1. Jewish Americans
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2. Jewish Identity Can be both religious & ethnic/cultural identity
Use of religious symbols may be sign of cultural identity rather than religious observance
41% of Jewish Americans belong to synagogue
11% attend services weekly
28% attend at least once a month
59% attend on High Holy Days
3 main branches of Judaism in U.S.:
Orthodox (7%) – accept divine authorship of Torah & interpret it literally, maintain full observance of Law
Conservative (38%) – founded in 1913 by Solomon Schecter; accept divine authorship but interpret Torah flexibly
Reform (42%) – deny divine authorship of Torah & do not obey Law literally

3. Jewish Faith
Scripture = Tenakh – acronym for Torah (Law), Nevi’im (Prophets) & Kethuvim (Writings)
Orthodox also accept Talmud (Rabbinic commentaries)
In U.S., worship influenced by Christian styles
Synagogue is house of worship (Beth T’filoh), study (Beth Hamidrosh), & community gathering (Beth Haknesseth)
Rabbi has taken on roles of Christian minister/priest – performing rituals, preaching sermons, visiting sick, etc.
Beth Din = rabbinical courts which can resolve disputes
Kashruth (Kosher) = dietary laws enforced by shohets

4. Jewish Holidays Rosh Hashanah – New Year; begins 10 Days of Awe
Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement
Sukkot – Feast of Tabernacles to commemorate 40 years in wilderness
Pesach – Passover; commemorating escape from Egypt
Shavu’ot – Pentecost; celebrates harvest & giving of Law to Moses
Purim – commemorates Esther’s rescue of Jews in Persian Empire
Channukah – commemorates Maccabean revolt against Seleucid Empire

5. Jewish Immigrants 4 waves of Jewish immigration to U.S.:
Colonial – mostly Sephardic Jews
Mid-19th century – German Jews
– over 1 million Russian Jews
Post – WWII – refugees & Holocaust survivors
Jewish-American organizations formed for various purposes
Landsmanschaftn – mutual aid societies
Hebrew Benevolent Society (1828) & B’nai B’rith (1845) directed charity efforts
Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society helped newcomers
American Jewish Committee & Anti-Defamation League combat prejudice & discrimination

6. Anti-Semitism in America

7. Assimilation Ghettoes delayed assimilation
In Europe, ghettoes imposed by Christians
In U.S., voluntarily chosen to maintain culture & keep kashruth
Often faced de facto segregation
Widespread acceptance & assimilation began during WWII
Holocaust created great sympathy
Prior to 1965, exogamy rate was 9%
25% by 1974, 52% by 1985
Black – Jewish relations often strained due to Jewish role as middlemen (landlords, shopkeepers)
Hank Greenberg, Detroit Tigers