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, Third 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 Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Michael Bloomberg, Sandy Koufax, Jerry Seinfeld, Barbra Streisand, and Robert Oppenheimer
- The Holocaust
- Immigration from eastern Europe and arrival at Ellis Island
- Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Orthodox Judaism
- Founding of philanthropic and social service organizations
- Notable Jewish-American women
- Jews and the civil rights movement
- Jews and television and film.
About the Author(s)
Shelly M. Buxbaum
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
Sara E. Karesh earned a masters in Jewish studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York and a doctorate in religious studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara. She is the coauthor of the Encyclopedia of Judaism. Known as Dr. Coxe (Sara Karesh Coxe) to her students, she has spent 20 years teaching Jewish history to high school students at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, Md.