JEWISH AMERICANS: JEWISH AMERICANS: QUEST TO MAINTAIN QUEST TO MAINTAIN IDENTITYIDENTITY

CHAPTER 14CHAPTER 14

Jewish AmericansJewish Americans• US has the largest Jewish population in the

world• America’s 6 million Jews account for 46% of

world’s population• Play a prominent role in worldwide Jewish

community• 2nd largest Jewish population in Israel and

only nation in which Jews are majority

• American Jews superficially resemble Asian Americans in that both are largely free from poverty

• Anti-SemitismAnti-Semitism• Anti-Jewish prejudice and discriminationAnti-Jewish prejudice and discrimination• Anti-Semitism is as old as relations between Jews

and Gentiles (non-Jews)

• Concentrated in Urban areas• Especially New York City, Los Angeles, and

Miami

Jewish People: Race, Religion or Jewish People: Race, Religion or Ethnic Group?Ethnic Group?• Jews are a subordinate groupJews are a subordinate group

• Experience unequal treatment• Share a cultural history that distinguishes them from the

dominant group• Ascribed status or involuntary status• Group solidarity• In-group marriage

• Jewish identity among Jews is based on a shared culture - thus Jews are best classified as an ethnic minority

• The trend in the United States among Jews• JudaizationJudaization

• Lessening of the significance of religion and an Lessening of the significance of religion and an increase in culture as the bond among Jewsincrease in culture as the bond among Jews

• Issue of what makes a Jew figures in policy matters

• The Israel Law of ReturnThe Israel Law of Return• Defines who is a Jew and extends Israeli Defines who is a Jew and extends Israeli

citizenship to all Jewscitizenship to all Jews• Jewish identity is ethnic

• Share cultural traits not physical features or uniform religious beliefs

Immigration of Jews to the Immigration of Jews to the United StatesUnited States• First Jewish migration occurred around 1654 from

Spain and Portugal (Refugees)• Largest Jewish migration occurred around the turn

of nineteenth century• Immigration Act of 1920 reduced Jewish

immigration• Immigrant Jews in 1930’s were refugees from Nazi

Germany• Recent immigration has been from Israel, Soviet

Union, and Iran

Anti-Semitism Past and PresentAnti-Semitism Past and Present• History of Jews is history of struggle to

overcome centuries of hatred• Religious observances commemorate past

sacrifices or conflicts• Passover, Hanukkah, and Purim

• Origins of anti-Semitism• Blamed for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ• Formation of negative stereotypes over the

years

• Stereotype of Jews obsession with money is false

• Fringe-of-Values TheoryFringe-of-Values Theory• Social Psychologist Gordon Allport (1979)Social Psychologist Gordon Allport (1979)

• To gentile, business practices by the Jews constituted To gentile, business practices by the Jews constituted behavior on the behavior on the fringesfringes of proper conduct of proper conduct

• In-Group Virtues becoming Out-Group In-Group Virtues becoming Out-Group VicesVices• Sociologist Robert Merton (1968)Sociologist Robert Merton (1968)

• Being critical of others for traits for which you praise Being critical of others for traits for which you praise members of your own groupmembers of your own group

• Discrimination as a source of anti-Semitism

The HolocaustThe Holocaust• HolocaustHolocaust

• State-sponsored systematic persecution and State-sponsored systematic persecution and annihilation of European Jewry by Nazi Germany annihilation of European Jewry by Nazi Germany and its collaboratorsand its collaborators

• German policy and the restriction of the rights of Jews

• Between 1933 - 1945 two-thirds of Europe's Jewish population were killed

• Holocaust RevisionistsHolocaust Revisionists• Small but vocal proportion of the world Small but vocal proportion of the world

community who claim that the holocaust did not community who claim that the holocaust did not happenhappen

• Also blame Jews for 9/11• Anti-Semitism not just historical social

phenomenon in Europe• Jewish worshippers attacked with rocks and

insults• Growing Arab and Muslim population in Europe

offer an audience for Christian-generated anti-Semitism

United States Anti-Semitism: PastUnited States Anti-Semitism: Past

• US cannot be described as a nation with a history of anti-Semitism

• Colonial America and anti-Semitism• Peter Stuyvesant’s attempt to expel Jews from

what is New York city today

• The 1920’s and 1930’s periods of most virulent and overt anti- Semitism

• Protocols of the Learned Elders of ZionProtocols of the Learned Elders of Zion• Absurd definition of communism attributed to the JewsAbsurd definition of communism attributed to the Jews

• Henry Ford responsible for publication of the Protocols• Faced with millions in civil suits, posted

halfhearted apology in 1927• Charles Lindbergh, Klu Klux Clan, and German

American Bund supported anti-Semitism and Hitler

• Many changed their attitudes when Nazi atrocities were exposed

• Protocols sold by Wal-Mart until 2004• 2006, Spanish version sold in Mexico City

Differences Between Anti-Semitism Differences Between Anti-Semitism in the United States and Europein the United States and Europe

• First - United States government never promoted anti-Semitic policies

• US never embarked on program of expulsion or extermination

• Second - anti-Semitism was not institutionalized in the United States

• Jews did not develop a defensive ideology in order to survive

• Jewish American can make personal decision on assimilation or secularization

Contemporary Anti-SemitismContemporary Anti-Semitism• Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith

(1913)(1913)• Monitors anti-Semitic incidents• Rise in numbers in 1990’s and 2001• Carried out by neo-Nazis or skinheadsneo-Nazis or skinheads

• Groups of young people who champion racist and Groups of young people who champion racist and anti-Semitic ideologiesanti-Semitic ideologies

• Internet growing as a vehicle for anti-Semitism

• American Jews and IsraelAmerican Jews and Israel• Many Jews concerned that Jews in US, who were

more free, would ignore struggle of other Jews• Israel’s status proven to strong source of identity

for Jewish Americans• Wars of 1967, 1973, and 1991 reminded world of

Israel’s vulnerability• Not all American Jews agree with Israel’s actions

• Express support for struggles by contributing money and trying to influence American opinion and policy

• ZionismZionism• Initially referred to the old Jewish religious Initially referred to the old Jewish religious

yearning to return to the biblical homeland, now yearning to return to the biblical homeland, now expressed in 20expressed in 20thth century as a movement to create century as a movement to create a Jewish state in Palestinea Jewish state in Palestine

• UN (1974) passed resolution declaring “Zionism is a “Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination.”form of racism and racial discrimination.”

• DiasporaDiaspora• Exile of Jews from Palestine several centuries Exile of Jews from Palestine several centuries

before Christianitybefore Christianity• Many Jews have seen the destiny of their people only

as the establishment of a Jewish state in the Holy Land

• Zionism resolution repealed by the UN (1991)

• American Jews and African AmericansAmerican Jews and African Americans• Anti-Semitism of African Americans is of special

concern to Jewish Americans given Black history of oppression

• Jewish Americans active in civil rights causes and contributed generously to legal defense funds

• Jewish neighborhoods and employers quicker than Gentiles to accept African Americans

• Causes of Black-Jewish contention• 1960’s activists and Black Panther party supported

Arabs• 1984 – Jesse Jackson and Louis Farrakhan publicly

broadcast anti-Semitic remarks

• African American sentiment rarely anti-Jewish as such but rather opposed to White institutions• James Baldwin (1967)

• Blacks “are anti-Semitic because they’re anti-White.”

• Deep racial prejudice in the US demonstrated by two groups suffering discrimination that should unite in opposition to the dominant society, fight each other instead

Position of Jewish AmericansPosition of Jewish Americans• Employment and IncomeEmployment and Income

• Declining discrimination in the business world• Jewish MBAs and job opportunities• Rising rapidly up the corporate hierarchy• Higher salaries

• Declining poverty and the invisible poor• Anne Wolf (1972) “The Invisible Poor”“The Invisible Poor”

• Jewish poor remain invisible to rest of societyJewish poor remain invisible to rest of society• Similar to Chinese Americans and not well served by the

Economic Opportunity Act and other federal programs of the 1960’s

• EducationEducation• Judaic religion and the emphasis on formal

schooling• Emphasis on education• Higher educational attainment

• 1947, Jews founded graduate schools of medicine, education, social work, and mathematics

• Brandeis University • Jewish sponsored contribution to higher education• Nonsectarian (admission is not limited to Jews

• Organizational ActivityOrganizational Activity• Groups serve many purposes

• Religious, charitable, political, or educational• United Jewish Appeal (UJA) (1939)United Jewish Appeal (UJA) (1939)

• Fund raising organization for humanitarian causes• American Jewish Community (1906) and American Jewish Community (1906) and

Congress (1918)Congress (1918)• Improve Jewish-Gentile relations

• B’nai B’rith (Sons of the Covenant) (1843)B’nai B’rith (Sons of the Covenant) (1843)• Promotes cultural and social change (Anti-Defamation

League)• Many community groups founded because

existing groups barred Jews from membership

• Political ActivityPolitical Activity• Prominent role as voters and elected officials• Not typical as more likely than general population

to label themselves as liberal• Senator Joseph Lieberman (CT)

• First Orthodox Jew elected to Senate• VP candidate of Al Gore

• Some Jews backed the extreme responses to Arab-Israeli conflict

• Few settled in Israel and were vocal backers of resistance to any accommodation to Arab nations or Palestinian Authority

• Religious LifeReligious Life• Jewish identity and participation in Jewish

religion are not the same• Many Americans consider themselves Jewish and

are considered Jewish by others though never participated in religious life

• Levels of affiliation• Orthodox: 19%• Conservative: 32%• Reconstructionist: 2%• Reform: 29%• Just Jewish: 26%• Not sure: 1%

• The Orthodox TraditionThe Orthodox Tradition• Three sects beginning in mid-19th century

• Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Judaism• Based on varying acceptance of traditional rituals

• Reasons for development of differences• Some Jews wanted to be less distinguishable from

other Americans• The absence of a religious elite and bureaucratic

hierarchy, which facilitated breakdown in traditional practices

• Orthodox life is demanding• Ultra-Orthodox are Hasidic• Life conducted according to traditions and rituals• Strict adherence to the Torah

• The Reform TraditionThe Reform Tradition• Deeply committed to faith but altered many of the

rituals• Changed traditions to reflect social changes• Conservative Judaism – in between Orthodox and

Reform• Reform are least likely to participate in

predominantly Jewish organizations• Effort to observe religious occasions such as Rosh

Hashanah in Reform temples• Like Protestants, Jewish denominations

associated with class, nationality, and other social differences

Jewish IdentityJewish Identity• Improvement of Jewish-Gentile relations

creates new problem for Jewish identity• It has become possible for Jews to shed their

“Jewishness”“Jewishness” or YiddishkaitYiddishkait

• Jews cannot totally lose identity• Denied total assimilation in the US• Social clubs may still refuse membership• Non-Jewish in-laws interfere with marriage

plans

• World events reminder of heritage• Nazi Germany• Founding of Israel (1948)• 1967 Six-day War• Soviet interference• 1972 Munich Olympics• Yom Kippur War (1973)• 1973 Oil Embargo,• UN’s 1974 anti-Zionism vote• Scud missile attacks during 1991 Gulf War

• Changes in HalakhaHalakha• Jewish law covering obligations and duties – regarding Jewish law covering obligations and duties – regarding

womenwomen

Role of the FamilyRole of the Family• ShadchanShadchan

• Marriage broker or matchmakerMarriage broker or matchmaker• Fulfilled important function in Jewish community by

ensuring marriage of all eligible people

• Less acceptable to young Jews because of romantic love

• Traditionally remained in extended families• Observers argue that Jewish family no longer

maintains role in identity transmission due to assimilation

• American Jewish CommitteeAmerican Jewish Committee• 10 problems endangering Jewish family

• 1. More Jews marry later than other groups• 2. Most organizations of single Jews no longer operate

solely for matching – now support single lifestyle• 3. Divorce rate is rising• 4. Birthrate is falling, childlessness socially acceptable• 5. Financial success more important than child raising• 6. Intensity of family interaction decreased• 7. Less socializing across generation lines• 8. Sense of responsibility of family members to each 8. Sense of responsibility of family members to each

other has declinedother has declined• 9. Role of Jewishness no longer central in Jews lives• 10. Intermarriage has lessened involvement of Jewish

partner in Jewish life and aspects of family life

Role of ReligionRole of Religion• Devotion is way to preserve ethnic identity• Question not so much ideology as of

observing commandments of traditional Jewish law

• MarginalityMarginality• The status of living in two distinct cultures The status of living in two distinct cultures

simultaneouslysimultaneously• Jews who give some credence to secular Christmas

Role of Cultural HeritageRole of Cultural Heritage• Religious observance small aspect of Jewishness• Identity expressed in many ways including:

• Political, cultural, and social activities• Gentiles mistakenly believe Yiddish is a measure

of Jewishness• Jews have spoken many languages throughout their

long history, Yiddish is just one• PeoplehoodPeoplehood

• A group with a shared feelingA group with a shared feeling• For Jews originates from past and present, within and

without

QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

• Why are the Jewish people most accurately characterized as an ethnic group?

• How have the patterns of anti-Semitism changed or remained the same?

• Why do African American-Jewish American relationships receive special scrutiny?

• Which sociological perspective, symbolic interaction, functionalism, or conflict theory, best describes and explains the relationship between African Americans and Jewish Americans?

• Why is maintaining Jewish identity so difficult in the United States?

• Why does the family play such a critical role in Jewish identity?

• Using the Jewish experience as a basis for comparison, how has fusion functioned or not functioned for any other subordinate group when compared with Jews in the United States?