A New Promised Land: A History of Jews in America(Religion in American Life)

"An excellent Afikoman gift for the teen or young adult at the seder... Diner...writes in a clear style that pulls together that diverse entity known as the American Jewish community."--The Chicago Jewish StarAn engaging chronicle of Jewish life in the United States, A New Promised Land reconstructs the multifaceted background and very American adaptations of this religious group, from the arrival of twenty-three Jews in the New World in 1654, through the development of the Orthodox, conservative, and Reform movements, to the ordination of Sally Priesand as the first woman rabbi in the United States. Hasia Diner supplies fascinating details about Jewish religious traditions, holidays, and sacred texts. In addition, she relates the history of the Jewish religious, political, and intellectual institutions in the United States, and addresses some of the biggest issues facing Jewish Americans today, including their increasingly complex relationship with Israel.

About the Author :
Hasia R. Diner is Paul S. and Sylvia Steinberg Professor in American Jewish History at New York University. She is the author of Hungering for America : Italian, Irish, and Jewish Foodways in the Age of Migration, Jewish Americans: The Immigrant Experience, Jews in America (OUP, 1999), In the Almost Promised Land: American Jews and Blacks, 1915-1935,, A Time for Gathering: The Second Migration, 1820-1880 and Her Works Praise Her: A History of Jewish Women in America from Colonial Times to the Present (with Beryl Lieff Benderly).

Review :
"Begins in 1654 with the arrival of 23 Jews in New Amsterdam and follows the changes in Jewish-American life up to the present day.... Clear and lively. A host of archival photos and reproductions enhance the presentation. The author does a good job of explaining the basic tenets of Judaism... The glossary, index, chronology, and suggestions for further reading are useful for reports, but the tone of the narrative is conducive to pleasure reading as well."--School Library Journal "Concise overview... informative history... This panoramic view of Jewish American history will interest and inform teen readers and researchers."--Booklist "An excellent Afikoman gift for the teen or young adult at the seder... Photographs and an attractive design invite both perusal and more in-depth reading... Diner...writes in a clear style that pulls together that diverse entity known as the American Jewish community."--The Chicago Jewish Star "Tells the fascinating story of how an ancient faith, despite trials, flourished and was reshaped in a new land..."--The Christian Science Monitor "Diner... addresses political and religious change with an unusual combination of clarity and complexity.... A good textbook provides the outlines of a broad history while laying the foundations for more detailed study. Jews in America does both very well. The book incorporates most of the figures, and many of the primary texts, that a student would encounter in a college-level survey of American Jewish history, yet it is neither convoluted nor cluttered. [It]... would also complement and enrich a more general class on American history or American ethnicity."--Religious Studies in Secondary Schools "Begins in 1654 with the arrival of 23 Jews in New Amsterdam and follows the changes in Jewish-American life up to the present day.... Clear and lively. A host of archival photos and reproductions enhance the presentation. The author does a good job of explaining the basic tenets of Judaism... The glossary, index, chronology, and suggestions for further reading are useful for reports, but the tone of the narrative is conducive to pleasure reading as well."--School Library Journal "Concise overview... informative history... This panoramic view of Jewish American history will interest and inform teen readers and researchers."--Booklist "An excellent Afikoman gift for the teen or young adult at the seder... Photographs and an attractive design invite both perusal and more in-depth reading... Diner...writes in a clear style that pulls together that diverse entity known as the American Jewish community."--The Chicago Jewish Star "Tells the fascinating story of how an ancient faith, despite trials, flourished and was reshaped in a new land..."--The Christian Science Monitor "Diner... addresses political and religious change with an unusual combination of clarity and complexity.... A good textbook provides the outlines of a broad history while laying the foundations for more detailed study. Jews in America does both very well. The book incorporates most of the figures, and many of the primary texts, that a student would encounter in a college-level survey of American Jewish history, yet it is neither convoluted nor cluttered. [It]... would also complement and enrich a more general class on American history or American ethnicity."--Religious Studies in Secondary Schools