Topic: Politics
The Oxford Handbook of American Jewish History
Click the link below and use code “AUFLY30” for 30% off.
Though never more than a tiny percentage of the population, Jews have been persistent–if perplexing–participants in the American community at least since they first arrived in New Amsterdam in 1654. This volume creates a vibrant dialogue among the varied approaches to the study of American Jews, taking stock of the field and working to move it forward in conversation with American history and modern Jewish history. Its authors are drawn from the ranks of the senior scholars who pioneered American Jewish history, often from the vantage point of other areas of study, as well as younger scholars, both those trained as historians and those studying American Jews from other disciplines. The Handbook will act as a guide for outside scholars looking to understand American Jews and for those within American Jewish history interested in up-to-date accounts of key themes in the field. Its essays explore a variety of conceptual frameworks that have been and continue to be important for understanding American Jews and move forward into the arena of American Jewish studies, highlighting how new methodologies can enhance scholarly understandings. Taken as a whole, the Oxford Handbook of American Jewish History makes a compelling case for the importance of this community for American and world histories.
A Rabbi, A Sociologist, and an Israel Educator Walk into a Bar: Our Jewish Moment, On the Rocks
Rabbi Katie Bauman, Dr. Ilana Horwitz, and Israel Educator Elhanan Brown discuss the Jewish future in a post-October 7th world, responding to key challenges facing American Jews, Israeli Jews, and the relationship between Jews in these two centers of Jewish life in the 21st century.
Beinner Annual Symposium
Contextualizing Antisemitism in Today’s American Jewish Landscape (2025) The Annual Beinner Symposium unites leading scholars and practitioners from diverse fields—including history, literature, economics, sociology, journalism,
Pious Pupils in America Perform Better
Religion is making a comeback in American public schools, and Republicans are leading the charge. In April Ron DeSantis, Florida’s governor, signed a bill to allow clergy in public schools (Texas and Louisiana have passed similar laws). In June Louisiana passed a law requiring that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public-school classroom. A week later Oklahoma’s state superintendent directed all public schools to teach the Bible.
Presentation and Panel Discussion – The End of the Golden Age of American Jews
Presentation and Panel Discussion Regarding Franklin Foer’s recent article, “The Golden Age of American Jews is Ending” with Dr. Ilana Horwitz, Dr. Naomi Yavneh-Klos, and Rabbi Katie Bauman at Touro Synagogue. This goes with the pdf article of the same name.
Dr. Lawrence J. Kanter Lecture – Dr. Mike Cohen Lecture at SJHS
In 2021, Dr. Lawrence J. Kanter made by the largest single philanthropic gift in the society’s history. Dr. Kanter has been a long-time member of the society, as well as an active contributor to Jewish life in the Jacksonville area where he has worked and lived for more than 30 years. His gift will support lectures and research grants through the society, as well as the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans and the Department of Jewish Studies at Tulane University, Larry’s alma mater, to whom he gave similar gifts recognizing our joint desire to impact the future of southern Jewish scholarship. The second Kanter lecture was given in October 2022 by Dr. Michael Cohen during the society’s annual conference in Charleston, SC.
Field Update: Studies on Jewish American Art
When I set out to write this essay, the first thing I did was check for recent dissertations on Jewish American art. I was surprised by what I found—or didn’t find. A keyword search for “Jewish American art” yielded only a handful of results. I had expected to find studies that treat Jewishness as part of a multifaceted picture of American art or of an artist’s oeuvre. But art history departments were producing very few indeed.