Jewish Justices of the Supreme Court: From Brandeis to Kagan (Brandeis Series in American Jewish History, Culture, and Life)

Jewish Justices of the Supreme Court: From Brandeis to Kagan (Brandeis Series in American Jewish History, Culture, and Life)

by David G . Dalin (Author)

Synopsis

Jewish Justices of the Supreme Court examines the lives, legal careers, and legacies of the eight Jews who have served or who currently serve as justices of the U.S. Supreme Court: Louis D. Brandeis, Benjamin Cardozo, Felix Frankfurter, Arthur Goldberg, Abe Fortas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, and Elena Kagan. David Dalin discusses the relationship that these Jewish justices have had with the presidents who appointed them, and given the judges' Jewish background, investigates the antisemitism some of the justices encountered in their ascent within the legal profession before their appointment, as well as the role that antisemitism played in the attendant political debates and Senate confirmation battles. Other topics and themes include the changing role of Jews within the American legal profession and the views and judicial opinions of each of the justices on freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the death penalty, the right to privacy, gender equality, and the rights of criminal defendants, among other issues.

$33.85

Quantity

4 in stock

More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 384
Publisher: Brandeis University Press
Published: 28 May 2017

ISBN 10: 161168238X
ISBN 13: 9781611682380

Media Reviews
I thought I knew a lot about the Supreme Court's eight Jewish justices, since I have known six of them personally. But I learned so much more from David Dalin's brilliant and readable account of their very different lives and connections to their Jewish heritage. A must-read for anyone interested in Jewish, American, or legal history. --Alan Dershowitz, Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, emeritus, Harvard Law School, and author of Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law
Its accessible style, abundance of illuminating anecdotes, and helpful synthesis of an extensive scholarly literature will make it valuable to historians of the American Jewish experience. --Alan Dershowitz, Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, emeritus, Harvard Law School, and author of Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law Jewish Review of Books
An unprecedented assessment of all eight of the legal superstars. --Alan Dershowitz, Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, emeritus, Harvard Law School, and author of Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law Times of Israel
Dalin . . . offers a more wide-ranging analysis of Jewish Supreme Court justices compared to recent biographies and autobiographies. . . .Highly recommended. --Alan Dershowitz, Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, emeritus, Harvard Law School, and author of Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law Choice
Author Bio
DAVID G. DALIN, a historian and rabbi, is the author, coauthor or editor of eleven books, including Religion and State in the American Jewish Experience (coauthored with Jonathan D. Sarna) and The Presidents of the United States and the Jews. His articles and book reviews have appeared in a variety of publications, including American Jewish History, Commentary, Modern Judaism, the Weekly Standard, the American Jewish Year Book, and the Jewish Review of Books.