About this program:

2021 MELINDA ROSENBLATT LECTURE Jews and American Politics: Historical Ideals and Contemporary Realities, by Jonathan Sarna

Featuring: Jonathan Sarna

Jewish leaders used to insist that there was no such thing as “Jewish politics” in the United States: it does not exist and should not exist. The historical record going all the way back to Abraham Lincoln belies that picture. By focusing on presidential elections from the Civil War to the present, we will see that “Jewish politics” has a long and significant history that has shaped both Jews and American politics for over 150 years.

Focusing on presidential elections through history, Professor Jonathan Sarna explores the long and significant history of “Jewish politics” & the ways in which they have shaped both Jewish identity & American politics more broadly over the past 150 years.