4. How we learn about American Jews today?
• Many Christians say, “from the Bible”
• Characterizations in Movies & Television
• Characterizations in books & print media
• What the news media says about the Jewish community
• A few Jewish friends we spoke with
• Our relatives or in-laws
5. An Introduction to American Jews in 2023
1. The Shared Experiences that created American Jewry
2. Postwar America and the Transformation of American Jewry
3. Shared social values that run deep
4. American Jews and Israel
5. American Jews and Anti-Semitism
6. American Jewish Beliefs
7. Engaging American Jews as Messianic Believers
13. Jewish Americans Before WWII
• Left the Old Country behind
• Abandoned Yiddish
• Pressed children to become successful Americans
• Became passionately patriotic Americans!
20. What social values were shaped?
1. Passionately patriotic
2. Concerned for immigrants
3. Concerned for the discrimination of minorities
4. Ambition to contribute & in
fl
uence American culture
21. What social values were shaped?
5. Value for Tradition
6. Value for Family
7. Importance of learning & study
8. Importance of competition
9. Drive to succeed
22. However…
1. Reluctant to stick out as Jews
2. Aversion to the spot light
3. Reluctant to support Zionism
23. Rejection of Secular Zionism
1. Ultra-Orthodox rejected a secular state
2. Reluctance to support Zionism
24. Rejection of Secular Zionism
1. Ultra-Orthodox rejected a secular state
2. Reform Jews sought embrace as an
American religion
38. Abraham Joshua Heschel
• Professor at Jewish Theological Seminary NY
• Immigrant from Germany before WWII
• Interested in Civil Rights & Social Justice
39. The Prophets
• OT Prophets spoke out against injustice
• As Jews today must speak
41. Why did Jews join the Civil Rights Movement?
1. Old Testament and Judaism stress Social Justice
2. Jews similar experience of discrimination and persecution
3. Black Church’s unique love of the Old Testament and identi
fi
cation with it
42. Why did Jews join the Civil Rights Movement?
1. Old Testament and Judaism stresses Justice
2. Jews shared experience of discrimination and persecution
3. Black Church’s unique love of the Old Testament and identi
fi
cation
4. First time: Jews invited to be equal partners for social change
43. Why did Jews join the Civil Rights Movement?
1. Old Testament and Judaism stresses Justice
2. Jews shared experience of discrimination and persecution
3. Black Church’s unique love of the Old Testament and identi
fi
cation
4. First time: Jews were invited to be equal partners
5. First time: Jews had power and ability to confront injustice
44. How does the Civil Rights
Movement continue to shape
Jewish Values today?
47. Black Power Movement
Many Black leaders felt it was not
enough. Black Americans needed to
regain sense of ethnic pride, and
self-determination.
48. Jews Were Expelled!
Jews were seen as “White Saviors”
Jews were seen as the problem
Not the solution
Malcolm X
49. Ethnic Pride Movements of the 1970s
• Black Ethnic Pride
• American Indian Ethnic Pride
• Hispanic American Ethnic Pride
• Women’s Movement (2nd Wave of Feminism)
52. What Inspired Jewish Pride Movements?
1. Inspired by the Black Pride Movement
2. Inspired by the Six-Day War and capture of Jerusalem
3. Driven by the plight of Soviet Jews, held hostage in USSR
4. A new generation (Boomers) felt sense of unlimited ability to change
5. A feeling that new generation can do what their parents were unable
55. Transformation of American Jewry
1. United support for Israel
2. United branches and denominations
3. New sense of Jewish pride
4. Jewish Social Activism
5. Elevated women’s roles in Judaism
56. Transformation of Modern Judaism
6. Innovation of Jewish practices
7. Transformation of Jewish beliefs
8. New branches of Judaism
