Cultural History of Jews in California

Description

The aim of this collection of essays is to stress the cultural aspects of the Jewish experience of coming to, and living in, the Golden State. The contributors explore how the Jews who settled in California helped shape the state's culture and were, in turn, molded by cultural influences that were uniquely Californian. While this volume looks at the Jewish experience in California in general, particular emphasis is placed on Southern California where the Casden Institute, originators of The Jewish Role in American Life series of annual reviews, is based. The collection presents choice snapshots of how life developed and changed for Jews in California as California itself evolved and grew.
FOREWORD

EDITORIAL INTRODUCTION

Isaias Hellman and the Creation of California, by Frances Dinkelspiel

A Twice-Told Journey: Sarah Newmark in the Russian Polish Shtetl—How a Jewish California Matron Confronted Her European Heritage, by Karen S. Wilson

Postscript: The Western States Jewish History Archives, by Gladys Sturman and David Epstein

From Civic Defense to Civil Rights: The Growth of Jewish American Interracial Civil Rights

Activism in Los Angeles, by Shana Bernstein

The Third Temple: Iranian Jews and the Blessings of Exile—A Personal Memoir, by Gina Nahai

Jewish Homegrown History: In the Golden State and Beyond, by Marsha Kinder

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS

ABOUT THE USC CASDEN INSTITUTE

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Judaism
• Religion
• History

Informations

• Publié par: Purdue University Press
• Date de parution: 16 décembre 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781612496641
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

A Cultural History of Jews in California

The Jewish Role in American Life

An Annual Review

A Cultural History of Jews in California

The Jewish Role in American Life

Pubsed by e Purdue Unversy Press or e USC Casden ïnsue or e Sudy o e Jews Roe n Amercan Le

An Annual Review

Volume 7

Bruce Zuckerman,Editor Wam Devere,Guest Editor Lsa Anse,Associate Editor

© 2009 by e Unversy o Souern Caorna Casden ïnsue or e Sudy o e Jews Roe n Amercan Le. A rgs reserved.

Production Editor, Maryn Lundberg

Cover poto: ïsaas Heman n San Francsco, c. 1890s. Potograper unknown. Coection o Cristiane de Bord.

ïSBN 978-1-55753-564-1 ïSSN 1934-7529

Pubsed by Purdue Unversy Press Wes Laayee, ïndana www.epress.purdue.edu [e-mail]

Prned n e Uned Saes o Amerca.

For subscrpon normaon, ca 1-800-247-6553

FOREWORD

EDITORIAL INTRODUCTION

Frances Dinkelspiel ïsaas Heman and e Creaon o Caorna

Karen S. Wilson A wce-od Journey: Sara Newmark n e Russan Pos Se—How a Jews Caorna Maron Conroned Her European Herage

Gladys Sturman and David Epstein Posscrp: he Wesern Saes Jews Hsory Arcves

Shana Bernstein From Cvc Deense o Cv Rgs: he Grow o Jews Amercan ïnerraca Cv Rgs Acvsm n Los Angees

Gina Nahai he hrd empe: ïranan Jews and e Bessngs o Exe—A Persona Memor

Marsha Kinder Jews Homegrown Hsory: ïn e Goden Sae and Beyond

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS

ABOUT THE USC CASDEN INSTITUTE

Contents

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Begnnng w our prevous voume o e CasdenAnnua Review(Voume 6), e annua pubcaon o e Casden ïnsue or e Sudy o e Jews Roe n Amercan Le, e edors decded o ocus on a snge opc and o presen arces a argey consder aspecs o a opc aone. ha voume, subed, he Impact o te Hoocaust in America, was very we receved and gave us e opporuny o expore an area o Soa-sudes a ad no been we em- paszed prevousy. W s voume (Voume 7), we connue s pocy o ocusng on a snge opc, bu n s case e opc we ave urned o s, que eray, coser o ome: e Jews roe n Caorna e. here are wo aspecs o s voume a mer speca noce. Frs, e am o e coecon o essays and sudes n s voume s nended o sress ecuturao e Jews experence o comng o and vng n e aspecs Goden Sae. We canno ope o presen n s med venue a compreensve and deaed sory o ow Jews came o ve n Caorna,per se. Raer,  s our more med goa o consder a number o nsgu perspecves on ow e Jews, wo seed n Caorna, eped sape e Goden Sae’s cuure and were, n urn, emseves moded by cuura nluences a were unque- y Caornan. Second, we s voume ooks a e Jews experence n Caorna n genera—noneeess, parcuar empass s paced onSoutern Caorna. Bo ese concerns, o course, are naura ones or e Casden ïnsue o consder. Frs o a, e ocus on Caorna smpy oows—a- oug n more geograpca dea—e overa mandae o e Casden ïnsue, o consder e speca par a Jews ave payed n e cuure o er adoped omeand. Moreover,  seems enrey approprae a an ns- ue a resdes a e Unversy o Souern Caorna soud ook ou a e Jews roe n s speca sae as seen rom e perspecve o s even more speca, oca negborood. ATer a, Jews payed (and connue o pay) a no- abe roe n budng and deînng wa Souern Caorna s and, beyond s, wa we magne  o be. We îrmy beeve a ere s someng speca abou e Jews roe n Caorna and even more so n Souern Caorna— a ere on e ower eT-coas Jews ave ad an Amercanzaon experence a s sgnîcany dferen rom a wc Jews ave experenced esewere

vii

viii

he Jewis Roe in American Lie

n e USA. Conversey, Souern Caorna woud be que a dferen pace wou e Jews wo made  er ome. We begn our cuura sory a a cruca momen n Caorna so- ry, e md-nneeen cenury n e aTer-gow o e Caorna God Rus, were we encouner a European Jews emgran, res of e boa, wo coud (and dd) ge a cance o make a orune n e puebo o Los Angees and, n dong so, eped deîne wa Caorna s. We concude  w a persona medaon rom one o e aes group o reugees o come o e wes, e ïranan Jews wo were orced ou o er ancen omeand some ry years ago and wo ound n Souern Caorna a parcuary ospabe (ye no ess dIcu) pace o ranspan er cuura roos. ïn beween, we are reaed o a ew coce snapsos o ow e deveoped and canged or Jews n Caorna as Caorna se evoved and grew. Bu  s voume proves one ng or sure,  s s: a we ave ony jus begun o scrac e surace o a rc bu argey unknown cuura resource. A bes, s voume can ony gve us a n o wa we ave ye o earn. he mpeus or sAnnua Reviewcame n no sma par rom a gran a e Casden ïnsue gave o my proessora coeagues a USC, Wam Devere and Marsa Knder, wo needed a e undng o acae er brng- ng ogeer n an ordery and academc ason some o e prmary source maera on e Jews wo seed n Caorna and especay e souern par o e sae. One produc o s gy successu researc efor was a desre on er par o pu s voume ogeer o serve as a sowcase o wa ey and er coeagues ave earned and wa researc opporunes ey connue o pursue. Pro. Knder, n an arce a e concuson o s voume, n parcuar, ounes an ambous pan o deveop a Jews “omegrown sory” a begns n Caorna bu nends o span e enre counry. Pro. Devere as aken on e speca responsbes o servng as gues edor or s voume, and e as managed s mporan ask w grea proessonasm. ï am parcuary grae- u o m or a e many ours o efor e as nvesed n makng s voume someng we are a que proud o. ï aso ws o ank Assocae Drecor o e Casden ïnsue, Lsa Anse wo, as Assocae Edor o s voume, as done so many e ngs (and que a ew bg ngs oo!) o make s voume beer and e Casden ïnsue beer. My ongme assocae Maryn J. Lundberg, pro- ducon edor or s voume, as broug everyng ogeer w er usua, awesome eIcency. Bo Lsa and Maryn no ony made s voume possbe, bu eac o em as nvesed consderabe efor no keepng my e rom be- comng mpossbe.

Foreword

ix

Speca anks aso goes o Howard Gman, e Dean o e Coege o Leers Ars & Scences and C. L. Max Nkas, Provos, or er connung vson or e Casden ïnsue as an negra and vbran par o USC. Susan Wcox, Assocae Dean or Coege Advancemen connues o be my wses o wse counseors. As o s wrng, we ave jus earned a e ongme Presden o USC, Seven B. Sampe, w be rerng n 2010. Presden Sampe’s suppor and enusasm or a aspecs o researc reevan o Jews sudes on our campus—rom ancen mes o modern mes—as been a key acor o e advancemen o e îed a our unversy. As s e case or so many aca- demc eemens a make USC e grea cener o earnng a  s ever be- comng, e Casden ïnsue owes an endurng deb o graude o Presden Sampe. ï reserve a îna word or a ew speca peope, wo n many ways are e embodmen o wa s voume o e CasdenAnnua Reviewa abou: s Ru Zeger, Carmen Warscaw, Kenne Levena, Saney God and Aan Casden. Eac one o em as been a major orce a USC and n Souern Caorna, no ony or e advancemen o Jews Sudes and e Casden ïnsue, bu or e pursu and advancemen o exceence n our regon and, ndeed, n e word. We are a very orunae a ey, oo, aong w er ames and oved ones, ound er way o Souern Caorna were ey coud bud a e a s bo dsncy Jews and dsncy Caornan. ï s nsgu o noe a ï ave aways been asked by Aan Casden o use my u e—no jus Drecor o e Casden ïnsue, buMyron and Marion CasdenDrecor. Myron and Maron are Aan Casden’s parens, and  s cear a e sees e pursus o e Casden ïnsue as beng a speca om- age o em—s way o acknowedgng ow muc e owes s success o er efors as Jews and Amercans, o înd a producve roe n our counry. Aan Casden’s persona sory s, n mcrocosm, a relecon o e greaer sory o e Jews conrbuon o Amerca (and especay o Souern Caorna)—a sory a n macrocosm mers e knd o academc recognon and careu sudy a s voume nends o represen. ï ereore seems a e more ap- proprae o dedcae s voume o Aan Casden and s parens Myron and Maron Casden, wose roe n e e o Souern Caorna, Amerca and e word s someng or wc ose o us wo were born and rased n Los Angees can be mos graeu.

Bruce Zuckerman,Myron and Marian Casden Director