Lest Memory Cease

Book excerpt: In this groundbreaking study, Henry L. Feingold - one of the most prominent historians today - examines the special challenges facing American Jews. The twin processes of American acculturation and secularization have acted like a powerful whirlpool, pulling them away from their inherent sense of separateness as Jews. They became Americans. These thirteen essays examine the loss of Jewish identity and the survival anxiety it brought in its wake. Feingold tackles topics such as the impact of anti-Semitism in a pluralistic society, the impact of secularism on Jewish survivability, and American Jewish political culture, focusing on Jewish liberalism. As with all of Feingold's work, Lest Memory Cease forces the reader to examine a much-discussed topic in a brand new light.