Abstract
This thesis explores the life and experiences of Jewish women during the American Civil War. Just as America was divided into North and South, Jews also found themselves on both sides—the Union and the Confederacy. As Jewish men took up arms in order to fight for their home, both North and South, many Jewish women also contributed to the war effort by sewing uniforms, donating food and bandages, and even by nursing the sick and wounded soldiers. Just as Northerners and Southerners had different cultures, politics, and economics, the Jewish experience also differed in the North and South. This thesis will use primary sources, such as memoirs, letters, and newspaper articles in order to understand the experiences of Jewish women during the Civil War, but this thesis argues that the Jewish women should not be analyzed as one homogenous group, but instead should be looked at as Northern Jews and Southern Jews to explore the differences between them and how their individual communities—North and South—influenced the actions that they took during the Civil War.