This is another interesting idea from Whiteman. Not only does the following quote illustrate why some Jews preferred to stay out of the conversation surrounding the abolishment of slavery, it may hint at why still other Jews fought so adamantly for the cause.
If the societies that declared slavery un-Christian, and used Pentateuchal authority to support their views, had also declared slavery un-Jewish, applying biblical interpretation to the realities of American slavery, it is likely that the number of their Jewish members would have increased considerably. But the theological outlook of the mid-nineteenth century made this impossible. The concept of a common Judeo-Christian heritage had not yet been introduced as an apology for the religious approach to American social problems. As a result, most Jews who became involved in the great slavery conflict chose to speak out by means of independent action and kept their Jewish views in the background of their antislavery activity. The extent of this scattered activity will be discussed further on.
I am thinking that the Jews identified deeply with the experience of being enslaved by the Egyptians and being led out of captivity through Moses by their God. Lemkin unfortunately was not a Jew who saw the relationship between American slaves and Jewish slaves. But this article provided evidence that some Jews did. He must have met some Jews who were very committed to the cause of Afro-Americans. However, we must have decided, as many other Jews did, to remain silent.
ReplyDelete