History Now Essay American Independence and the Spanish Navy Manuel Lucena-Giraldo For the ministers in charge of the Spanish empire, the outbreak of the American Revolution was nothing short of unthinkable. In 1776, the rebellion of American colonists against Spain’s quintessential enemy, the British empire, was... Appears in: 68 | The Role of Spain in the American Revolution Fall 2023
History Now Essay American Jewish Origins, 1654-1820 Hasia Diner Religion and Philosophy A year after his inauguration as president, George Washington visited the Newport, Rhode Island Jewish Congregation, Jeshuat Israel, in 1790. He went in response to a letter he had received from the leaders of that synagogue as well... Appears in: 71 | The Jewish Legacy in American History Summer 2024
History Now Essay Alexander Hamilton and the Civic Status of Jews in the Early Republic Andrew Porwancher Government and Civics, Religion and Philosophy “I fear prepossessions are strongly against us,” Alexander Hamilton confided to his beloved wife, Eliza. “But we must try to overcome them.” That day, February 5, 1800, marked the beginning of a high-stakes trial in which Hamilton... Appears in: 71 | The Jewish Legacy in American History Summer 2024
History Now Essay Exiles by the Streams of Babylon: Newport Jews in the Colonial Era Michael Hoberman Newport, Rhode Island, wears its colonial past like a badge of honor. Visitors to its historic district encounter numerous plaques, markers, and monuments as they wend the town’s narrow and cobblestoned streets. As contemporary... Appears in: 71 | The Jewish Legacy in American History Summer 2024
History Now Essay Jewish Athletes and the Challenges of American Sports Jeffrey S. Gurock The world of American sports has long offered the athletically inclined Jew with grand opportunities for achievement, acceptance, and even glory within this country’s society. But the road to success on the track, in stadiums, or in... Appears in: 71 | The Jewish Legacy in American History Summer 2024
History Now Essay Hometown Societies in the New World: Jewish Landsmanshaftn and Americanization Daniel Soyer Religion and Philosophy Jacob Sholts, a Jewish immigrant from the Russian Empire, wandered dejectedly through the streets of New York in 1904. Sholts, who had fled Russia to avoid military service during the Russo-Japanese War, could not keep a job. He felt... Appears in: 71 | The Jewish Legacy in American History Summer 2024
History Now Essay The Jewish Health Professionals of Cincinnati Frederic Krome Science, Technology, Engineering and Math In studies of the significance of the Cincinnati Jewish community within the wider context of American Jewish history, the development of the Reform movement, and Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise’s oversight in establishing the iconic Plum... Appears in: 71 | The Jewish Legacy in American History Summer 2024
History Now Essay The Jewish Imprint on American Musical Theater Elizabeth Wollman Art Long celebrated as one of the most quintessentially American of entertainment genres, Broadway musicals delight audiences with glitz, glitter, and polish; send them home with at least a glimmer of hope; and celebrate America’s promise... Appears in: 71 | The Jewish Legacy in American History Summer 2024
History Now Essay The Role of Jewish Americans in the Civil Rights Movement Cheryl Greenberg American Jews played an outsized role in the Civil Rights Movement, both in number and prominence. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Rabbi Joachim Prinz spoke at the 1963 March on Washington. Of... Appears in: 71 | The Jewish Legacy in American History Summer 2024
History Now Essay From the Editor Carol Berkin Jewish Americans have made contributions to American society that far exceed their percentage of our country’s population. This is a minority culture that has touched every aspect of American society, from the arts, to medicine and... Appears in: 71 | The Jewish Legacy in American History Summer 2024