When the topic of Jewish history comes up, the Holocaust is usually what springs to mind for most people. While a significant part of Jewish history, it is ultimately one part of a much bigger picture. The Jewish Americans sheds light on other moments by tracing nearly 300 years of Jewish history in America. This is no easy feat, but something the documentary does a great job at. In addition to the usual assortment of historians and other scholarly sources, The Jewish Americans also focuses on the stories of people who lived though some of the events, which helps to put a face on what would otherwise be a jumbled collection of facts. These include stories from well-known Jews, including actor Jerry Stiller and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Many of these stories help to illustrate the documentary's main theme, which is the Jewish identity in the face of prejudice. Several larger instances are covered, as are a few personal views from well-known Americans. Instances like these are used to help springboard into reasons behind anti-semitism. The beauty of the message is that it comes across in a non-threatening way. The aim isn't to make people feel bad nor does it say that anti-semitic people are evil; instead it tries to clear up several ungrounded fears and misconceptions that lead to this way of thinking.

One of the more interesting ways this is illustrated is by charting the impact of Jews on American culture and our own national identity. While it can sometimes go a little overboard with flag waving, some of the facts that are brought up are fascinating. For example, several prominent stars during Hollywood's Golden Years, such as Edward G. Robinson and Kirk Douglas, changed their names to hide their Jewish heritage. Also, the song "God Bless America" was also written by a Jewish composer, Irving Berlin. In fact, several poplar Christmas songs actually have Jewish roots.

The entire documentary runs for six hours and is joined by a few extras. The more prominent one is an interview with director David Grubin, though a look at a Rosh Hashanah Ceremony and a collection of Jewish recipes (this was my favorite part of the entire DVD) are also included.

Whether deserved or not, PBS documentaries tend to get a bad rap. They're boring, not all that flashy and typically slow. However, they are also incredibly informative and seem to have this odd way of making subjects that few think about, like Jewish history, incredibly entertaining.