sociology of jewry initially emerged in the united states in the 1930s beginning with the 1938 publication of "jewish social studies", sponsored by the conference of jewish relations. the journal's mission was "to promote, by means of scientific research, a better understanding of the position of jews in the modern world." and the later publication of "the jewish journal of sociology" in 1958 was due to the "few opportunities... for publishing academic and scientific studies of the sociology of jews."