ABSTRACT
Charles Silberman’s recent book, A Certain People, 1 has triggered a lively discussion among American Jews about the current state of American Jewish life and its prospects. Silberman’s book is a popular, albeit a thoughtful and perceptive presentation which views the state of American Jewish life today with a great deal of satisfaction and describes its future prospects on a high note of optimism. Uziel Schmelz and Sergio Della Pergola 2 borrowing the term from Marshal Sklare, have termed Silberman, along with a group of American Jewish sociologists who view American Judaism from a similar perspective, as “revisionists.” The term “revisionist” is an apt one but I want to argue that more is being “revised” than Schmelz and DellaPergola would lead us to believe.
