Blurb:

While wine is essential for Jewish rituals (for example, the Sabbath both opens and closes with wine-based rituals), there is a long tradition of understanding that wine can both lead to rejoicing and regret (if one overindulges). This brief look at the history of Jewish drinking argues that, starting with the biblical Noah, there is ample evidence for Jewish communities allowing drinking. So, did many Jews throughout history drink alcohol? The answer seems to be yes, but the full story is a little more complicated.