Book Review
In Stained Glass: A Reflective History of Antisemitismย by Flora Cassen
240 pages โย University of Toronto Press-New Jewish Pressย โ March 2026
TORONTO โ A new book by historian Flora Cassen argues that centuries-old religious imagery played a central role in shaping and sustaining antisemitism, offering historical insight into patterns that continue to affect Jewish communities today.
Published March 24, 2026, by University of Toronto Press under its New Jewish Press imprint, In Stained Glass: A Reflective History of Antisemitism examines how visual depictions in churches across Europe helped encode negative portrayals of Jews that later evolved into racial ideology and modern conspiracy narratives.
Religious Art As Cultural Transmission
Cassenโs work focuses on stained glass windows and other forms of Christian visual art as enduring carriers of religious messaging. These images, often placed prominently in churches, communicated theological ideas to largely illiterate populations.
According to the publisher, such imagery frequently depicted Jews in ways that reinforced Christian doctrines portraying Judaism as superseded or adversarial. Over time, these representations became embedded in broader European cultural memory.
Historians of religious studies have long examined how iconography shaped perceptions of minority groups. Cassen extends this scholarship by emphasizing visual culture as a primary mechanism through which antisemitic ideas were normalized and transmitted across generations.
Continuity Across Historical Periods
The book traces a clear line from medieval theological hostility toward Jews to later forms of antisemitism grounded in racial and political ideologies.
Cassen argues that while the language and justification for antisemitism changed over time, many of the underlying narratives remained consistent. Visual motifs that once reflected religious teachings were adapted into new ideological frameworks, including those that emerged in Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Scholars in Holocaust studies and modern European history have identified similar patterns, noting that antisemitic tropes often persist even as societies undergo significant political and cultural change. Cassenโs work situates these findings within a broader visual and cultural context.
Personal History Adds Contemporary Dimension
A distinguishing feature of In Stained Glass is its integration of personal narrative. Cassen incorporates her familyโs experience during the Second World War, including her grandmotherโs escape from Nazi-occupied Antwerp and subsequent exile in the Belgian Congo.
These accounts are paired with reflections on her own childhood in Jewish schools in Europe, where security concerns were a routine part of daily life. According to the publisher, this dual perspective allows the book to function as both academic analysis and memoir.
The personal elements underscore the real-world consequences of ideas that originated centuries earlier. They also highlight how historical narratives continue to shape the lived experience of Jewish communities in Europe and beyond.
Relevance In Current Context
The publication comes at a time when antisemitism has returned to the forefront of public discourse. Jewish organizations in Canada, Europe, and the United States have reported increased incidents in recent years, often linked to geopolitical developments involving Israel.
Experts have noted that contemporary antisemitism frequently draws on longstanding narratives, even when framed in political or ideological terms. Cassenโs analysis provides historical context for understanding how these patterns persist.
For readers, particularly within Jewish communities, the book offers a framework for examining how deeply rooted these narratives are in Western cultural and religious history. It also raises broader questions about belonging and identity in societies where historical imagery and ideas continue to resonate.
Academic And Public Impact
University of Toronto Press has positioned the book within its New Jewish Press imprint, which focuses on Jewish history and contemporary issues. The publication is expected to be used in academic settings while also appealing to a broader readership.
Cassenโs contribution reflects a growing emphasis in historical scholarship on connecting past and present. By examining both the origins and the continuity of antisemitism, In Stained Glass provides readers with tools to better understand current developments.
The bookโs combination of visual analysis and personal narrative offers a comprehensive perspective on a subject that remains both historically significant and urgently relevant.
