| Title | : | A New Promised Land: A History of Jews in America (Religion in American Life) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0195158261 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780195158267 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 176 |
| Publication | : | First published November 30, 2001 |
An engaging chronicle of Jewish life in the United States, A New Promised Land reconstructs the multifaceted background and very American adaptations of this religious group, from the arrival of twenty-three Jews in the New World in 1654, through the development of the Orthodox, conservative, and Reform movements, to the ordination of Sally Priesand as the first woman rabbi in the United States.
Hasia Diner supplies fascinating details about Jewish religious traditions, holidays, and sacred texts. In addition, she relates the history of the Jewish religious, political, and intellectual institutions in the United States, and addresses some of the biggest issues facing Jewish Americans today, including their increasingly complex relationship with Israel.
A New Promised Land: A History of Jews in America (Religion in American Life) Reviews
-
A capable introduction to the history of Jews in America. Brief and readable, it provides a great overview of the dominant narrative of this history. I particularly like Diner's transnational interpretation, which I've found lacking in other overview books, and her inclusion of primary sources, though I wish she had interpreted them a little more.
My primary criticisms are unavoidable in a book of this length, primarily presenting all American Jews as a homogenous group. This was most glaring when discussing "minchag America" and the issue of Zionism. The spotlight is on Conservative and Reform Jews, with little discussion of Orthodox Jews and only a single mention each of Hasidic and Reconstructionist Jews. (And yet, amusingly, Mordecai Kaplan is repeatedly introduced three times, as if he was not mentioned previously.) Regarding Israel, Diner presents all Jews as solidly and unwaveringly Zionist, which is simply not true. Additionally, Diner presents a wholly triumphalist view, which ignores the many times American Jews were on the wrong side of history. Hardly a mention of Jewish Confederates, a description of suburbanization that ignores the larger context of white flight, and a constant focus on Jews who achieved "the American Dream" that feeds into the stereotype of Jews as success stories.
For those who have never studied American Jewish history, this is a good way to dip your toes in, but don't let it be the only thing you read on the topic. Fortunately, Diner includes a great bibliography at the end for further reading! -
read this (we only needed to read like 3/4ths) of this for my jews in film class. very interesting history
