Jewish Assimilation Essay -- essays research papers

Has assimilation been bad for Judaism?Samuel Heilman make it clear that materialistic gain has led to the fall of Judaic culture. study Jews turned their religious lives solely to con figure out to theCatholic American club? Heilman gives the argument that since Jews acquiremoved up the socio-economic ladder, they actually lost decoct on what it involves tobe a Jew. One must get-go answer the question of what is being Judaic? Is itsimply something inherited? Does it mean living ones life solely regarding whatthe Torah tells one to do? Is the answer such(prenominal) more complicated than practiseingrules, which were built for a time that was all different? The Jewishreligion has lasted thousands of years, which were filled with intolerance andmurder, why is Samuel Heilman blaming the uninvolved Jews of today for being differentthan their predecessors? One must look at events, which Jews down had to endure,to fully comprehend the nature of why they have changed so vastly. Jews came tothe get together States to escape persecution and gain economic security, why betheir grandchildren complain of the state of Judaism, 100 years later?Since the beginning of time Jews have endured anti-Semitic regimes, whichkilled Jews merely for being Jewish. A clear illustration would be the past 150years, which later involved a mass migration of Jewish people, to the UnitedStates. Jews beganGergely 2 leaving Europe because laws did not allow them to havecommon freedoms, which we take for granted presently. Jews subsequently came tothe United to escape persecution. Jews came from countries as different asRussia and Germany with two common bonds. Religion and having endured some formof persecution. Experiencing the pains of persecution, prepared Jews for anypossible experience awaiting them in the United States.Most Jews arrived in Ellis Island without a penny in their pocket. Jewssettled in a part of New York that was called The Lower vitamin E Side. Jews chosethe Lo wer East Side, because it was the only place one could arrive and not haveto instantly assimilate into American society. These Jews began theireconomic endeavors with the only profession they knew, commerce. Trade wastheir main form of economic gain, the only profession that was allowed inEurope. In America, Jews had to follow the American govt., instead of theKahilla. Not being singled out meant that Jews had to pu... ...past. Jews have responded byliving in the United States peacefully and together with people of separatereligions. Cultural assimilation does not mean the end of Judaism. It meansJews forget now be able to spread their word of God, without prejudice. Presently,there are less restrictions on Judaic practice, than in the past. This willultimately demand to the distribution of the Jewish practice not its demiseGergely 12ReferencesAmerican Council For Judaism A Statement of Policy. Feb. 1944Diner, Hasia R. A Time For Gathering Striving for The Sacred. The Johns Ho pkins University Press. Baltimore and London. 1992.Heilman, Samuel C. enactment of American JewsThe Last Half of the 20th Century. University of Washington Press. Seattle and London. 1995.Howe, Irving. A bank of Hope In the Movement. Harcourt Brace Jovanich,Publishers. San Diego, New York, London. 1982Prell, Ellen. Fighting to Become Americans The Jewish American Princess. Beacon Press. Boston. 1999.Revel, Bernard. Builder of American Orthodoxy The American Yeshiva. Publication ships company of America. Philadelphia. 1972.Sachar, Howard M. A History Of The Jews In America. Vintage Books. NY. 1992.