Schaefer c14

Chapter 14

Jewish Americans:

Quest to Maintain Identity

Jewish Americans

• The United States has the second-largest Jewish population in the world

• America’s 5 million+ Jews account for 39% of world’s population

• Play a prominent role in worldwide Jewish community

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Jewish Americans

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

• Anti-Semitism– Anti-Jewish prejudice and discrimination

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

Miami


Jewish People: Race, Religion or Ethnic Group?

• Jews 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



• The trend in the United States among Jews– Judaization

• Issue of what makes a Jew figures in policy matters



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

citizenship to all Jews

• Jewish identity is ethnic– Share cultural traits not physical features or

uniform religious beliefs


Immigration of Jews to the United 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


Immigration of Jews to the United States

• Immigrant Jews in 1930s were refugees from Nazi Germany

• Recent immigration has been from Israel, Soviet Union, and Iran


Anti-Semitism Past and Present

• History of Jews is of the struggle to overcome centuries of hatred

• Religious observances commemorate past sacrifices or conflicts

• Origins of anti-Semitism

• Blamed for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ


Anti-Semitism Past and Present

• Stereotype of Jews obsession with money is false

• Fringe-of-Values Theory

• In-Group Virtues becoming Out-Group Vices

• Discrimination as a source of anti-Semitism


The Holocaust

• Holocaust

• German policy and the restriction of the rights of Jews

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


The Holocaust

• Holocaust Revisionists

• Anti-Semitism not just historical social phenomenon in Europe– Jewish worshippers attacked with rocks and

insults


United 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 1920s and 1930s period of most virulent and overt anti- Semitism


United States Anti-Semitism: Past

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

halfhearted apology in 1927

• Protocols sold by Wal-Mart until 2004

• 2006 - Spanish version sold in Mexico City


Differences Between Anti-Semitism in 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


Contemporary Anti-Semitism

• Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith (1913)– Monitors anti-Semitic incidents– Rise in numbers in 1990s and 2000s– Carried out by neo-Nazis or skinheads

• Internet growing as a vehicle for anti-Semitism



• American Jews and Israel– 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



• Zionism

• Diaspora– Exile of Jews from Palestine several centuries

before Christianity• Many Jews see destiny of their people only as the

establishment of a Jewish state in the Holy Land

• Zionism resolution repealed by the UN



• American Jews and African Americans– Anti-Semitism of African Americans is of

special concern to Jewish Americans • Given Black history of oppression

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



• 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”


Position of Jewish Americans

• Employment 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”



• Education– 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



• Organizational Activity– Groups serve many purposes

• Religious, charitable, political, or educational

– United Jewish Appeal (UJA) (1939)• Fund raising organization for humanitarian causes



– American Jewish Community (1906) and Congress (1918)

• Improve Jewish-Gentile relations

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

Defamation League)



• Political 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)– Some Jews backed the extreme responses to

Arab-Israeli conflict



• Jewish voters have always backed the Democrat – Over the Republican presidential candidate

for the last ten elections

• Barack Obama received 78% of the vote – Compared to 21% for the Republican

candidate John McCain



• Religious 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



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

• Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Judaism

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

other Americans

– Orthodox life is demanding



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

the rituals– Reform are least likely to participate in

predominantly Jewish organizations– Jewish denominations associated with class,

nationality, and other social differences


Jewish Identity

• Improvement of Jewish-Gentile relations creates new problem for Jewish identity– It has become possible for Jews to shed their

“Jewishness” or Yiddishkait

• Jews cannot totally lose identity– Denied total assimilation in the US– Social clubs may still refuse membership


Jewish Identity

• World events reminder of heritage– Nazi Germany– Founding of Israel (1948)– 1967 Six-day War– Soviet interference– 1972 Munich Olympics– Yom Kippur War (1973)


Jewish Identity

– 1973 Oil Embargo– UN’s 1974 anti-Zionism vote– Scud missile attacks during 1991 Gulf War

• Changes in Halakha– Jewish law covering obligations and duties –

regarding women


Role of the Family

• Shadchan– Marriage 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


Role of the Family

• American 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


Role of the Family

• 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


Role of the Family

• 8. Sense of responsibility of family members to each other has declined

• 9. Role of Jewishness no longer central in Jews lives

• 10. Intermarriage has lessened involvement of Jewish partner in Jewish life & family life aspects


Role of Religion

• Devotion is way to preserve ethnic identity

• Marginality– The status of living in two distinct cultures

simultaneously• Jews who give some credence to secular

Christmas


Role 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

• Peoplehood


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