Jewish Roots of American Liberty: The Impact of Hebraic Ideas on the American Story

by Wilfred M McClay

The volume before you arose out of a series of conferences and programs under the banner Restoring the American Story, directed primarily at educators working in both Jewish and non-Jewish school settings and educational nonprofits, and addressing itself to the various ways that the American tradition and the Jewish tradition are intertwined, and speak in strikingly similar and mutually supportive ways to some of the most fundamental human concerns—concerns that are foundational to what we call Western Civilization. Much of the book consists of papers and presentations arising out of these programs, particularly a conference held at Yeshiva University in spring of 2023, convened by the two editors of this volume, and attended by a lively group of teachers and other educators from around the country. We are grateful for the generous support of Mitch Julis, Elie Gindi, and the Jack Miller Center in these efforts. Other contributions have been added, and in some cases solicited for this volume, as the editors discerned gaps and potential points of interest and illumination.

Genres: History, Politics, American History, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published September 23, 2025

Reviews

[Irwin Weiss, MD · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating collection of essays written by both Jewish and Christian writers about not so much Jews but how the Jewish Bible, Old Testament for Christians, has influenced the story of America, many American presidents, and the American form of Protestant Christianity. Three noteworthy articles are the ones about John Milton and the Bible, presidents and the Bible, and the last article about the state of the Christian world post October 7. Of interest, as well, are the correspondence between the various synagogues and George Washington upon his becoming president, the letter by Teddy Roosevelt and his vice-president on the 250th anniversary of the Jewish community in America, and a long (not surprising) speech by Calvin Coolidge on the dedication of a Jewish Center in Washington D.C.

A must read for anyone interested to understand how Jews have thrived in the United States.