A Separate Republic
explores the social and political life of Jews in Venice in the seventeenth century. Based on
the Libro Grande, the only existing record book
of the community from that time period, this study gives an in depth view of
the ethnic diversity and complex relationships within Jewish Venice and between
the Jewish community and the Republic
of Venice at large. In
addition, Dr. Malkiel explores the political
structure of the community with special attention to the "balance of power
between the wealthy elite and communal authority and the rabbinic and lay leadership."
The book contains an appendix, the full annotated text of
the Libro Grande, as well as an extensive list of
sources and an index of names, index of places, and index of subjects.