How Jews became Whites?

Growing up I lived in a township that was prodominatley Jewish. Although I am not Jewish I had many friends that were growing up. The authors main point in this writing is to acknowledge how Jews over came racism and became know and respected as part of the dominent whites. The author states the thesis by stating how, "The picture radically changed aqfter World War II. Suddenly, the same folks had promted nativism and xenophobia were eager to believe the Euro-origin people whom they had deported, reviled as memebers of inferior races, and prvented from immigrating only a few years earlier, wer now model middle-class white suburban citizens." This quotes basically states that World War II was the changing point in the ways Jews were looked and and classed into society.

Brodkin talks about how life for her, as a jew was growing up and the different lifestyle changes that occured throuhgout her life. She talked about how different races that immigrated into America were treated as well. She says how the wide spread of racism led to the stopping of letting immigrants come to America. Then she states how Jews were supposed to be uneducated, but once most Jews such as her parents started to get an education things started to change for them. She says, " My parents believe that Jewish success like thire own, was due to hard work an high value placed on education." Later adding "In 1920, Jew made up 80% of the students at New York City College, 90% of Hunter College, and before World War I, 40% of private Columbia University. An intersteing point she brought up was the fields that Jews has success working in. For instance the movie industry. Most movie producers, actors, and production companies for films are owned and ran by Jews. The Jewish race has put a stamp on the film industry like no other ethinicity. By having a high ecominic situation, Jews floated on this rising economic tide, and most of them were able to enter the middle class. Without a proper education the Jewish community would not have ever been able to enter the white middle class. Although the myth that Jews did it by pulling themselves up by the old boot straps is not a credible reason. Jews worked hard and were able to get enough work to enable themselves into the middle class.

Two discussion questions that i thought about while reading this was:
1.) Were there alot of Jewish soilders who fought for the counrty in World War II?
2.) Where did Jews mostly live in suburbs or rural places, because if they lived in nice city buildings then that must have effected their perception throughout America?

I liked this reading more than any other reading we have dicussed. I liked this reading because it was easier to understand and more straight forward. Growing up in a Jewish communiy it was interesting to me to learn how Jews obtained theri social status in todays bruta society. Jews un like any other European culture was able to be accepted as middle or high class.