What Does It Mean To Be Jewish In America . Also Known

What does it mean to be Jewish in America? Also known as the land of immigrants, America houses over 11.4 million immigrants, comprising roughly 13.3% of its population. It is also home to the largest number of minorities in the world, including religious, ethnic, and racial minorities. Amongst these reside approximately 5.4 million Jews, accounting for about 1.4% of the American population. However, are these figures and statistics enough to accurately depict what it means to be Jewish in America? By religious belief, Jewish people trace their origin all the way back to Abraham, who spread the message of the Oneness of God. However, the documented origin of Judaism started with the conquest of Joshua in 1250 B.C. The presence of Jews in†¦show more content†¦The early waves of Jewish immigration and immigration restriction were followed by the Holocaust, which destroyed most of Europe’s Jewish community. This turned America into the home of the largest Jewish diaspora in the world. On a theological level, American Jews are divided into a number of Jewish denominations that the majority belongs to: Reform Judaism, Conservative Judaism, and Orthodox Judaism. The Jewish community continued to grow and prosper during the 21st century, paying their fair share and participating in all walks of life. Excelling in education, science, performing arts, economics, and virtually all other fields of the society, the Jews have made themselves quite a name. A surprisingly common perception (keeping in mind the Jewish population is merely 1.3%) is that Jews have a big hand in controlling the US economy. In the article by Nathan Guttmann, he talks about the ‘Four Jews Shaping the US Economy,’ as he mentions the four Jews in America’s top offices concerning the economy. These include: the Office of the Treasury Secretary, Director of the National Economic Council of the White House, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, and the Office of Management and Budget. This article is a very typical example of how a common American on the streets looks at a Jew: a minority in charge of a country comprised of over 320 million. The list of wealthy Jews who own corporations worth billions is presented as evidence for this argument. In theShow MoreRelatedBiography and Book Report on Shaul Magid1610 Words   |  6 PagesSchottenstein Chair of Jewish Studies in Modern Judaism at Indiana University. In addition, on the site he says that he grew up in a secular Jewish household in New York and then become serious about religion at the age of 20 in which he dove deeply into the world of Hasidism. He says that he is fascinated by the complex nexus of Judaism and American counterculture of his youth and writes about the topic as a scholar rather then an observer. 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