Heinze Paper

Heinze Paper

The Jewish American Identity: A Superficial Assimilation
When immigrating to the United States, many newcomers sought to abandon any bonds they had to their homelands. In Andrew R. Heinze’s book, Adapting to Abundance, he examines the Jewish immigrant’s attempt to not only become “Americanized,” but to create a whole new Jewish American identity. He argues that Jews used their habit of consumption to better fit in with society and create a fresh identity. By buying mass-produced goods and key symbols of status, they believed they would break all ties to their native oppressive countries. Many had emigrated to flee religious persecution and inescapable poverty. To develop his thesis, Heinze discusses key signs of status that immigrants sought to purchase. Heinze emphasizes the objects that he believes clearly exemplify their quest for assimilation by mode of consumption. Heinze wants to prove that the purchase of these things offers a valid method for becoming Americans. I find this theory to be extremely superficial. He places too much emphasis on insignificant material items, which I do not believe can be the framework for an identity. Heinze’s arguments mainly deal with physical changes only affecting appearance; the Jews concentrated on immediate adjustments to their exteriors so others would view them as natives. I do not believe this to truly be a form of assimilation; instead, the immigrants were buying a façade. To support his ideas, Heinze utilizes many primary sources. Though interesting, these opinion based newspaper articles and personal accounts are not completely factual. Since they were written by members of the population being examined, these sources are subject to bias and, therefore, I believe ineffective.
One argument Heinze makes to develop his thesis of the importance of consumption for immediate assimilation is the value and symbolism of clothes during the turn of the nineteenth century. An initial approach to fit in upon arrival was the...

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