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Many commentators incorrectly claim that Nostradamus was born a Jew who converted to Catholicism when he was young. In view of the reputed psychic and prophetic tradition of the Jews in biblical times, this was a plausible story. There is, however, no evidence to support it. In that day and age, anti-Semitic thought was rampant. This anti-Semitism was even supported by the various Christian churches, including the Catholic Church. If there was any trace of truth to the claim, it would have been the easiest thing in the world to call him a Jew. The label could even have been used to stop him from entering the Faculté de Médecin which demanded that he be born of a good Catholic family. His life would have been completely different. But no mention of any Jewishness was ever thrown against him during his life. Also, had his father Jacques been a Jew, it would have been difficult for him to have married Reynierre, a devout Catholic. Obviously, Michael was born a Catholic and his family had been Catholic for a good time. But while Nostradamus was not born of a Jewish family, there was Jewishness in his ancestry.
Michel’s paternal grandfather was Pierre de Nostradame, a man of definite Jewish descent. He was most likely an established grain dealer. While there is legitimate speculation as to whether Pierre de Nostradame’s family converted to Catholicism after he had been born, it is likely that the family converted before Pierre was born. We can say this because we do know that Pierre was considered to be a good Catholic of Jewish descent and that he married a gentile woman named Blanche. Their son Jacques became a notary-public.
Michel’s maternal grandfather was Jean de St. Rémy. In all probability, though not in all certainty, he was a physician though not, as is commonly claimed, to King Rene of Provence. I do not know the name of the woman whom he married, but both father and mother had been Catholics since they were born. Their daughter, Reynierre de St. Rémy, was one of the local beauties of the town of St. Rémy where the family resided. Being as Catholic as she was, as per the Catholicism of that day, Reynierre would never have married Jacques if he had been a converted Jew.
Anti-Semitism is dying in this day and age, and deservedly so. Yet it is not dead yet.
People will scoff at this claim that anti-semitism is dying, they will point out all of the instances of actual anti-semitism that still exists - they would be right to do so. They would even, with complete justification, point out the recent surge of anti-semitism in the United States thanks to the talk of a certain Presidential candidate who went on to win the Presidency. But people alive today simply do not realize just how much worse it was in Europe for so many centuries. They do not realize it was so bad that it was easier to be a Jew in Islamic lands, after one paid the requisite tax Islam imposed on Jews and Christians, then it was to be a Jew in Europe under the Christians. It was so bad that to simply be a Jew in Christian Europe was to live one's life at complete risk of being killed for any reason, or even for no other reason than their being a Jew. And nobody would have objected to the killing.
There were stories, often true stories, about Jewish physicians and intellectuals, for the Jewish people had a greater number of intellectuals and physicians than non-Jews had. In part this was due to a studious nature that the Jewish people had, from the beginning the Jewish people always valued education. But what is not understood is that often the Jewish people had no other choice: their tradesmen were never allowed to work with anyone other than fellow Jews, their farmers were always at risk of losing their lands, with all of the crops they had grown and they were almost always taxed mercilessly. Their intellectuals were among the only ones who could obtain money from the gentiles but they were always running a risk for they were often among the first killed in a pogrom. Nevertheless, intellectuals were valued in the various courts of the nobility and a physician was always welcome whenever they entered the home of a sick individual, regardless of the faith. So while it was a risky undertaking, it was a necessary and worthwhile risk. But always they took great care for should the anti-Semitic cry be raised against the intellectual or doctor, they either fled, were despoiled of all property, were booted out of the town without anything – or they were killed. Back then it was exceedingly risky for a Jew to simply be alive because the Jew had no protection - not even legal.
Today, anti-Semitism is supported by a much smaller percentage of Christians than supported it in the 1500’s and earlier, and even with them the strength of it is far weaker than it would have been if they had lived a few centuries ago. It is dying a well-deserved death. But it is a death that is taking a long time, there is still strong currents of anti-Semitism in many parts of the world, even in the liberal west. Yes, it is still not safe to be a Jew, not like it is safe to be a Christian or even atheist. But at least today Jews have several advantages that their ancestors from just five hundred years ago did not have. Jewish contributors are honored for their contributions in many parts of the world. Also, in many parts of the world Jews can expect a certain amount of legal protection, something that was denied them centuries ago. Finally today Jews can expect and gain a decent number of allies, people who are opposed to targeting Jews simply because of their Jewishness. And the number of supporters of Jewishness is growing while the number of those who hate Jewishness is slowly shrinking. So it is much safer for Jews today.
So it is much safer for Jews today, but we are not there yet. Anti-Semitism is dying but it is not dead yet. We still have a long ways to go before a Jew can walk down a street in complete safety.