The Early Years
Before settling in New York, Jews went to this country in the Americas.
What is Brazil?
The Jewish Daily Forward was a popular newspaper that discussed news and politics of the day. It was an important outlet for labor activists in Jewish New York. Although it is published in English today, it was originally written in this language.
What is Yiddish?
What kind of synagogue is BHS? (Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Renewal, Unaffiliated)
What is Reform?
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, most Jews passed through Ellis Island and first settled in this Manhattan neighborhood.
What is the Lower East Side?
This teacher has been in arts school the last 6 years.
Who is Aviva?
Jews experienced this event – questioning of whether or not they were Jewish, torture, and killing if they did not convert – in Spain and Portugal. For this reason, they did not want to live under Portuguese rule and left South America.
What is the Inquisition?
What is Kosher meat?
URJ stands for ____________. It is an umbrella organization to coordinate programs and resources between synagogues, camps, schools, Israel engagement, social action, and other Jewish activities.
What is Union for Reform Judaism?
In 1860, the majority of Jews in New York City supported this institution. Many Jews worked in the financial industry and trade and thereby profited from it. It was against their financial interest to abolish it. They also did not want to risk drawing too much attention to themselves that would spur anti-Semitism.
What is slavery?
This teacher is learning to play guitar. This teacher might even practice at tefillah some time this spring!
Who is Adam?
Jews in Newport, Rhode Island wrote a letter to this man who then gave an address about the importance of freedom of religion. He said the US government would give "to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance."
Who is George Washington?
Jewish immigrants formed these kinds of groups in the US. Organized based on town of origin in Europe, Jews shared resources with each other, donating when they had plenty and asking for help when they had little. These kind of groups popped up again during the pandemic.
What are mutual aid societies?
This German Jewish immigrant established many Reform Jewish institutions - the URJ, Hebrew Union College. (Hint: Someone in our class shares his name.)
Who is Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise?
In the 1980s and 1990s, many Jews had left the Lower East Side, but the neighborhood remained a home for immigrants from this country. (Hint: Think of our field trip.)
What is China?
This teacher biked across the country.
Who is Aviva?
This Dutch governor wanted to kick all the Jews out of New Amsterdam, but the Dutch government said Jews had useful trading relationships. (Hint: A New York high school is named after him.)
Who is Peter Stuyvesant?
Immigrant Jews established these in the Bronx. Within their labor unions, they pooled resources together and bought a property. They collectively owned the property and organized political meetings, Jewish celebrations, English classes, and other community programs.
What is cooperative or co-op?
This group of Jews was seen as a middle way between the extremes of other Jewish sects. They believed in the importance of Jewish law but were also willing to make some adjustments for the sake of modern times.
What is Conservative Judaism?
Before Ashkenazic Jews from Eastern Europe came to America in large numbers, many Jews came from this country in the early 1800s. They were seeking to find prosperity because many of their jobs in the old country disappeared with industrialization.
What is Germany?
This teacher spent 4 and a half months living in Chile. He worked on farms, hiked, practiced Spanish, and explored another culture.
Who is Adam?
The oldest running synagogue in America is in Newport, Rhode Island. It looks like a colonial house on the outside and is well decorated on the inside. (Jews at that time did not want to stick out to their neighbors but freely expressed their religion within safe spaces.)
What is the Touro Synagogue?
This rabbi marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. in the Civil Rights Movement. He said, " For many of us the march from Selma to Montgomery was about protest and prayer...Even without words, our march was worship. I felt my legs were praying."
Who is Abraham Joshua Heschel?
Reform Jews gathered in this Ohio city to celebrate the first 4 graduates of Hebrew Union College. The menu was a decadent French meal with several non-Kosher items – crabs, shrimp, frog legs(!!!) – and contributed to a split where Reform Jews did not obey Jewish dietary laws. The event was called the Trefa Banquet.
What is Cincinnati?
This Jewish man was a US senator from Louisiana. He supported slavery and defended the South. During the Civil War, he was the third highest ranking official in the Confederacy. (Hint: He has the same first name as someone in our class.)
Who is Judah P. Benjamin?
What are the East Village and Crown Heights?