The Vision for the Future of American Jewry in The Modern Age by Salo Baron
In the excerpts presented in Glatzer from Salo Baron's essay, "The Modern Age," Baron describes his vision for the future of American Jewry. He questions whether an outbreak of anti-semitism will ultimately bring an end to Jewish life in America or, whether the American political system is such that that would be difficult. He says that some argue that an economic depression would once again make American Jewry what they had been so many times before, a scapegoat. Yet, his answer to that claim is,"while it is possible that some cataclismic anti-Jewish upheaval might some day put an end to American Jewry, it does not appear likely," (Baron, 735). He also dismantles the claim that such an "upheaval" would be the result of a low economic period, citing examples in American history where inspite of a recession, anti-Semitism did not become more prevalent.
He goes on to warn America's Jews that assimilation will not free them of their Jewishness. Regardless of what they absorb fromt the surrounding culture or how devoted they are to their nation, ultimately others will still see them as Jews. He says that those who opt to ignore their past will not shed themselves of their Jewishness, but rather suffer all of its misfortunes, without benefiting from its "magnificent heritage," (Baron, 736). For this too he cites examples from the Jewish past, the most obvious one, being that this essay was written in 1956, was German Jewry and the Holocaust.
Ultimately, Baron questions what American Jewry will have become in one century, being that neither complete assimilation, nor an anti-Semitic upheaval, are likely scenarios. He does not give an answer. What he says instead is that the
The author believes that the struggle of Jews vs anti-Semites is really just another form of the “rich vs poor struggle” which is existent through many societies in our modern era. The anti-Semites will take out their aggression against the Jews because Jews are an easy target. It is easier for an anti-Semite to accept that he works a hard job for little pay just to make a factory boss rich. However, the question is raised of what good would that do? The anti-Semite needs the job, so he can't quit, and causing an uproar towards his boss would only make him even more unhappy so instead, he channels his hatred in manageable ways, such as toward Jews.
In the essay “Judaism and Economic Reform”, Norman Solomon, a Jewish-American journalist, presents a compelling argument on the basis of the need for economic reform while providing simple religious base solutions. While discussing two major economic problems that plague the world’s current economy, Solomon introduces the Jewish view of the global economy and their general view on economics as a whole. With this introduction to the Jewish worldview of economics we as readers are able to transition into understanding Solomon’s solutions of education & using Jewish law to improve the current state of the global economy. Although Solomon’s ideas of education and relying on Jewish law to improve the global economy seem logical, Sallie McFague, a Christian theologian, provides a different yet similar viewpoint of improving the global economy in her essay “New House Rules: Christianity, Economics, and Planetary Living”. Her discussion of ecological and neo-classical economics forces the reader to revert back to Solomon’s essay to analyze his methods of fixing the current global economy.
New York: William Morrow. Lipsett, S. M. & Co., P.A. and Ladd, E. C. (1971) The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secon "Jewish Academics in the United States: Their Achievements, Culture and Politics." American Jewish Yearbook -. Cited for Zuckerman, Harriet (1977).
The book begins by giving a brief background into the setting of America at the onset of the war. It details an anti-Semitic America. It also explains most of the anti-Semitism as passive, which ordinarily would do little harm, but during a holocaust crisis became a reason for America’s inaction.
The Jewish Community. Publication Society, 1996. http://www. Wiesel, Elie. A.
Hertzberg, Arthur. (1973). The Jews of the United States. New York: Quadrangle/ The New York Times Book Co.
The Jewish State was a book written by Herzl in 1895, which gave reasons for the Jewish population to move from Europe to either Argentina or Israel and make a new Jewish state of their own. Herzl thought the Jewish people had obtained a solid national identity but lacked a nation with a political system of their own. With their own Jewish State, the Jews could be free to practice their religion and culture without the fear of anti-Semitism. In The Jewish State he wrote. Herzl suggested a plan for political action in which they would acquire the Jewish State. He believed Jews trying to assimilate into European society were wasting their time, because the majority would always decide their role in society. As the anti-Semitism in Europe grew, it became clear that the only way to solve the Jewish problem would be to create their own Jewish sta...
Anti-Semitism has been changed into countless forms and each of them mean something different but none of them take away any part of the cruelty that was placed on Jewish people. “In 1879, German journalist Wilhelm Marr originated the term antisemitism, denoting the hatred of Jews, and hatred of various liberal, cosmopolitan, and international political trends of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries often associated with Jews (Anti-Semitism).” “Anti-Zionism” is the hatred of Jews and “Anti Semitism” is discrimination of Israel and Zionism is racism (Lipset). Theses two terms can often be misused or misunderstood but the...
...he So-Called Mischlinge.” The Holocaust and History. Ed. Michael Berenbaum and Abraham J. Peck. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1998. 155-133.
...f society. The second point of view held that Jews were inherently bad and can never be salvaged despite any and all efforts made by Christians to assimilate them. These Christians felt that there was absolutely no possibility of Jews having and holding productive positions in society. All the aforementioned occurrences lead to the transformation of traditional Jewish communities, and paved the way for Jewish existence, as it is known today. It is apparent, even through the examination of recent history that there are reoccurring themes in Jewish history. The most profound and obvious theme is the question of whether Jews can be productive members of their country and at the same time remain loyal to their religion. This question was an issue that once again emerged in Nazi Germany, undoubtedly, and unfortunately, it is not the last time that question will be asked.
In the twenty first century there are still acts of anti-semitism going on today such as the jewish community center shooting that happened in Kansas City last month. The suspect that shot and killed three people was a member of the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) and he was a also a anti semitic. The Westboro Baptist church also targets jews while picketing outside of funerals and jewish meetings. Jews also still face opposition in Palestinian territories.
"Dehumanization of the Jews." . Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh , n.d. Web. 16 Dec 2013. .
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Mail, A.S. (1997). An Exploration of the Impact of the Israel Experience upon Bar/Bat Mitzvah Students: Rites of Passage for Progressive Jewish Teenagers. Journal of Progressive Judaism. Nov97, Issue 9, pg59-82.
Throughout history many groups of people have been ostracized for their appearance, religion, cultural, and social traits. Beginning in ¬¬¬pre-Christian society people of the Jewish faith have been blamed and alienated from society. Anti-Semitism, or hostility or prejudice against Jews was a distorted belief that changed course over history. Although in pre-Nazi Germany anti-Semitism was apparent, Hitler used propaganda to change anti-Semitism from some people having prejudice towards Jews to eventually the dehumanization and genocide of Jewish people.