This course explores the rich and diverse history of Judaism in America, from the arrival of the first Jewish settlers to the American colonies through to today’s thriving Jewish community.
Over the span of four lessons, we’ll delve into the challenges, triumphs, and transformations that have shaped the American Jewish experience.
What does it mean to be a Jew in a Democratic country? The story of Judaism in America is a long one, full of twists and turns. In this first lesson, we’ll set our sights on the first Jews to set foot in the United States. Together we’ll explore how Jewish life changed and adapted to its new surroundings. Along the way, we’ll encounter Spanish conquistadors, President George Washington, and even a Jewish vice presidential candidate. Join us on our journey into American Jewish history. Airs: November 2
LESSON #2
WINDS OF CHANGE
The Emergence of Liberal Judaism in 19th-Century America
With new rights, come new rules. In this second lesson we’ll explore the rise of liberal Judaism in the United States. From the early pioneers of the movement to pivotal moments like the infamous traif (non-Kosher) banquet and the Pittsburgh Declaration, we’ll trace the evolution of liberal Jewish thought and practice through the end of the 19th century. Along the way, we’ll catch a glimpse of the fault lines beginning to emerge in American Jewish life – questions that sit at the heart of Jewish practice and identity. Airs: November 9
LESSON #3
THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND, THIS LAND IS MY LAND
Eastern European Immigration and the Rise of American Orthodoxy
As liberal Judaism flourished under American Democracy, Eastern Europe was undergoing seismic political shifts of its own. Under the threat of pogroms, Kantonist conscription, and social revolution, growing numbers of European Jews fled to the West. With them, they brought traditional ideas about Jewish life and culture. In this lesson, we’ll explore the establishment of the first Orthodox Jewish institutions in the United States and unpack how traditional Jewish leaders responded to the assimilation of American Jewry. Together we’ll chart the growth of Orthodox Judaism in the lead-up to the first World War. Airs: November 16
LESSON #4
AMERICA IZ NISHT ANDERESH, AMERICA IS NO DIFFERENT
Postwar Jewish Revival
The Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel are the two events that define Jewish history in the 20th century. While neither took place on American soil, their impact on American Jewry was seismic. In this final installment of our series, we’ll explore how Jewish life changed in the postwar era. The rise of Zionism, the breakdown of Jewish communal life, and – ultimately – the birth of a new kind of American Judaism; one less focused on surviving, and more on thriving. Airs: November 23
