Myths, Legends, and Monuments: The Popular Legacy of Early American Jewish History

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LILLIAN AND ALBERT SMALL CAPITAL JEWISH MUSEUM
Presented by Michael Hoberman
Professor of American Literature, Fitchburg State University

Join us to explore how Jewish experiences in early America, during the Revolution, the era of slaveholding in the early republic and antebellum period, and the push westward, have been imagined, commemorated, and often mythologized. We’ll look at how stories about relationships between Jews and Native Americans, as well as Jews and Black Americans, are reinterpreted through the lens of today’s political climate. Along the way, we will consider how the narratives Americans tell about early Jewish life shape the way we understand the racial and cultural complexities of the present.

Hoberman will examine contemporary popular portrayals of Jewish history in the United States, from historical novels to the interpretation of early synagogues and house museums. And he’ll introduce us to present-day descendants of early American Jews who reflect on how their genealogical backgrounds inform their own identities.

Timely and original, this talk will help us see how the ways non-specialists interpret and represent the past play a powerful role in shaping Jewish American history and identity.