 8-9 (2012): 144-53.

Morin, Edgar. Le monde moderne et la question juive . Paris: Seuil, 2006. 264.  Brief mention of Simone  65-67.

Nagy, Endre J. "Simone Weil: The Mystical Ascetic." European Journal of Mental Health 5.2 (2010): 167-85. Nagy argues in this essay that Simone Weil’s life and work challenges Max Weber’s “theory of the impossibility of any ethics of brotherliness in modernity” (p. 171).  He begins with a brief overview of Weil’s life and then turns to discuss a number of her religious and political ideas in some more detail.  He is particularly interested in Weil’s refusal to become an official member of the Roman Catholic Church.


Porter, J. S. "Notes on John Berger and Simone Weil." Lightness and Soul: Musings on Eight Jewish Writers. Woodstock, Ontario: Seraphim, 2011. 56-69.

Quinzio, Sergio. "L'ebraismo in Simone Weil: il rifiuto e la compassione." Simone Weil a Roma Eds. Alliata, Domizia and Thérèse  Boespflüg. Roma: Edizioni lavoro, 1997. 33-34.

Riviale, Philippe. La parole des prophètes : De la Tora à Simone Weil et Gracchus Babeuf . Paris: L'Hamattan, 2009.

Rowlands, Anna. "'Angry Angels' as Guides to Ethics and Faith: Reflections on Simone Weil and Gillian Rose." Theology 112.865 (2009): 14-23.  Rowlands focuses on Gillian Rose's reading of and response to Weil's essay "Human Personality".  She examines where Rose and Weil run on parallel lines in their thought and where they differ.  She is especially interested in their complex relationship to the Jewish and Christian traditions.  Rowlands begins with an overview of Roses' life and thought, then turns to discuss Rose's treatment of Weil, especially Weil's harsh critique of the Jewish tradition.   Rowlands focuses on Roses' discussion of Weil and Levinas in her essay 'Angry Angels' .  Rowlands is especially interested in Rose's treatment of violence both as it is discussed by Weil and Levinas and as it 'lurks' in their respective thought.  Rowlands goes on to look at human rights presenting Rose's assessment Weil did not go far enough in her treatment of the issues which arise from a discussion of them.  Rowlands argues for many parallels in Weil's and Roses' view of the relationship between 'attention and decreation, renunciation and difference'.    She concludes by noting a central difference between them arguing whereas Rose was moving "towards a theology of dialogue.” Weil was developing a "negative theology of counterbalance".  (p. 21).


Rozelle, Adrian Rebecca, and Lucian Stone. Simone Weil and Theology. London, UK: Bloomsbury, 2013.

Rubinstein, Ernest. "Simone Weil." From Ecclesiastes to Simone Weil: Varieties of Philosophical Spirituality. Madison: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2014. 227-50.  See also Chapter 15 "Conclusion" for extensive references to Weil.

Schweizer, Erika. "Untersuchungen zur theologischen Bedeutung in den Werken von Nelly Sachs und Simone Weil."  Diss. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, 2004.

Seidler, Victor Jeleniewski "Eradicating Evil: Levinas, Judaism and the Holocaust." Social Theory after the Holocaust. Eds. Fine, Robert and Charles Turner. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2000. 141-58.  see pages 143-145.

Stanislawski, Michaël. "Simone Weil et  Raïssa Maritain." Les Cahiers du Judaïsme 11 (2001-2002): 97-107.

Steiner, George. "Bad Friday. " George Steiner at the New Yorker: Essays  Ed. Boyers, Robert. New Directions Paperback. New York: New Directions Publishing, 2009. 219-29.   Steiner offers an overview of Weil's life and work discussing her status as a philosopher, her politics, treatment of ancient Greek thinkers, her complex attitude towards Judaism and her relationship with Christianity, especially Roman Catholicism.  Steiner pays particular attention to Thomas Nevins's book: Simone Weil: Portrait of a Self-Exiled Jew.


Thein, Helen. "Botschaften.  Susan Sontags Auseinandersetzungen mit Simone Weil und die Spuren ihrer Freundschaft mit Susan Taubes." Leidenschaft der Vernunft : die öffentliche Intellektuelle  Susan Sontag. Eds. Engelmann, Jan, Richard Faber and Christine Holste. Würzburg: Königshausen  & Neumann, 2010. 29-48.

---. "Die hebräische Tradition ist mir fremd" : Zum 100.  Geburtstag der französischen Philosophin Simone Weil." Dialog 42.1 (2009): 3.

Tracy, David. "Simone Weil : The Impossible." The Christian Platonism of Simone Weil. Eds. Doering, E. Jane and Eric O. Springsted. Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press, 2004. 229-41.  Tracy begins his essay by asking if there is a unity in Simone Weil’s thought.  He argues there is not, although he says, there are a number of important themes that run throughout it.  Of particular interest to him, is what he labels her mystical-prophetic philosophy and theology, something he sees as precursor to modern liberation theology.  Tracy goes on to give a balanced and insightful overview of Weil’s thought, acknowledging both its troublesome problems, such as her inaccurate and unfair treatment of the Jewish religious tradition, as well as its brilliance.  Ultimately, he concludes, Weil’s life and work sought, represented and demanded the impossible.


---. "Simone Weil and the Impossible: A Radical View of Religion and Culture." Critical Spirit :Theology at the Crossroads of Faith and Culture:  Essays in Honour of Gabriel Daly. Eds. Pierce, Andrew and Geraldine Smyth. Dublin: Columbia Press, 2003. 208-22.   Tracy begins this chapter with a brief description and discussion of Weil’s three mystical experiences.  He then proceeds to give an overview of the content and form of her writing, followed by a discussion of her problematic and disconcerting response to the Jewish tradition.  Tracy then offers an in-depth exploration of Weil’s ‘Christian Platonism’ and the complex theology to which it gave rise.


Wolf, Mera Jane Triffler. "Transgressions : Praying to Whom and for What? : The Our Father, Simone Weil, Jewish Msticism, and Feminist Practice." MA thesis. University of New Mexico, 1999.

Yourgrau, Palle. "Was Simone Weil a Jew?" Partisan Review 68.4 (2001): 631-41.  This article looks at Simone Weil’s relationship to Judaism, particularly the charge that she herself, although Jewish, was anti-Semitic.  The author discusses the various arguments for Weil’s anti-Semitism in relation to her theological and philosophical views on the ‘collective’ element in religion.  Michael Wyschogrod’s and Sylvie Courtine-Denamy’s discussions of Simone Weil in relation to Edith Stein are touched upon and briefly analyzed.   The article concludes with a brief look at other scholars who also struggled with some of the problems that arise in the reading of ‘difficult texts’ so troubling to Weil.

Note also the September 2007 issue of Cahiers Simone Weil entitled "Simone Weil antisémite? Un sujet qui fâche ?"