HIST 4430 - American Jewish History

4 Credit Hours
Description
This course surveys the Jewish experience in the United States, examining the religious, cultural, political, and economic activities of American Jews from the colonial period to the present. Students will explore the ways Jewish tradition has been adapted in America, what the relationship of American Jews has been to other Americans, and how American Jewish identities have been created from modern Jews’ dual impulses for integration and distinctiveness. The course will include a significant examination of issues of regional identity, with particular focus upon the Southern Jewish experience. We will explore Jewish relationships with black and white gentile southerners, as well as southern Jews’ embrace of southern culture and southern identity. This course will also familiarize students with the excellent resources on Atlanta Jewish history available at local archives.