Blessings Of Freedom

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Since January, 1997 the American Jewish Historical Society has published a weekly feature, edited by Michael Feldberg entitled “Blessings of Freedom: Chapters in American Jewish History” in the English-language Forward and other newspapers. The present volume comprises 120 of the best columns, organized according to subject and period. The first three parts of the book focus on the era before the Civil War, when American Jewry was winning its political, religious and civil rights, demonstrating its patriotism and just beginning the struggle to balance Jewish identity with full participation in the promise of American Life. Part IV focuses on Jews in politics and on the impact of non-Jewish political leaders on the Jewish community. Part V deals with the varieties of American Judaism and the evolution of Jewish observance in this country. Part VI concerns American Jewry’s fight against the scourge of anti-Semitism at home and abroad. Parts VII through IX, the “American Jewish Pride” section of the book, recounts tales of accomplishment and triumph in sports, the war against disease, in building industries and labor unions and in helping to create a new nation in the State of Israel. “Blessings of Freedom” is not a complete history of American Jewry but a collection of vignettes and episodes that taken together line the overriding directions and tendencies of the much larger tapestry that comprises the American Jewish experience. Each chapter is a window through which the reader gets an interesting and illuminating glimpse at an important and often colorful aspect of the American Jewish story. Bibliographical information is given for those interested in learning more about the topic. “Blessings of Freedom” is recommended for young adults in addition to adult readers.