Jews today are one of the most visible minorities in the United States: college educated, high income, steadfast supporters of the Democratic party. But it wasn’t always this way. How did a poor immigrant group navigate the tensions between their American and their Jewish identities? This course explores those tensions by focusing on several important themes: immigration, politics, cultural creativity, religious change, social activism, antisemitism, and the American Jewish community's relationship to other Jewish communities around the world. Employing a range of media, including film and television, along with readings in original documents and historical texts, the course also points to the ways that studying American Jews challenges accepted interpretations of American history. For instance, who were the Jewish authors that described the United States as a “melting pot” and gave voice to the Statue of Liberty? Why is American Jewish experience necessary to understanding the course of popular culture; urban reform; and the labor, civil rights, and feminist movement in the United States? Students will gain insight into the many ways in which Jews have shaped American culture, politics, and economy from the 18th through the 21st centuries.

Course Requirements:

Course requirements will include a mix of short writing assignments, along with a longer research paper. Mid-term and final exams.

Intended Audience:

Open to all students. No prior knowledge of Jewish or American history is required.

Class Format:

This will be a lecture class with ample time for discussion, in addition to the discussion section.