Sir Moses Montefiore

Abigail Green's biography of Sir Moses Montefiore has been hailed by Niall Ferguson as a “masterpiece”. In this talk, she shows how Montefiore’s life illuminates the burning issues of our time: the origins of Zionism and the rise of a global Jewish consciousness, the faltering birth of international human rights, and the making of the modern Middle East.

Abigail Green is a fellow of Brasenose College Oxford where she teaches Modern History. Her biography of Moses Montefiore re-instates him as a figure who reflects the complexities intrinsic to nineteenth century society.