Events

The Jewish American Experience in the Civil War

Date: Wednesday, December 14, 2022
Time: 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Wheelchair AccessibleWheelchair Accessible

In partnership with the Shapell Manuscript Foundation, please join the Haberman Institute for Jewish Studies and B’nai Israel Congregation, and the Southern Jewish Historical Society for the launch of two new and exciting projects on the Jewish American experience in the American Civil War.

This hybrid event will feature the launch of a new book, Jewish Soldiers in the Civil War: The Union Army, authored by Professor Adam D. Mendelsohn. Given early access to the Shapell Roster of Jewish Service in the American Civil War for his research, Jewish Soldiers in the Civil War examines when and why Jews decided to enlist, explores their encounters with fellow soldiers, and describes their efforts to create community within the ranks. This monumental undertaking rewrites much of what we know about Jewish soldiers during the Civil War. Adam D. Mendelsohn draws for the first time upon the massive database of verified listings of Jewish soldiers serving in the Civil War collected by the Shapell Roster, as well as letters, diaries, memoirs, and newspapers, to examine the collective experience of Jewish soldiers and to recover their individual voices and stories.

Dr. Mendelsohn will be in conversation with Professor Pamela Nadell, the Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women’s and Gender History, American University, and author of America’s Jewish Women: A History from Colonial Times to Today.

To showcase the wealth of resources on the Jewish experience in the Civil War, the evening will also feature a virtual tour of the Shapell Roster of Jewish Service in the American Civil War, an ongoing reappraisal of the military service of Jews who served in the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies from 1861 – 1865. The introduction will be guided by Adrienne DeArmas (Director, Shapell Roster). Meticulously compiled since 2009, the Shapell Roster is a publicly accessible digital history resource granting access to thousands of men who served.

Register to join us in person at B’nai Israel Congregation (6301 Montrose Rd, Rockville, MD 20852) or online.

Cost: Free of charge

Register: Visit Website

For questions or to request accommodations contact:

Rebecca Leavey
[email protected]

Location

B'nai Israel Congregation and livestream
6301 Montrose Road
Rockville, MD 20852