Description: This Companion provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the most important and interesting historical and contemporary facets of Judaism in America. Written by twenty-four leading scholars from the fields of religious studies, history, literature, philosophy, art history, sociology, and musicology, the survey adopts an inclusive perspective on Jewish religious experience. Three initial chapters cover the development of Judaism in America from 1654, when Sephardic Jews first landed in New Amsterdam, until today.
Brief description: Dana Evan Kaplan is one of the most prolific scholars writing in the field of American Judaism and contemporary Jewish studies generally. He is the author of American Reform Judaism, Platforms and Prayerbooks and Contemporary Debates in American Reform Judaism. He speaks widely throughout the United States, and has been the Scholar in Residence at numerous synagogues.
Review Quotes: "One of the best features of this book is its usefulness to both scholars and the casual reader." -- American Reference Books Annual