In the final part of his lecture series on Jews and American Politics: From Outsiders to Insiders, Professor Jonathan D. Sarna discussed The FDR Coalition: How Jews became Democrats and whether that is what they will remain.
The American Jewish community threw its political weight behind Franklin D. Roosevelt four different times between 1932 and 1944, with majorities that reached 90 percent. This established a pattern of Jewish support for Democratic candidates that has endured (with ups and downs) to the present day. Will the Jewish vote remain important? Will Jews continue to vote overwhelmingly for Democrats? We will draw lessons from recent elections.
This lecture was held for the inaugural Sidney and Miriam Brettler Memorial Series 5777, sponsored by their children.
Click here for the other parts in this series.
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Jonathan D. Sarna serves as University Professor and Professor of American Jewish History at Brandeis. This year he is a visiting fellow at the Israel Institute for Advanced Studies. He has written and edited more than thirty books on American Jewish history and life, including the award-winning American Judaism: A History.
