Eth 125 - Jewish Americans

Jewish Americans

Erica Trammell

ETH125

July 31, 2011

Jere Wilson

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As I look back on the life of Jewish Americans I have realized how of a great people they are. While I was listening to my family talk about them it made me appreciate how strong willed they are. They are a group of people that was high on preserving the religion and staying together thru all test and trials that may come there way. I have realized that the struggles that they endured for me and my generation has only made us a stronger group of people. Thru all the heartache and pain the Jewish Americans have become some of the most productive and respectable group of people within the United States. There contributions and services that they render on a daily bases has been a big part in the United States advancement and growth.

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Let me start off saying a little about my ancestry history. My family came from Israelites of Southern Levants, but some say that they came from the Middle East. My family and I are original descendants of Abraham. I was sitting down and talking to my family when they started telling me about some events that happened in their lives. "The Jews remained faithful to Judaism, and the Ten Commandments until the Babylonians captured them in 586 BCE." In 63 BCE we were a thriving culture in Palestine until the Romans came on the scene. Whereas the Romans were the dominant people, we had 100 years of oppression and violence brought upon us. When the Jewish Temple was destroyed then we decided to start migrating in 70 CE. The Romans officially banned Judaism in 135 CE. That is when all the Jews started going their separate ways. My family did tell me that out of all that happened

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to the Jews they were people who wanted to preserve their religion and there community life in a unified manner.

My family was part of the first Jewish immigrants who came to America in 1654. They came here because of the changing of political views and economic hardship. "When 1776 came around there were 2500 Jews in America." The Jews that had money did not migrate to America they chose to go to areas such as: Vienna and Berlin. My family and others decided that when they came to America they were coming here to have a better life. In 1935-1941 150,000 Jews came to America. These Jews were middle-class, middle aged professionals and