At the turn of the twentieth century, American Jewish women were consistently and publicly engaged in all the major issues of their day, including suffrage, birth control, and peace. The activism of American Jewish women was grounded in their gender, religious, cultural, and ethnic identities. No history of these movements in the United States is complete without analyzing the impact of Jewish women’s presence.

Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is the professor of history and director of women’s and gender studies at Rowan University. Dr. Klapper’s research has received awards from sources including the American Jewish Archives Center, the National Endowment for the Humanities, Harvard University, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. Her latest book is Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace:  American Jewish Women’s Activism, 1890-1940.

Recorded live Thursdsay, May 2, 2013 at the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies.