When looking at the experience of the Jewish American since the Civil War, one is confronted with an overwhelming amount of information. Obviously, this is due in part to the expansive time period that such a topic covers, but it is also the fact that this story is about being Jewish, rather than about advertising or social-work trends. Circumstance does not have a date attached to it, and it is often circumstance of the masses, rather than perchance of the individual, that has most dramatically shaped the Jewish experience over time. This map is the story of a people, of a culture, that grew apart and then back together again as result of the events around them.

When exiting the time of the Civil War, the Jewish population in America was primarily German and well established. In fact, many of these Jews' names are still as famous today as they were in their own time. Guggenheim, Seligman, and Loeb are only a few names of the "Wall Street families." Bankers, brokers, and smart businessmen, these German Jews were in America at the right time and had the opportunity to from rags to riches or from riches to more riches. Despite their wealth and power, one can see that anti-Semitism was a problem from the very beginning. Hilton's denial of service to Seligman ignited a sense of Jewish unity and brought to the public eye the terrible reality of anti-Semitism in America, the land of the free.

The rest, on the whole, did not share the German's success. Most Jews lived in impoverished conditions in one of several slums in cities across the East Coast. Women and children often worked in clothing factories, and men were traders and street peddlers. Living conditions were horrific, and sanitation was not any better.

As Jews grew into the "American Dream," many started to change their views about what being Jewish meant. This led to fragmentation of the Jewish community on the whole. Some wanted to be more "American," which meant, in a sense, more outwardly Christian. They built temples that resembled churches, and began restructuring services so there was English instead of Hebrew, hymns instead of chants. All the while, others remained very orthodox in their practice. It was not until an external force acted upon the American Jewish community, the declaration of the Jewish state, that all American Jews began to work together with a common goal and purpose.

On this time map, it is easy to find those things that seemed to be a marker of failure for the Jews, but what is missing are all of the steps toward success that have brought the Jewish people to such an accepted state in today's society. For example, at some point, Jews stopped being peddlers and moved into other professions. Doctors, lawyers, politicians, artist, actor, and scientist, to name only a few, are things that are commonplace now but never dreamed of in 1880. Additionally, it is easy to point out the acts of anti-Semitism and discrimination that still exist in recent history, but, again, it should be remembered what is not on the time map. Students are admitted to any University without regard to religion. Jews can hold political office without speculation of their plot to take over the government. Eating a bagel is no longer a phenomenon. In short, society has changed such that being identified as Jewish does not mean one is a social outcast anymore.

If the goal was to assimilate, to become truly American, it is seems as if that goal has been achieved. There appears to be very little left to which a Jew is denied access, but then, the same seems true for women and blacks. We have progressed, but only tomorrow's study of today will show us how far we have really gone.