Reconstructing Ethnicity: The Process of Assimilation for Latinx Jewish Immigrants in the United States with Dr. Laura Limonic

Abraham’s Whiteboard

In this special session of Abraham’s Whiteboard, guest host Dr. Laura Limonic will discuss Jewishness, race, ethnicity, and immigration through the stories of Latinx Jews in the United States. She will explore how ethno-religious identity is constructed for new immigrants in the United States by asking key questions such as: How do Latinx Jews identify? Can they choose their identity or is it assigned to them? Is ethnicity strategic or instrumental? Drawing on the experiences of Latinx Jewish immigrants, the historical roots of Jewish migration streams to Latin America and the United States and a sociological comparative perspective, Limonic will discuss how group construction is never static, and, in particular, how race, religion, and class interact in the immigrant assimilation process.

Laura Limonic is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the College of Old Westbury of the State University of New York. Her research is in the area of contemporary immigration to the United States and the integration trajectories of ethnic and ethno-religious groups. Her book, Kugel and Frijoles: Latino Jews in the United States, explores issues of ethnicity, race, class and religious community building among Latino Jewish immigrants in Boston, New York, Miami and Southern California. Laura’s current work examines the rise of Chabad in Latin America as an avenue for Jewish identity construction and communal life among Jews in Latin America and abroad. Her work has been supported by the Berman Foundation, the Association for Jewish Studies and the Templeton Trust. Limonic received her PhD in Sociology from the CUNY Graduate Center. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Latin American Studies from Brandeis University and a Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia University.

Abraham’s Whiteboard is a monthly educational class led by Tri-Faith’s Education Director, Jeremy Fricke, on a wide variety of special topics, historical moments, and world religions. For example, a session could focus on definitions of religion or on non-Abrahamic religions like Hinduism or Buddhism. All Abraham’s Whiteboard sessions are open to all people regardless of background, but will connect the content to Judaism, Christianity, and/or Islam.

Tri-Faith Initiative events are recorded and archived on our YouTube Channel.