How did American Jewish men experience manhood, and how did they present their masculinity to others? In this distinctive book, Sarah Imhoff shows that the project of shaping American Jewish manhood was not just one of assimilation or exclusion. Jewish manhood was neither a mirror of normative American manhood nor its negative, effeminate opposite. Imhoff demonstrates how early 20th-century Jews constructed a gentler, less aggressive manhood, drawn partly from the American pioneer spirit and immigration experience, but also from Hollywood and the YMCA, which required intense cultivation of a muscled male physique. She contends that these models helped Jews articulate the value of an acculturated American Judaism. Tapping into a rich historical literature to reveal how Jews looked at masculinity differently than Protestants or other religious groups, Imhoff illuminates the particular experience of American Jewish men.

About the Author

Sarah Imhoff is Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies and the Borns Jewish Studies Program at Indiana University. Her research focuses on religion and the body, including work on gender and American Judaism both historically and in the present, the role of DNA and genetic discourse in constructions of Jewishness, and the history of the field of religious studies.

Reviews

Sarah Imhoff's Masculinity and the Making of American Judaism is a long-awaited and much-needed addition to the fields of Jewish studies, American studies, and gender studies.

* H-Judaic *

Masculinity and the Making of American Judaism is a book both focused in its scope and broad in its ambition; it should be a key point of reference for scholars working in any of the diverse fields of study that it deftly weaves together.

* Gender & History *

[Imhoff] goes out of her way to render gender theory accessible, making the book appropriate for undergraduates and non-academics as well as scholars in the fields of religious studies, gender studies, and American Jewish history.

* American Jewish History *

This creative, thought-provoking, and innovative book offers a fresh addition for scholars of gender and sexuality, religion, and American history.

* Reading Religion *

Masculinity and the Making of American Judaism is a significant achievement and deserves the attention of scholars of American Jewish studies and American religion. It helps that the book is exceptionally well written. Imhoff demonstrates that one need not sacrifice readability, grace, and style for historical depth and methodological sophistication.

* American Historical Review *

The study of gender in Jewish studies, and in particular of Jewish masculinities still requires more research. Sarah Imhoff's book offers a substantial inspiration and insight to carry this further.

* Medaon *



Book Information
ISBN 9780253026217
Author Sarah Imhoff
Format Paperback
Page Count 310
Imprint Indiana University Press
Publisher Indiana University Press
Weight(grams) 422g