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An overview of the new American Jewish landscape
American Jewry is currently experiencing conspicuous and dramatic change. While Jews first came to America almost 400 years ago, the turn of the twentieth century saw a widespread integration of Judaism into American culture. Yet, over the past few decades, several of its familiar features have changed, including its religious and organizational structure, the extent to which Jews of color are integrated into the community, how the relationship with Israel has evolved, and its approaches to gender roles and the LGBTQ+ community.
Featuring up-to-date and groundbreaking additions by a powerhouse group of experts on various aspects of contemporary Judaism, The State of American Jewry describes the current nature of American Jewish life. Jews have repeatedly seen themselves on the verge of disappearing, leading to innovative responses and adaptations to the changing world around them. This volume examines the increasing diversity of the Jewish people, the varied nature of Jewish religious practice, and the changing ways Jews affiliate with regard to denominations and charitable giving, as well as how they are confronting antisemitism. A seminal text on Judaism in the twenty-first century, The State of American Jewry provides evidence of a dynamic community’s adaptability in a period of substantial change.
— Bruce A. Phillips, author of Brookline: The Evolution of an American Jewish Suburb
"Greenspahn has assembled an impressive group of scholars to address the core issues facing Jews. From innovative forms of outreach involving Jews by choice to a rigorous analysis of Orthodoxy, we are introduced to the complexities and challenges facing America’s Jews and the institutions that serve and represent them."
— Steven F. Windmueller, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion
"A rich and rewarding snapshot of the American Jewish community."
"Today’s American Jewish community has numerous challenges, some that we have been debating in circles for decades and others that have been largely off the radar of communal institutions until recently. Frederick E. Greenspahn’s edited volume, The State of American Jewry, provides a useful introduction to many of these issues."
"Distinctive and impressive in its coverage of issues often neglected in scholarly discourse… The contributing authors here offer fresh perspectives within the context of an era and place that promotes individualism and mobility."