Transnational Jewish Humanitarianism: American Jewish Relief Organizations and "Global Jewish Politics" in the 20th Century

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jacob Eder
• Subject Area: Modern and Contemporary History
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 430165332

Transnational Jewish Humanitarianism focuses on American Jewish relief organizations and their key personnel as transnational actors and uses them as a lens into global (Jewish) history during the cataclysmic 20th century. In response to Jewish suffering and antisemitism abroad—a potentially global challenge, which required potentially global solutions—they created a specific system of American Jewish relief and transnational solidarity. It emerged from a tradition of Jewish charity and philanthropy, but also functioned in collaboration, competition, and confrontation with US strategic and social interests on a global scale. In contrast to many non-Jewish relief organizations, Jewish NGOs faced several distinct challenges: “assimilation” vs. maintaining a transnational ethnic/religious identity; protecting Jews abroad vs. combatting antisemitism at home; advocating on behalf of Jews abroad vs. the political interests of the United States. The project will markedly expand our knowledge of the work of these organizations and their key personnel, their room for maneuver to protect coreligionists abroad, and the factors that limited their influence. It will offer a comprehensive historical analysis of American Jewish relief organizations in global perspective. Taking a longue durée perspective, Transnational Jewish Humanitarianism moves beyond looking at this history in “chronological segments” (e.g. 1914/18-1929; 1933/39-1945; the postwar period). Instead, it examines the reactions to concrete events and catastrophes, but also continuities, transformations, and learning processes over a protracted period. More specifically, it considerably expands the existing scholarship in four ways. First, it will further our understanding of the development of cross-border aid and humanitarian relief in the 20th century and pay particular attention to the role of warfare for the organization and practices of humanitarian aid. Second, it will rethink American and American Jewish history as transnational history. Third, it will enhance our understanding of the role of Jewish relief organizations in the discussion about US strategic and social interests on a global scale. Finally, the project will shed new light on the links between migration, humanitarian aid, and foreign relations.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants