The History of Jewish Women in America

Introduction

©Phyllis Holman Weisbard, 1997, 2008

An earlier version of the original bibliography is also found on pages 1553-1586 (v. 2) of Jewish Women in America: An Historical Encyclopedia, edited by Paula E. Hyman and Deborah Dash Moore, and sponsored by the American Jewish Historical Society. 2 v. New York, Routledge, 1997.

This bibliography concentrates on books, chapters in anthologies, and periodical articles on the collective history of American Jewish women and archival resources on individuals and women’s organizations. While much relevant information can be found in publications from collateral branches of American history, focusing on women, labor, immigrants, radicals, ethnicity, organizations, the early twentieth century working class and the mid-century middle class, as well as American literature, women’s studies, and studies of local Jewish communities and other aspects of American Jewish history, these can only be hinted at below.

The database America: History and Life is the principal index to the periodical literature in American history. For coverage of Jewish communal studies and other relevant research in American Jewish history, consult Judaica Americana: An Annotated Bibliography of Publications From 1960-1990, by Nathan M. Kaganoff (Brooklyn, NY: Carlson: 1995), compiled from columns by Kaganoff that appeared in American Jewish History; the “Judaica Americana” column since 1994, compiled by Jonathan D. Sarna; and Judaica Americana: A Bibliography of Publications to 1900, by Robert Singerman (New York: Greenwood, 1990); as well as Index to Jewish Periodicals (Cleveland: 1963- , print and online publication).

Similarly, the recent outpouring on contemporary Jewish women’s lives, writings, and role in American Judaism are beyond the scope of this bibliography. Developments in this area are best followed by reading Lilith: The Independent Jewish Magazine, Bridges: A Journal for Jewish Feminists and Our Friends, Hadassah Magazine, and denominational periodicals aimed at women.

The view from women’s studies can be traced by using Women Studies Abstracts (New York: Rush Publishing Company (1972-present), and online within Women’s Studies International database (Baltimore: NISC, 1995-present), Feminist Periodicals: A Current Listing of Contents (Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin System Women’s Studies Librarian, 1980-present), and other indexes to the field in print and online. Material on individual women is not generally listed in this bibliography.

This bibliography begins with annotated entries for books, followed by a section of articles published in periodicals and anthologies. In general, articles are not listed that were subsequently incorporated into books described in the first section. A third section covers collective works that sample the autobiographical and creative writings and record the oral histories of Jewish women since their arrival in America. Major archival resources are described in the last section.

See also the 1997-2008 Supplement to the Annotated Bibliography.