The Roman Emperor Julian is among the most vilified by ancient Christian writers. His interest in restoring the religion of the ancient Greeks and Romans earned him the ascription of “Apostate.” Though he was never in the league of Nero or Diocletian, he is accused of great persecutions against the Christians. However, he is also one of the few Roman emperors who had very favorable connections with the Jews. Thus, in Jewish histories he is not seen as a tyrant or a persecutor but as a benevolent and able leader. This study explores Julian's actions in regards to the Jews with special attention given to his advances toward rebuilding the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. It offers the reader an insight into another aspect of Julian’s reign.

Michael Adler(1868-1944) was an exceptional scholar of Jewish history and the Hebrew language. His publications range from works on grammar to synagogue histories. Several of his works focus on the history of Jews in England.