The Americanization of the Jews (Reappraisals in Jewish Social and Intellectual History) [Hardcover]

Robert Seltzer (Editor), Norman S. Cohen (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Reappraisals in Jewish Social and Intellectual History | Publication Date: February 1, 1995

How did Judaism, a religion so often defined by its minority status, attain equal footing in the trinity of Catholicism, Protestantism, and Judaism that now dominates modern American religious life?
THE AMERICANIZATION OF THE JEWS seeks out the effects of this evolution on both Jews in America and an America with Jews. Although English, French, and Dutch Jewries are usually considered the principal forerunners of modern Jewry, Jews have lived as long in North America as they have in post- medieval Britain and France and only sixty years less than in Amsterdam.
As one of the four especially creative Jewish communities that has helped re-shape and re-formulate modern Judaism, American Judaism is the most complex and least understood. German Jewry is recognized for its contribution to modern Jewish theology and philosophy, Russian and Polish Jewry is known for its secular influence in literature, and Israel clearly offers Judaism a new stance as a homeland. But how does one capture the interplay between America and Judaism?
Immigration to America meant that much of Judaism was discarded, and much was retained. Acculturation did not always lead to assimilation: Jewishness was honed as an independent variable in the motivations of many of its American adherents- -and has remained so, even though Jewish institutions, ideologies, and even Jewish values have been reshaped by America to such an degree that many Jews of the past might not recognize as Jewish some of what constitutes American Jewishness.
This collection of essays explores the paradoxes that abound in the America/Judaism relationship, focusing on such specific issues as Jews and American politics in the twentieth century, the adaptation of Jewish religious life to the American environment, the contributions and impact of the women's movement, and commentaries on the Jewish future in America.

Editorial Reviews

Review

""Up Is Up" is a remarkable monument to the vibrancy of the Downtown scene. There are moments of romantic myth-making, dysfunctional beauty and hilarious profundity. It documents a now-gone era when lower Manhattan was an affordable oasis for artists, writers and musicians, when poetry and prose rubbed up against punk and visual art before drunkenly stumbling into an endless pansexual orgy."
-"New York Press", --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

ROBERT M. SELTZER is Professor of History at Hunter College, Chair of the Hunter Jewish Social Studies Program, and the author of Jewish People, Jewish Thought.

NORMAN J. COHEN is Dean of the Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of Religion, New York, and Professor of Midrash.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 468 pages
• Publisher: NYU Press (February 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814780008
• ISBN-13: 978-0814780008
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,528,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This covers some of the current ideas about American Jews, August 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Americanization of the Jews (Reappraisals in Jewish Social and Intellectual History) (Hardcover)

This is a first rate collection of thinking and analysis of contemporary American Jewry and what makes it what it is. Includes articles by such important thinkers as: Feingold, Wisse, Whitfield,, Glazer, S.M. Cohen, Heilman, Liebman, and Eisen. A mist for anyone interested in the trends and developments among American Jews at the close of the 20th century.