Jewish Americans

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Jewish Americans

• SOC 202

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Arrival

• In 1654, 23 Jewish refugees from Brazil arrived
  on American soil.
• Today, the Jewish population of the U.S. is
  estimated at 6 million - about 2 of the
  population.

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Population Figures

• U. S. has the largest Jewish population in the
  world accounting for 44 of the worlds Jewish
  population.
• Nation with the second highest Jewish population,
  Israel, is the only one in which Jews are in the
  majority, accounting for 81 of the population.
• Jewish population is highly urbanized (about 95
  live in cities).

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Are Jewish Americans a Subordinate Group?

• Yes, they fulfill the criteria
• 1. They experience unequal treatment
• 2. Jews share a cultural history that
  distinguishes them from dominant group
• 3. Jews have a strong sense of group
  solidarity
• 4. Jewish men women tend to marry one
  another

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Judaization

• Richard Schaeffer (2000) sees this as a trend -
  the lessening importance of Judaism as a religion
  and the substitution of cultural traditions as
  the ties that bind Jews.
• A Jew in contemporary America is an individual
  who thinks of himself or herself as a Jew.

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Retentivist Orientation

• Marshall Sklare argues that most Jews are
  retentivist - the reject assimilation and attempt
  to pass their identity on to their children.

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Migration of Jews to U.S.

• First Jews arrived in 1654 and were of Sephardic
  origin (meaning that they were originally from
  Spain and Portugal).
• Ashkenazic Jews (those originating in western
  Europe) began coming in the 18th century.
• They became Jewish high society.

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Migration (continued)

• The greatest migration of Jews occurred between
  the 1880s and World War 11.
• These new immigrants were largely from eastern
  Europe and they transformed the Jewish community.
  (In 1877 Jews were only .52 of the U.S.
  population by 1917 they were 3.28)

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Eastern European Jews

• Initially were confined to the slums
• Rapid upward mobility - established many small
  businesses and many became professionals
• Great stress on education

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Restrictions on Immigration

• After 1921, and especially after 1924, number of
  Jews coming dropped because of immigration
  restrictions.
• After 1933, considerable numbers of Jewish
  refugees from Germany and Austria came to U.S.

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Anti-Semitism

• History of the Jewish people is a history of
  struggle to overcome centuries of hate.
• Holocaust - the state-sponsored persecution and
  annihilation of European Jewry by Nazi Germany.

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Position of Jewish Americans

• They have an important role in contemporary
  America.
• They are active participants in the fight for
  civil rights and work on behalf of Israel.

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Employment and Income

• Jewish Americans have overcome barriers to full
  employment and now enjoy high incomes.
• In 1998, 38 of Jewish families had incomes of
  60,000 or more (compared to 20 for All U.S.)
  28 had incomes under 40,000 (compared to 52
  for All U.S.)

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Occupation

• In 1998, 40 listed professional (15 for All
  U.S.) 24 managers (20 for All U.S.) 8
  business owners (9 for All U.S.) 19 white
  collar (19 for All U.S.) 5 unskilled blue
  collar (16 for All U.S.) and 3 skilled blue
  collar (19 for All U.S.).

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Education

• Jews place great emphasis on education.
• Educational Attainment of Jewish Americans (1998)
  - High school or less 13 (59 for All U.S.)
  Some college 27 (21 for All U.S.) College
  graduate 24 (10 for All U.S.) Graduate school
  35 (9 for All U.S.)

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Organizational Activity

• American Jewish community has encompassed a
  variety of organizations
• There are more than 300 nationwide organizations,
  including United Jewish Appeal, American Jewish
  Committee, American Jewish Congress, Bnai
  Brith.
• Jewish community centers are prominent local
  organizations.

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Organizational Activity (continued)

• Hospitals, nurseries, homes for the elderly, and
  child-care agencies are only a few of the
  community level activities sponsored by Jewish
  Americans.

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Political Activity

• American Jews play a prominent role in politics
  as both voters elected officials
• In a 1998 poll, 48 labeled themselves as liberal
  (24 for All U.S.) 28 chose moderate (31 for
  All U.S.) and 23 listed themselves as
  conservative (40 for All U.S.).
• First Orthodox Jew elected to the Senate was
  Joseph Lieberman in 1988

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Religious Life

• About 44 of American Jews are affiliated with a
  synagogue or temple, but only one-quarter attend
  services monthly.
• Levels of affiliation (1998 survey) - Orthodox
  9 Conservative 23 Reform 29 Just Jewish
  18 Non-Jewish 16

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Jewish Denominations

• They are associated with class, nationality, and
  other differences.
• Reform Jews are the wealthiest have the best
  formal education of the group the Orthodox are
  the poorest and least educated and the
  Conservatives occupy a middle position.
• Older Jews are more likely to be Orthodox
  younger Jews, Reform.

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Closing Quiz

• True - False Items
• 1. Anti-Semitism no longer occurs.
• 2. There are approximately six million
  American Jews.
• 3. Politically, Jewish Americans tend to be
  conservative.
• 4. Traditionally, Jewish Americans have
  strongly supported assimilation.