Transcript American Experience - Part 2

The American Experience
Part II
Anti-Semitism: Political
Growing numbers of Jews leads to more
Anti-Semitism
 Political anti-Semitism
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Henry Ford
Dearborn Independent
Jews have legal recourse
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Dearborn Independent sued for libel
Ford apologizes
Anti-Semitism: Social
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A Gentleman’s Agreement
Anti-Semitism: Jews Respond
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Jewish Foundations, fearing antiSemitism, move Jews out West
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Bethlehem Judea Colony (1883)
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Galveston Project (1907)
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Established by Russian organization
Agricultural colony with a socialist framework
Route Jews to the South instead of the Northeast
Help Jews find Jobs away from the big cities
Projects are not terribly successful, but do help
to spread Jews throughout the country
Religious Adaptation:
Reform Judaism
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Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim
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Organ
Prayers reflecting American life
English
Isaac Mayer Wise
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Minhag America
Union of American Hebrew Congregations (1873)
Hebrew Union College (1875)
Religious Adaptation:
Reform Judaism
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Pittsburgh Platform
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Basic statement of Reform tenets
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Modern science is not antagonistic to Bible
Accept only moral laws as binding
Religion and not a Nation
Reject bodily resurrection
Help fix the world through social justice
Adopted by CCAR in 1889
Remained until Columbus Platform in 1937
Religious Adaptation:
Conservative Judaism
Treife Banquet (1883)
Break with Reform over Kashrut
 Solomon Schecter
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Religious Adaptation:
Orthodox Judaism
Primarily Eastern European
 Orthodox Jewish Congregational Union
(1898)
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Divine revelation
Remain separate
Personal messiah
Nation and religion
Religious Adaptation:
Reconstructionist Judaism
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Mordecai Kaplan (1881-1983)
 Conservative Rabbi
 Founder of Reconstructionist Judaism
 “American Jews no doubt are more ethnic, or people
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oriented than religion oriented.” – ethnic oriented religion
Naturalistic conception of God
3 goals
 Interpret Jewish tradition for present day
 Fostering of Jewish unity by building Palestine - Zionism
 Code of Jewish practice that everyone can know
Jewish Organizations: Goals
Jewish Americans Organized
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Jewish Values (Klal Yisrael, Tzedakah)
Main Stream Values (Workers Rights)
Jewish Organizations:
Tzedakah
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B’nai Brith (1843)
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Anti-Defamation League (1913)
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Service organization
1882 becomes international
Part of B’nai Brith
Action against anti-Semitism
American Jewish Conference (1943)
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Reps from all major American Jewish orgs
Action to help Jews in Europe & Palestine
Next Week
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Continue Reading:
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Pages 449-528 in textbook
Preview:
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Jews get involved in America’s big issues
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Labor Unions
Civil Rights