Photoessay #2823 - American Judaism

I've been working on the book all week.  I had to read it before I could write to the author.  The academic community can be quite derogatory and critical.  "What's missing is", "Your argument lacks," etc.  From where I stand, it's a step up.  Because I'm at least on the  radar in the smallest sort of way.  It's like losing to UW in small claims court but at least you made them come downtown.  They still read my paper.  I know that I'm not the shining star, the brilliant scholar.  But I can play at it for awhile, can't I? 

Remember my previous mantra "I'm all about the arts and I'm not going to let my lack of talent stop me."

The book has exhausted me.  It's really an institutional history about all of the many many twists, turns and varieties of Jewish activities, movements, trends, power battles, diversity in the United States.  I still have 50 pages to go.  He mentions movements and topics that I encountered and then forgot about.  And also things, especially in the Orthodox arena that I've never remotely heard about.

My personal issue is Locating Myself.

My question to the author will be about Maier Zunder's affiliation with the German-American Association in late 19th century New Haven.

What strikes me is how varied and complex the Jewish experience and related institutional history has been.  Would a Protestant group have so much texture?

Sarna declares that the Conservative movement won the battle for the suburban Jews in the 1950s and 1960s.  That's not my experience; seems to me that I saw Reform almost completely.  But he writes from the east coast point of view.  Where most of the Jews live and lived.  My experience comes from the west coast.