Journal #13As the communities started forming in America, American society became a strong influence on the Jewish culture. Congregations started to become americanized, thus assimilation has prevailed as usual. The American culture always had affected the different types of cultures and minorities that have culivated here. At first in America certain dietary needs and religious practices were not recognized by the governemnt.
Yet the Jews remanined strong as the community was beginning to establish it’s roots, such as the creation of Jewish schools. It was important for the Jewish people to have somewhere in thier new place to feel comfortable, which was the synagogue. The Jeiwsh people were limited onpower when they first immigrated to Americ, but this aspect did not deter then from establishing a community. But it is impressive how strong a how a very small community was and is in America. Another spect of the Jewidsh community that is impressive and it has been this way since the immigrants moved here is how strong the Jewish people feel about thier religion and how it has been and still is a very importnant aspect of thier lives.
It seems as though the Jewish Americans may feel so disconnected from a large Jewish population , as compared to the nations’ population is the reason that it is such a big deal for so many Jews to marry within thier religion and raise thier kids Jewish. Journal # 15The whole issue of America at that time being seen as a “godless country” that would turn Charle’s son into a secular person was a big concern of his parent then they agreed to send him to America. The brother actually was a prime example of the fear of many European Jews at that time. Asa, Charles’ brother, in the reader’s first encounter with him, proves that he had some loss of his religion because he had him and his borther work on Sabbath. But Asa’s decision to no observe the Sabbath was no indication of how Charles would lead his life in terms of religion. In fact, it is funny how different the two brother’s life would be when dealing with the religious aspect.
Ironically though, his brother impacted Charles’ future decisions and particiapotion in the community by introdcuing peddling to him. Through this profession, he met gentiles and his positive encounter with them affected his decision to educate non-Jews on his religion and teach tolerance. Charles’ deep passion for teaching gentiles and showing them that Jews are more than capable of positions in politics, business, and other occupations. Many Jewish leaders focused on uniting the small Jewish community, while this was important to Charles, it was almost more or as important to him as was promiting the Jewish community in the gentile majority. Charles also was active in creating a stronger and closer Jewish community in America, which helped to combat what his parents had originally feared when sending him.
