Chapter 14

1. Chapter 14 Jewish Americans: Quest to Maintain Identity

2. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

4. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

5. Jewish People: Race, Religion or Ethnic Group? • The trend in the United States among Jews • Judaization • Issue of what makes a Jew figures in policy matters © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

6. Jewish People: Race, Religion or Ethnic Group? • 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

7. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

8. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

9. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

10. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

11. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

12. The Holocaust • Holocaust Revisionists • Anti-Semitism not just historical social phenomenon in Europe • Jewish worshippers attacked with rocks and insults © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

13. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

14. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

15. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

16. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

17. Contemporary 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

18. Contemporary Anti-Semitism • 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

19. Contemporary Anti-Semitism • 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

20. Contemporary Anti-Semitism • 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” © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

21. 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” © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

22. Position of Jewish Americans • 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

23. Position of Jewish Americans • Organizational Activity • Groups serve many purposes • Religious, charitable, political, or educational • United Jewish Appeal (UJA) (1939) • Fund raising organization for humanitarian causes © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

24. Position of Jewish Americans • 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) © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

25. Position of Jewish Americans • 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

26. Position of Jewish Americans • 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

27. Position of Jewish Americans • 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

28. Position of Jewish Americans • 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

29. Position of Jewish Americans • 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

30. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

31. 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) © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

32. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

33. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

34. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

35. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

36. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

37. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

38. 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 © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.