The Columbia History of Jews and Judaism in America

Published by Columbia University Press 2008

The Columbia History of Jews and Judaism in America

Edited by: Marc Lee Raphael

https://doi.org/10.7312/raph13222

Overview
Contents

About this book

This collection focuses on a variety of important themes in the American Jewish and Judaic experience. It opens with essays on early Jewish settlers (1654-1820), the expansion of Jewish life in America (1820-1901), the great wave of eastern European Jewish immigrants (1880-1924), the character of American Judaism between the two world wars, American Jewish life from the end of World War II to the Six-Day War, and the growth of Jews' influence and affluence. The second half of the volume includes essays on Orthodox Jews, the history of Jewish education in America, the rise of Jewish social clubs at the turn of the century, the history of southern and western Jewry, Jewish responses to Nazism and the Holocaust, feminism's confrontation with Judaism, and the eternal question of what defines American Jewish culture. Original and elegantly crafted, The Columbia History of Jews and Judaism in America not only introduces the student to a thrilling history, but also provides the scholar with new perspectives and insights.

This is the first anthology in more than half a century to offer fresh insight into the history of Jews and Judaism in America. Beginning with six chronological survey essays, the collection builds with twelve topical essays focusing on a variety of important themes in the American Jewish and Judaic experience.

The volume opens with early Jewish settlers (1654-1820), the expansion of Jewish life in America (1820-1901), the great wave of eastern European Jewish immigrants (1880-1924), the character of American Judaism between the two world wars, American Jewish life from the end of World War II to the Six-Day War, and the growth of Jews' influence and affluence. The second half of the book includes essays on the community of Orthodox Jews, the history of Jewish education in America, the rise of Jewish social clubs at the turn of the century, the history of southern and western Jewry, Jewish responses to Nazism and the Holocaust; feminism's confrontation with Judaism, and the eternal question of what defines American Jewish culture.

The contributions of distinguished scholars seamlessly integrate recent scholarship. Endnotes provide the reader with access to the authors' research and sources. Comprehensive, original, and elegantly crafted, The Columbia History of Jews and Judaism in America not only introduces the student to this thrilling history but also provides new perspectives for the scholar.

Contributors: Dianne Ashton (Rowan University), Mark K. Bauman (Atlanta Metropolitan College), Kimmy Caplan (Bar-Ilan University, Israel), Eli Faber (City University of New York), Eric L. Goldstein (University of Michigan), Jeffrey S. Gurock (Yeshiva University), Jenna Weissman Joselit (Princeton University), Melissa Klapper (Rowan University), Alan T. Levenson (Siegal College of Judaic Studies), Rafael Medoff (David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies), Pamela S. Nadell (American University), Riv-Ellen Prell (University of Minnesota), Linda S. Raphael (George Washington University), Jeffrey Shandler (Rutgers University), Michael E. Staub (City University of New York), William Toll (University of Oregon), Beth S. Wenger (University of Pennsylvania), Stephen J. Whitfield (Brandeis University)

Author / Editor information

Marc Lee Raphael is the Nathan and Sophia Gumenick Professor of Judaic Studies, professor of religious studies, chairman of the Department of Religious Studies, and director of the Program in Judaic Studies at the College of William and Mary. He will publish his memoir, Diary of a Los Angeles Jew, 1947-1972: Autobiography as Autofiction, in 2008 and is beginning a history of the synagogue in America for New York University Press. He and his wife, Linda Schermer Raphael, live in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

Rachelle E. Friedman:
This book provides a nuanced look at a number of different facets of Jewish life in America.

[An] impressive range and focus.

Simon J. Bronner:
A thought-provoking... engaging text that gives social diversity and cultural experience their due in Jewish studies.

Authored by an all-star cast of historians.... Highly recommended.

[A] welcome addition to the field of Jewish-American studies

Lila Corwin Berman:
Indeed, the strength of this anthology resides in the individual essays, even if some of them make awkward bedfellows.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Chronological Essays
1. America’s Earliest Jewish Settlers, 1654–1820 Eli Faber Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	21
2. Expanding Jewish Life in America, 1826–1901 Dianne Ashton Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	47
3. The Great Wave: Eastern European Jewish Immigration to the United States, 1880–1924 Eric L. Goldstein Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	70
4. American Judaism Between the Two World Wars Jeffrey S. Gurock Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	93
5. Triumph, Accommodation, and Resistance: American Jewish Life from the End of World War II to the Six- Day War Riv- Ellen Prell Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	114
6. Influence and Affluence, 1967–2000 Stephen J. Whitfield Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	142
Topical Essays
7. The Ever Dying Denomination: American Jewish Orthodoxy, 1824–1965 Kimmy Caplan Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	167
8. The History of Jewish Education in America, 1700–2000 Melissa R. Klapper Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	189
9. A Regional Context for Pacific Jewry, 1880–1930 William Toll Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	217
10. Fun and Games: The American Jewish Social Club Jenna Weissman Joselit Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	246
11. A Multithematic Approach to Southern Jewish History Mark K. Bauman Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	263
12. American Jewish Responses to Nazism and the Holocaust Rafael Medoff Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	291
13. Holocaust Consciousness and American Jewish Politics Michael E. Staub Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	313
14. What Is American Jewish Culture? Jeffrey Shandler Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	337
15. Rites of Citizenship: Jewish Celebrations of the Nation Beth S. Wenger Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	366
16. A Bright New Constellation Feminism and American Judaism Pamela S. Nadell Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	385
17. Contemporary Jewish Thought Alan T. Levenson Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	406
18. There’s No Space Like Home The Representation of Jewish American Life Linda S. Raphael Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	433
Contributors Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	459
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	463

Language: English
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;
Pages
- Main content: 504

eBook

Published: February 12, 2008
ISBN: 9780231507066