Jewish American History

0 Culture History

Mel Brooks Talks About His Days Working in the Borscht Belt

Lior Zaltzman in Kveller · 30 Jul

Mel Brooks reflects on his formative years working in the Borscht Belt, a Jewish resort area in the Catskills of New York, where he began as a busboy at 14 and eventually became a comic on stage.

0 Politics History

My stepfather Joe Lieberman set one path as a Jew in politics. Will his many successors follow it?

Rabbi Ethan Tucker in JTA · 26 Jul

The article reflects on the impactful Jewish political legacy of the late Senator Joe Lieberman, who saw his Jewish identity as a lever for positive change in the world, advocating for a Judaism that was public yet non-partisan.

0 History Jewish Law

Yankees and Rebs

Cindy Scarr in Mishpacha · 28 May

During the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865, Jews, though a minority in the population, played a significant role with approximately 10,000 Jewish men serving on both the Union and Confederate sides.

0 History Sports

Jews in the Wilderness

Michael Hoberman in Tablet · 25 Jan

Theodore Seixas Solomons, a fifth-generation Jewish American, played a significant role in the development of the John Muir Trail, a popular long-distance hiking trail in California's Sierra Nevada range.

0 Education Leadership

“Certainty Has Never Been Mine”: The Denominational Eclecticism of David Ellenson

Jonathan D. Sarna in Lehrhaus · 8 Jan

David Ellenson, former president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC), was known for his ability to be comfortable in various Jewish settings across denominations.

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The Jews of Deadwood

Tablet Podcasts in Tablet · 29 Jun 2023

Deadwood, South Dakota, known for its Wild West history and the HBO series, was home to a vibrant Jewish population in the late 1800s.

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Sen. Jon Ossoff on Jewish Resilience

People of the Pod · 18 May 2023

Senator Jon Ossoff, the first Jewish member of the Senate from Georgia and a survivor of antisemitism within his own family, discusses his efforts to combat antisemitism through his work on the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism.

0 Politics Antisemitism

Josh Shapiro to be sworn in as Pennsylvania governor on Bible that survived Tree of Life attack

Jacob Kornbluh in Forward · 12 Jan 2023

Josh Shapiro, the governor-elect of Pennsylvania, will be sworn in using a Hebrew Bible that survived the tragic Tree of Life synagogue shooting in 2018, where eleven Jewish worshippers lost their lives.

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To Whom It May Concern: Mordecai Kaplan the Diarist

Jenna Weissman Joselit in Jewish Review of Books · 11 Jan 2023

Mordecai Kaplan, a prominent figure in modern American Judaism, kept a journal from 1913 to 1981, offering insights into his evolving views and the challenges he faced in reconstructing Judaism for the modern world.

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I'm a Jew of color. Stop conflating us with Hebrew Israelites

Nora Berman in Forward · 10 Jan 2023

This article discusses the conflation of Jews of color with the Hebrew Israelite movement, specifically the more radical and antisemitic factions of the movement.

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Celebrating 100 Years of OU Kosher

JA Mag in Jewish Action · 7 Dec 2022

The article discusses the celebration of the 100th anniversary of OU Kosher, an organization that certifies kosher food.

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Keeping Kosher, Becoming American

Dr. Rafael Medoff in Jewish Action · 7 Dec 2022

This article discusses the significant role that the Orthodox Union (OU) has played in revolutionizing kosher cuisine in the United States and securing the place of Orthodox Jewry in American society.

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Survivors in the Catskills

Armin Rosen in Tablet · 3 Aug 2022

The article explores the current state of Holocaust survivors in the Catskills and the challenges of preserving the memory of the Holocaust.

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Breaking Down the Facebook Ban and Celebrating American Jewish Heritage Month

People of the Pod · 6 May 2021

In this podcast episode, the host discusses the recent ruling of The Oversight Board, which includes Emi Palmor, on Facebook's ban of former President Trump.

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Changing the Image of the Shtetl

Rokhl Kafrissen in Tablet · 24 Dec 2020

This text discusses the changing image of the shtetl, or Eastern European Jewish town, in post-war Jewish American identity.

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With Liberty and Presents for All

Yael Buechler in Lehrhaus · 26 Dec 2019

Yael Buechler delves into the history of Hanukkah advertising in early 20th-century America, exploring how Yiddish ads from newspapers like the Forward and the Yidishe Tageblatt played a crucial role in immigrants' acculturation.

0 History Jewish Law

The Mayflower Maidel

Rebecca Klempner in Tablet · 20 Nov 2018

The author reflects on their upcoming Thanksgiving celebration, which will be different as they recently discovered their descent from Mayflower passengers and Native Americans.

0 History Literature

Not Just for Kids: Three Knockout Biographies Bring Three Awesome Jews to Life

Marjorie Ingall in Tablet · 21 Aug 2013

This article highlights three exceptional Jewish biographies suitable for readers of all ages.

0 History Communities

Freedom Riders

Esther Schor in Jewish Review of Books · 27 Feb 2013

The National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia tells the story of American Jews' pursuit of freedom since 1654, divided into three eras: Foundations of Freedom, Dreams of Freedom, and Choices and Challenges of Freedom.

JL;DR

Tag: Jewish American History