Part 22: The Final Installation-Teen Jewish History** join me as we get down to it for the month

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]Hello my teen friends. Welcome back for part 22, the final segment of our one-minute educational May video series on Jewish history. If you're just joining today, please go back and watch the first video so the order makes sense. Each video is a small dose of daily incremental knowledge.

[00:00:17]Now, we are ready to take a brief look at Jewish America, just in time to end our month of Jewish history videos.

[00:00:25]Jewish Americans didn't just show up in this country. They came from Europe and other nations, but only after tracing their lineage back to Judea.

[00:00:35]But [snorts] Jewish Americans did help build this country. It started in 1654 when Jewish refugees landed in what was called New Amsterdam, today New York City, literally fleeing persecution, again.

[00:00:47]They fought in the American Revolution.

[00:00:49]Then came massive immigration, and within a generation, they're shaping industries. Hollywood, built by Jewish immigrants. Modern science, transformed by people like Albert Einstein. Civil rights, Jewish Americans were on the front lines. And here's the part people leave out. They did all of this while being discriminated against, blocked from universities, shut out of jobs, still considered outsiders. And they didn't just succeed, they pushed America to actually live up to its own promises.

[00:01:20]So, this month wasn't just about celebrating a group. It was about understanding something bigger. Jewish American history is American history, and today the USA has the largest Jewish population outside the land of Israel.

[00:01:34]And now you know that story didn't start here. It started thousands of years earlier, and somehow it's still shaping the world today.

[00:01:42]Thank you all for joining me these past few weeks. Speaking to Jewish teens about who we are and where we come from is so important to me as a Jewish mom of teenagers, and this really and truly is part of my purpose.

[00:01:55]Be well, be strong, and be proud. If you want me to come and speak at your synagogue or organization, check out my website www.doryzvi.com.

[00:02:06]Thanks.