THE JEWISH AMERICANS

A HISTORY IN THEIR OWN WORDS 1650-1950

by Milton Meltzer ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

Some documentary material reflecting aspects of American Jewish history—but, as an entity, less coherent or substantial than Meltzer's various earlier books on the subject. A handful of selections show Jews confronting historical anti-Semitism: Asser Levy's appeal to the New Amsterdam authorities for the Jews' "burgher rights"; the protest of three Paducah, Ky., Jews, to Lincoln, against Grant's order expelling Jews from the Tennessee district; a rabbi's memoir of bucking Klan agitation in 1920s Indiana. A considerable number, especially of early date, attest to Jewish participation in mainstream American events—the Revolution (a patriot, a Tory), the Mexican War, Western settlement, the Gold Rush. Also of this ilk are Ernestine Rose's 1832 feminist speech and August Bondi's recollection of John Brown. A very few derive, without Meltzer's precisely saying so, from particularly Jewish union or radical activity (Rose Schneiderman's Triangle Fire speech, Emma Goldman's protest against deportation). The largest number, however, are snippets of Jewish life. Haym Solomon (1783) tells an uncle, in Europe, "it is not in my power to give you or any relations yearly allowances." Harry Roskolenko recalls his first visit to the sweatshop where his father worked ("When the foreman laughed, everybody laughed. . ."); Mary Antin recalls her father's euphoria on the first day of school. These are classics of immigrant autobiography—and so is Maurice Hindus' awe at "the decorative and juice-soaked tomato," and other things American, or Charles Angoff's memory of his father's disdain for just such American things. The chronicles of more recent times mainly commemorate salient experiences (a Jewish G.I. at Buchenwald, an Auschwitz survivor, an American kibbutznik) and have little individual flavor. Not an especially auspicious group, then, or in any single way outstanding-except for some of those vivid and affecting immigrant impressions.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: 0690042272

Page Count: 200

Publisher: T.Y. Crowell

Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1982

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION