First Thursdays (note special date): Matzah Balls, Machine Guns, & Mentschlichkeit

Note: Our December First Thursday program will take place on Thursday, November 30.

Matzah Balls, Machine Guns, & Mentschlichkeit: Jews and America’s Greatest Generation
Led by Lance J. Sussman, DDiv
Thursday, November 30, 7:30-8:45 pm (Zoom only)

Generally attributed to Tom Brokaw, the idea of the greatest generation is actually part of a spectrum of generations from the gilded age to the present. Most commonly, it refers to Americans who grew up during the depression, served in World War II and then help build suburban America. For American Jews, this generation was largely the children of European immigrants (second generation Americans), children of the 1930s, World War II veterans and home-front contributors to the war effort, who then went on to participate in the largest expansion of Jewish institutional life in American history. They were also the first generation of American Jews who went to college thereby leading the Jewish community into white collar jobs and the American middle class.

In this program, we will discuss the characteristics, achievements and challenges of the American Jewish community before, during and after World War II.

No cost for congregants; $15 for non-members.
Registration is required to receive Zoom login information.

Lance J. Sussman, Ph.D., is Rabbi Emeritus of Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel (Elkins Park, PA) and the immediate past chair of the board of Gratz College. A historian of the American Jewish experience, Sussman has taught at Princeton, Binghamton and Rutgers among other schools. His most recent book is called Portrait of an American Rabbi: In His Own Words (2023).

First Thursday programs run from September through June! We will bring guest speakers, including congregants and rabbis from around the country, to share their expertise on topics of interest. We will also include several discussions of films with Jewish themes.

Sponsored by our Adult Education Committee.