From the variety of readings we have read and discussed in class, I believe the most stand-out question I have is in regards to the relationship between Jews and gentiles in the south. Historically, Jews and gentiles have had a negative or non-existent relationship. From the Crusades to the Holocaust, groups of gentiles have tried to diminish the Jewish population. However, in the United States I have understood that the anti-Semitism is still active, yet not everywhere. My question is if the southerns were as anti-Semitic as Europeans have been in the past.
From the KKK to anti-semitic riots, anti-Semitism has continuously prevailed in the states. In New York, the Jewish population is at a large, while in Tennessee the Jewish population is much smaller and the majority of the state's population is Christian. Thus, does that imply that the anti-Semitism is higher in Tennessee than in New York? Not necessarily, the culture in the south is very different from the north, which can create an unique dynamic between the two religions. That dynamic may be more segregated or more mixed. The relationship between gentiles and Jews in Tennessee is based on the religious levels of the groups and the communities they live in.
0 Comments
As a Jew from New York, I never felt like a minority. I was just like everyone else in my town and never felt unsure of my place in society. However, I was clearly just in a bubble and was blissfully unaware of all the anti-Semitism and prejudice against Jews in the world. Of course, I have heard about the stories and the horrible acts of violence that have and still go on, but never once had I personally in countered anti-Semitism until I was abroad last semester.
For a class trip, a group of us went to Poland for a few days. We first went to Krakow, and then to visit Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camp sites. Krakow was beautiful and full of history. However, as soon as we exited the city of Krakow, I felt a cold rush of judgment in the air. I felt unsure of my safety and sort of uncomfortable. After visiting the concentration camps, I was incredibly upset and rightfully so. The following day we met with Polish students from the town of Oswiecim, the town where Auschwitz is located, to discuss their connection to the Holocaust and the heritage of Jews in Poland. Most, if not all, of these students were Catholic and had little to no knowledge of the Holocaust, even though they lived less than 10 minutes away from one of the largest Nazi death camps. Nonetheless, that wasn't the most surprising aspect of talking to these students. Before talking to these Polish students, I decided not to mention that I was Jewish in order to get the most honest conversations. While chatting with the students, I asked what they thought about the harsh stereotype of Poland being anti-Semitic. At first, the students didn’t even know the term anti-Semitic, but once I defined it they responded, “ We aren’t anti-Semitic, we are just glad we don't have the Jews in our country anymore”. The students’ response chilled me to the core. I genuinely learned more about anti-Semitism that day than I did at Auschwitz and Birkenau combined. Even though I was completely horrified by the Polish students answer, I know for a fact that that would have easily happened in America today if I asked about racism. Although Jews are technically a minority, it is clear that racism and anti-African American acts are still a huge part of our past and current culture. So in reality, how different are those Polish students from students today who ridicule African American students? As the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, Jewish history and its roots are very important to me. I grew up with two Jews parents and lived in a fairly Jewish community. However culture and community was more important than the religion itself. I always knew I was German and where my family came from and even know where my great grandparents were born in Germany. Nevertheless, I didn't know anything about the roots and orgins of Jews in the South of the United States.
In Ferris and Greenberg's Jewish Roots in Southern Soil introduction, the reader is introduced to the background and history of Jews migrating to the south. I thought the introduction was very informative and useful knowledge to set the scene for the rest of the book. The editors proved dates of migration and origins, which helped me develop an idea of who was voyaging the south and why. I belive this book will offer answers to difficult questions no one has answered before. |
AuthorJunior at Emory University, blogging for course ENG389W with Professor Julienlass Blo Image from Pixabay pixabay.com/en/bread-baked-jewish-kosher-homemade-732276/
|