Conversations with Colleagues - (North American Jewish Studies) by Jeffrey S Gurock (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Sixteen senior scholars of American Jewish history-among the men and women whose work and advocacy have moved their discipline into the mainstream of academia-converse on the intellectual and personal roads they have traveled in becoming leaders in their areas of expertise. Through their thoughtful and candid recollections of the challenges they faced in becoming accepted academics, they retell the story of how the study of the Jews and Judaism in the United States rose from being long dismissed as an amateurish enterprise not worthy of serious consideration in the world of ideas to its position today as a respected field in communication with all humanities scholars. They also imagine and chart the direction the writing on American Jews will take in the coming era.

Review Quotes

"This well-written and engaging book includes essays by sixteen leading Jewish historians including Hasia Diner, Stephen Whitfield, and Jonathan Sarna. ... the engaging essays in this excellent book demonstrate that the discipline of Jewish American History has truly arrived. Recommended for all libraries, especially those with interests in American Jewish history, American history in general, and Jewish studies." -David B. Levy, Lander College for Women, AJL Reviews May/June 2019