The independent orders of B'nai B'rith and True Sisters : pioneers of a new Jewish identity, 1843-1914 / Cornelia Wilhelm ; translated by Alan Nothnagle and Sarah Wobick.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wilhelm, Cornelia, 1964-

Standardized Title:

Deutsche Juden in Amerika. English

Language:

English

German

Subjects (All):

Jews, German--United States.

Jews, German.

B'nai B'rith.

United Order of True Sisters.

United States.

Physical Description:

xi, 361 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Detroit : Wayne State University Press, [2011]

Summary:

Wilhelm (history and Jewish studies, Emory U.) explores the origin and early development of a secular organization of Jewish Americans founded in New York City. B'nai B'rith, Hebrew for Sons of the Covenant, signaled the integration of American Judaism into both the public sphere and the civil self-image of the US, she says, and emphasized civil virtues such as reason, education, character, morality, and humanity as elements of a modern Jewish identity. The Independent Order of True Sisters was formed three years later, and she traces the history of each separately. The original Deutshe Juden in Amerika was published by Steiner Verlag in 2007 and has been translated by Alan Nothnagle and Sarah Wobick. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Contents:

1 The Independent Orders of B'nai B'rith and True Sisters, 1843-50 13

The Independent Order of B'nai B'rith, 1843 23

The Independent Order of True Sisters, 1846 41

2 B'nai B'rith as Platform for an American Jewish Identity, 1850-75 57

Growth, Development, and Function of the Order 57

The Order and the Shaping of American Judaism 72

3 Hie Lodges at the Center of Jewish Identity Formation 115

Community Building, Self-definition, and Representation 115

Civil Self-awareness and "Becoming American" 117

The Development of a Jewish Social Service System and Modern Jewish Identity 128

True Sisters and Modern Jewish Womanhood 147

4 B'nai B'rith as Mass Organization, 1875-1900 165

Identity Crisis, Disintegration, and New Departures 165

B'nai B'rith and the Reform Movement 187

True Sisters and die Formation of a Jewish Women's Movement 202

5 Adapting to New Challenges, 1900-1914 217

B'nai B'rith and the Progressives 217

Representing Jewish Interests in America 233.

Notes:

Translation of: Deutsche Juden in Amerika by Cornelia Wilhelm. Stuttgard, Germany : Steiner Verlag, c2007.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780814334034

0814334032

OCLC:

682145542