Book Description

Across three different centuries, the American Jewish Year Book has provided insight into major trends among Jews primarily in North America. Part I of the current volume contains two chapters: One is a critical assessment of the major American Jewish Population Surveys over the past fifty years (1970-2020). The second chapter is an assessment of the media coverage of Israel in the American Press. Subsequent chapters address recent domestic and international events as they affect the American Jewish community, and the demography and geography of the US, Canada, and World Jewish populations. Part II provides lists of Jewish institutions, including federations, community centers, social service agencies, national organizations, camps, museums, and Israeli consulates. The final chapters present lists of Jewish periodicals and broadcast media, Jewish Studies programs, books, journals, articles, websites, research libraries, and academic conferences as well as lists of major events in the past year, Jewish honorees, and obituaries. This volume employs an accessible style, making it of interest to public officials, Jewish professional and lay leaders, as well as the general public and academic researchers. The American Jewish Year Book is a tremendously useful resource for scholars, Jewish community professionals, pundits, clergy, and policy makers. For over a century, it has offered comprehensive insight into North American Jewish demography, sociology, and culture. It remains a vital source for comprehending the complexities of American and Canadian Jewish life. Robin Judd, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Hoffman Program for Leaders and Leadership in History, The Ohio State University The American Jewish Year Book is the first draft of history, documenting the trends and topics of interest for such an organized community. Looking through the 100+ volumes, we can track how discussions have changed over time, which concerns have returned, and how we arrived at the current point in time. It is a valuable tool for anyone interested in trends in American Jewish life. David Manchester, Director of the Berman Jewish DataBank and Director of Community Data and Research Development at The Jewish Federations of North America