From abraham lincolns election as president of the united states in november 1860, through the secession winter of 1860, to the bombardment of fort sumter in april 1861, jewish southerners from virginia to texas weighed their devotion to. Reprinted with permission from the lonely days were sundays. Mexican and jewish confederates, all of which are intended by proponents of this narrative to appeal to a more racially and ethnically diverse population and to assuage concerns that they harbor racist beliefs. Jews served in the confederate army march passover 2007 edition search the jewish magazine site.
And as you know, theres what happened in the south, what i showed you when i first posted this. Worshiping the confederacy is about white supremacy even. This is an extraordinarily rich selection of jewish confederate. With fascinating detail about wellknown and littleknown men and women, rosen demonstrates that on both the battlefield and the homefront jewish confederates proved their loyalty. Many jewish confederates carried with them to the front the famous soldiers prayer which began with the sacred shema written by richmond rabbi max michelbacher, who after secession had issued. It will give you a great understanding of the jewish confederate view. There is, one hessian jew wrote his brother in america, only one land of liberty, which is ruled according to natural, reasonable laws, and that is the union. The 1 st confederate of jewish faith was killed in the war was albert lurie moses of charlotte, nc. In the process, she discovers the unexpected ways that race, religion, and hidden histories intertwine. Well researched and very good source of information on black confederates, but has a strong union bias. In his prescient introduction, adam mendelsohn pays homage to the scholars who paved the way to understanding the jewish experience of the civil war, including isaac markens, bertram w. This database is taken from an 1895 directory published by simon wolf, entitled the american jew as patriot, soldier and citizen philadelphia. John ford, the later famous director was one of the hooded rescuers in birth of a nation. The most famous southern jew of that era was judah benjamin.
Why are there no statues of jewish confederate judah benjamin to tear down. The shocking story of when general grant expelled jews during the civil war. Confederate jewish firebrand eugenia phillips sentenced to. Rosen reveals the remarkable breadth of southern in his latest study of the civil war, robert n.
Im going to start reading a book i bought the jewish confederates by robert n. I am at work and do not have the authors name to give you, but i am sure you can find it. Irish who fought for the confederacy immigrants during. Why jewish confederate leader has no statues to remove the. While prominent, largely forgotten jewish leaders such as confederate secretary of state judah benjamin and q. From the beginnings to rather recent times, sympathetic portrayals of confederates have been a mainstay of america cinema. For other notable jewish americans, see lists of american jews. The next issue, to be published in october, 1961, will deal with material relating to the jews of the union. Educated in law at yale, he was at one time or another during the war the confederacys attorney general, secretary of war and secretary of state. Benjamin, jewish confederates are largely unknown even to specialists of american jewish. Most jewish johnny rebs, like their fellow countrymen, believed they were fighting for their own liberty and in defense of their homes, wrote robert rosen in his book the jewish confederates. An illustrated history of the place and the people during the civil war uses his own background and experience to recount the lives of southern jews from the 1700s until well after the civil war.
The most famous case of confederate loyalty by a jew leading to imprisonment was that of eugenia levy phillips. Rosen tells us in his book the jewish confederates that the old south was remarkably free of prejudice against jews. In the present civil war it is quite possible that gods purpose is something different from the purpose of either party and yet the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaption to effect his purpose. Numerous southern jews served in state legislatures. Our sacred duty jewish soldiers of the confederacy.
Benjamin, jewish confederates are largely unknown even to specialists of american jewish history and civil war history. I would also point out lees general order during the petersburg siege informing his jewish troops that they might be compelled to serve in the lines during their holy days in the autumn and winter of 1. This once happy country is inflamed by the fury of war. Lee, jefferson davis and stonewall jackson, the three most famous confederate heroes, have hundreds of memorials and monuments in public spaces throughout the united states dedicated in their memory. Here are just a few notable confederates of the jewish faith. However, prior to march 1865, each state in the confederacy was sovereign and independent. Did black confederates lead to black union soldiers.
While the book mentions wellknown jewish confederates such as judah p. Walter abish, novelist, poet, and short story writer. The jewish confederates is the story of a people defining themselves. Why are there no statues of jewish confederate judah. This article is within the scope of wikiproject jewish history, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of jewish history on wikipedia. The top 12 civil war books ever written one great book for each month of 2011, the sesquicentennial of the war between the states. What happened when general grant expelled civil war jews.
Warren adler, novelist and short story writer, known for the war of the roses, random hearts, and the sunset gang. My specialty is female spies and knowing eugenia levy phillips as the representative of my only confederate jewish spy in my display i found this brief summation without having to read rosens book so id thought id share it from the jewish magazine site. B this article has been rated as bclass on the projects quality scale. Jews have been part of the southern united states since the earliest days of european settlement in america. In this issue, the american jewish archives takes pleasure in pre senting a number of documents relating to the jews of the confederacy. Meticulously researched, the jewish confederates makes clear that across the social and economic spectrum jewish southerners overwhelmingly supported the confederacy.
Sue eisenfeld is a yankee by birth, a virginian by choice, an urbanite who came to love the rural south, a civil war buff, and a nonobservant jewish woman. As author and military historian mel young points out in his book where they lie, grants own family was involved in cotton speculation as well as owning slaves. Jonas, adolph proskauer and alexander hart, it is also full of vignettes about the lives of ordinary southern jewish families. The top 20 jewish comedians of alltime mental floss. Ill post more about that and ill tell you more later. The following short article points to some of the unique aspects of the southern jewish experience. Goldsmith and lesser known jewish confederates and a. Most of 40,000 irish who fought for the confederacy were not fighting for slavery says historian phillip thomas tucker, ph. The jewish confederates is a 2001 history book authored by robert n. Rosen introduces readers to the community of southern jews of the 1860s, heretofore lost to historians and the general public. And like many southerners, confederate jews who joined the rebel army did so for a number of reasons.
Jews in the american civil war civil war soldier stories. Reading the jewish confederates, and then rereading korn, one is impressed anew by the qualities that made american jewry and the civil war a classic. Southern jews and the confederacy the jewish press. His main characters are developed well enough that theyre memorable. Worshiping the confederacy is about white supremacy even the nazis thought so confederate memory nurtured fascism. Black confederates and afroyankees in civil war virginia 1995. Robert rosens the jewish confederates first edition published in 2000 provides a comprehensive study on jewish life in the antebellum south, the dedication of southern. Boston tony horwitz, a pulitzer prizewinning journalist and the bestselling author of confederates in the attic, has died. By the acclaimed author of the academy awardwinning movie schindlers. Throughout the south, jews assumed prominent roles in the confederate government and armed forces. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time.
Jews and antisemitism in the american civil war jewish mag. Robert rosens engaging essay on jewish confederates comes from the subjects premier historian. A native of charleston, sc, rosen confederate charleston. Judah benjamin, jewish confederate leader and jefferson davis confidant, has no statues because he alienated himself from southerners and. The jews of prenazi germany the canadian jewish news. He was the first jewish us senator and declined a seat on the supreme court.
It was thought that jewish civil war soldiers were not patriotic and not faithful soldiers in the american civil war. Jewish ancestors genealogy research center guides at. The focus of the book is the scholem family of berlin. In wandering dixie, she travels to nine states, uncovering how the history of jewish southerners converges with her personal story and the regions complex, conflicted present. How did jews feel in the confederate states of america and. Gerhard scholem later became known to the world of jewish studies and to the wider world of philosophical and historical scholarship as gershom. Recovering the memories of jewish civil war soldiers. The most famous southern jew of the era was judah benjamin. Many jewish confederates distinguished themselves by showing, along with their christian. Rosen about jewish citizens of the confederate states of america who served in the. The jews of the confederacy american jewish archives. That said, i kept thinking that the book was more like a series of vignettesdivided by chapters. The hardcover of the famous confederate generals and leaders of the south.
More than fifty thousand books have reputedly been written about the. Arthur, betty and their four sons, reinhold, erich, werner and gerhard. Though there were less than 25,000 jewish people living in the south, they enjoyed comparatively unprecedented freedom and exercised considerable influence. Robert rosen has a wonderful capacity to describe people and their character in capsule. All jewish companies reported to the fray from macon and savannah, georgia. The jewish confederates university of south carolina. Benjamin, moses ezekiel, david levy yulee, abraham myers and phoebe pember, and lesser known jewish confederates like henry m.
Debbie, let me recommend the book, jewish confederates to you. Rosen reveals the remarkable breadth of southern jewrys participation in the war and strength of jewish commitment to the confederate cause. The american jew as patriot, soldier, and citizen by simon wolf. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks. Rosen introduces readers to the community of southern jews of the 1860s, heretofore lost to. Keneallys best novel yet, ripest fruit of an imagination that has been grinding for years in an effort to energize history within its fictionsometimes headon. All who want to understand the nineteenthcentury south should read this book. Bertram korn asserts that many suspected that the expulsion of the.
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