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Summary
This lesson from ConnectED explores the journey of American Jews and their path to success despite facing and overcoming many challenges along the way. The United States was one of the first countries in the world to grant equal rights to Jewish people and prominent Jews were a part of every field of American society. Jews, however, also experienced many hardships, including brutal working conditions and sweatshops, pressure to assimilate, discrimination and antisemitism, and violence. After facing these challenges, Jewish communities flourished in the America as it became the second-largest home of Jews in history. The American Jewish experience that we see today is both culturally and religiously diverse.
Over time, American culture influenced what it meant to be Jewish. Jews who immigrated to the US in the 19th century were more secular and led to the formation of the American Reform movement, redefining Judaism by not mandating kashrut, offering services mainly in English, and emphasizing social activism. Jews in America became active in social justice issues, collaborating with civil rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., pushing to eliminate quotas, and building careers in the arts, medicine, science, music, and law.
In reaction to this new Reform movement and “to preserve the knowledge and practice of historical Judaism,” a group of rabbis founded the Jewish Theological Seminary which started the Conservative movement. This form of Judaism embraced the observance of the Torah but remained open to innovations of Jewish law; in the 1950s, Conservative Jews were permitted to drive to Shabbat services and, in the 1980s, women started to be ordained as Conservative rabbis. These movements, in addition to many other sects of Judaism, represented distinct expressions of being Jewish in America.
The educator’s guide provides essential questions to consider at the beginning of the lesson. An 8-minute-long video, discussion questions, learning activities, and reflection questions are included. Review questions are also provided to promote and assess deeper understanding.
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