Jewish, English-speaking in United States

People Name:	Jewish, English-speaking
Country:	United States
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	4,620,000
World Population:	5,430,800
Primary Language:	English
Primary Religion:	Ethnic Religions
Christian Adherents:	2.70 %
Evangelicals:	1.60 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Ministry Resources:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Jewish
Affinity Bloc:	Jewish
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

English speaking Jewish people have ancestors who came to the country speaking a different language. Given time, whatever language they once spoke, was replace by English.

Only 200-300 Jewish people came to the American colonies in the mid 1600s. They were later joined in the 1700s by small numbers of Jewish people. The first group was from Central Europe and the second came from England. Chaim Salomon was a Polish born Jewish financier who supported the American Revolution. He raised most of the funds needed for the war effort.

Until the 1830s, Charleston South Carolina was home to the largest number of American Jews. Later that century German Jews arrived in the U.S.. Most were merchants and shop owners who contributed to the rapid growth of the American economy. Between 1880 and 1924 over two million Jewish people arrived, mainly from Eastern Europe. A high percentage settled in New York City, which emerged as a center for the world’s Jewish population.

In the beginning of the 20th century, Jewish people developed and expanded their support networks and synagogues. They were becoming increasingly assimilated with American culture; most adopted English as their primary language. Half of the American Jewish men between 18-50 (about half a million) fought in WWII.

When the war ended, Jewish people often moved to the suburbs and often intermarried with other ethnic groups. A large number also moved to Israel to help start the Jewish nation. They were replaced by smaller numbers of Jews who fled the Soviet Union and other places. By this time Jewish people had established a pattern of quickly assimilating, learning English and establishing a middle class lifestyle. Thousands have made their fortunes and have become wealthy in the United States.

Most English speaking Jewish people live in urban areas on the east or west coasts. New York City has the largest Jewish population in North America, with over a half million Hassidic Jews alone. Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington DC also have large Jewish populations.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Thought they are integrated in terms language, and to some degree, culture, American Jews maintain a degree of separateness. "Jewishness" is often defined in secular terms such as the use of Yiddish words and family traditions, rather than in religious aspects, such as the following of Jewish laws regarding dietary restrictions.

Understanding what it means to be a Jew begins in childhood. It takes place in the home through storytelling and by taking part in Jewish rituals and festivals such as Rosh Hashanah (New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Passover. Socialization also takes place through participation in Hebrew school or synagogue youth groups.

At the age of 13, the Bar Mitzvah ceremony for a boy (or Bat Mitzvah for a girl) is an important rite of passage, which marks him or her as an adult member of the community. While these ceremonies were more spiritually focused in the past, they have become equally important as social events.

Marriage and family relationships among Jews are much the same as other Americans. While Jewish families have fewer children, they are child-oriented, indulgent, and permissive. Although wives generally take on their husbands' surnames, Jewish identity is traced through the mothers. That is, if one's mother is a Jew, then he is, according to Jewish law, Jewish. He or she is entitled to all the rights and privileges that status brings, including the right to immigrate to Israel and settle there as a citizen.

English speaking Jewish people work in various trades and professions. They are very well represented in small and middle-sized businesses, the communication and entertainment industries, medicine, law and accounting. They have a higher than average income and education level. They are very generous with giving to charities.

What Are Their Beliefs?

In simplest terms, Judaism has three main denominations.

Orthodox Jews (AKA, Rabbinical Judaism) generally follow the traditional religious beliefs and practices found in the Jewish literature that interprets scripture regarding ethical, religious, civil and criminal matters. It replaced the temple with the synagogue, the priesthood with the rabbi and the sacrificial ceremony with the prayer service. They believe the function of this world is to prepare us for the world to come. They are small in number, usually concentrated in their own communities, especially in New York City. They are often splintered into tiny communities based on which rabbi they follow. This is the only denomination that is looking for a personal messiah.

Conservative Judaism is less traditional than Orthodox and combines different ethical, philosophical, and spiritual schools of thought. They believe the Law of the Torah is still binding but they balance it with modern demands. For example some of them allow for same-sex marriage while others do not.

Reformed Jews believe in the evolving nature of Judaism; there is a continuous revelation. Contemporary thought strongly affects their spiritual views. Some believe in the moral and ceremonial teachings of the Torah while others do not believe the Jewish Law is divinely inspired. They are not restricted to kosher (traditional, approved) foods, nor do they wear the skull cap (yarmulke) when praying or use Hebrew in prayer. All religious Jews believe in the coming of a Messianic Age, but only the Orthodox Jew looks for a personal Messiah.

Among English speaking Jews in the United States, there is an exceptionally high percentage who are functionally atheistic, but they identify with Jewish culture. They usually participate in events where religion and Jewish celebrations merge. Along with them many have converted to a Westernized form of Buddhism or New Age practices.

What Are Their Needs?

English speaking Jewish people have lost a personal relationship with Jehovah Jireh, resulting in spiritual confusion.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to remove the spiritual and emotional barriers that keep the Jewish people in the United States from embracing their Messiah.
Ask the Lord of the harvest to send loving Christ followers to work among the Jewish communities.
Pray that the Jewish people will understand that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.
Pray that God will grant Jewish believers favor as they share their faith in Christ with English speaking Jewish people.