Summary
Some historians believe that when Christopher Columbus' three ships landed in the Caribbean in October 1492, among the sailors' ranks were those of the Jewish faith. Fleeing the Spanish Inquisition, other Jews soon followed.
Jewish Faith in America, Second Edition traces their journey from the early days in America and their participation in the Revolutionary and Civil wars, to the impact of World War II and the Holocaust on Jewish life in America. Readers will learn about the various ways Judaism is practiced in the United States as well as the contributions Jews have made to American society—in particular, their impact on governmental agencies, philanthropic organizations, banking and investment, the performing arts, and sports. Readers will also learn about Jewish religious traditions such as bar and bat mitzvahs, holidays such as Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, holy texts such as the Torah and the Talmud, and American places of interest such as New York City's Lower East Side. In addition, this book looks at the biggest issues facing Jewish Americans today and their challenges for the future.
New and updated coverage includes:
- Personalities such as Michael Bloomberg, Rahm Emanuel, Levi Strauss, George Gershwin, Sandy Koufax, Arthur Miller, Jerry Seinfeld, and Robert Oppenheimer
- The Holocaust
- Mass immigration from Eastern Europe and arrival at Ellis Island
- Founding of philanthropic and social service organizations
- Jews and the civil rights movement
- Jews and television and film.
About the Author(s)
Shelley M. Buxbaum is the director of the Lisa F Brill Institute for Jewish Learning at the Marcus Jewish Community Center in Atlanta. She holds a doctorate in Judaic studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and developed Traditions on Wheels, an award-winning educational outreach program for families.
Sara E. Karesh earned a doctorate in religious studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara and is the coauthor of the Encyclopedia of Judaism for Facts On File.