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The history of Judaism and the Jewish people is intertwined with the history of the world in which they lived. In spite of being persecuted, reviled and shunned at one time or another by every country where they sought dignity and the right to thrive, the Jews survived and flourished.
The foundation for the resilience of the Jewish people is in Judaism’s focus on a set of codes rather than on the temple or a priest. According to Jewish scholar Eli Burnbaum, these codes transformed the religion to one based on knowledge and leadership rather that family lines. The writing and compilation of the Oral Law into the Mishna and Talmud – the code of regulation in all Jewish life – also helped to unite and build Judaism’s modern foundation.
In America, another important contribution to the Jewish people’s unique view of themselves came from the Menorah Journal between 1915 and 1925. The publication stressed the importance of Jewish ethnicity and culture and contributed to the revival of American Jews’ recognition of their identity and uniqueness. The success of Jews in the United States is based on being accepted and the freedom to prosper. The culture has effectively united ethnic identity with the heritage of American citizenship
World-wide, Jewish values and culture remain strong. One of the core values of Judaism has always been philanthropy, which was originally directed at helping poor Jews. Today, that philanthropy is focused on hospitals, higher education and Israel. Professionally, the highest numbers of Jews find their calling in business, academia and politics – areas in which they have historically excelled.
