“New York” and “Amish” may seem an odd match. But the Empire State has seen its Amish population soar in recent years, and is currently home to the 5th-largest grouping of Amish in North America. SUNY-Potsdam Professor of Anthropology Karen Johnson-Weiner has spent years researching the various Amish communities in New York. Karen’s new book […]
Continue Reading New York Amish: Book giveaway and interview with Karen Johnson-Weiner
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This book looks so wonderful, thank you so much for offering it as a giveaway share!
I found out about this thanks to Katie Troyer posting this on her FB page. I would love to read this book–whether I “win” or not. My husband & I have lots of Amish relatives and Karen has done a good job in her descriptions of the differences between the different communities/fellowships.
Karen Johnson-Weiner is an author’s name I know but I did know she was writing Amish books. Please enter me to win this book. Enjoyed the article.
The book looks very intersting, and I would like to house it.
I love ready about the Amish and their simple life.
Wow! That is Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing! I would love to win the book!
I’m always amazed at just how many Amish communities there are and the places they’re located.
I live about an hour and a half from an Amish community here in Illinois but I grew up in NY state. Never been to the Amish communities in NY but love going here. The article is very interesting and can’t wait to read the book. I have a lot of interest in the Amish traditions and heritage. Just got a wonderful Amish cookbook too and love it!!
this looks very interesting!
VERY interesting…can’t wait to back to NY…going to find an Amish community! Thanks for sharing this.
I would love to win this book!
Thanks for the post. I love anything Amish. Would love to win your book.
I really enjoyed reading the interview and viewing the beautiful photographs. WOW, After living in Upper State NY for several years I was actually shocked to hear that NY has the 5th largest Amish settlement population. I knew that Amish had settled there. I have a friend on Amish Living that shared that with me. I had no idea how many different groups had settled there, however. Do I have that right? It is amazing that there are so many sects or groups, such as the Swiss, The Swartzentruber. This is so interesting. How many different groups have actually settled in NY?
Hey Kristin, great question, there are quite a few. Karen goes into quite a bit of detail about the origins and affiliation of each group in her book.
But in addition to Swiss, the ethnic group, and the Swartzentruber affiliation, there are also Andy Weaver, Byler, and Troyer Amish; what we might just call Old Order Amish, and New Order Amish as well. They originate from a number of states, including OH, PA, Delaware, and elsewhere.
As a follow-up to your question, Kristin, here is a short piece on the different Amish groups:
https://amishamerica.com/how-many-types-of-amish-are-there/
I am a former student of Dr. Johnson-Weiner. Her class on Amish, Mennonite, and Anabaptist is fascinating. I can’t wait to read this book! (but I probably will have to since I can never read for pleasure during the school year.)
This sounds like a very interesting book!
I would love to win this book, it sounds very interesting
Love the article on the Amish Family. I didn’t know there was Amish were in New York. Looking forward to reading this book. Would love to win it. Thanks for your time. God Bless.
I am very interested in this book. I think that we owe a lot to the Amish.
Enjoyed the article. I hope that I win the book!
I’ve lived in upstate NY my whole life and never knew there were Amish settlements here. I’m very interested in the Amish and read everything I possibly can about them. Would LOVE this book!
I would love to read this book! I enjoyed another book by Karen about Amish schools and will look forward to reading this one, too, one way or another!
Love reading about the Amish and would love winning this book!
What a pleasure to win this book. I’d love to read it. Very informative and sheds a little more light on the Amish traditions and faith. Thanks for the giveaway…and I’d love to win.
Interesting interview. Can’t wait to read the book. My background is Old Order Amish from Lancaster, PA. I now live in the Finger Lakes Region of New York state. Recently while vacationing near the St. Lawrence Seaway, we discovered Amish in the area. Stopped to buy some handmade baskets from an amish lady and had a wonderful conversation. Am very intrigued by the different groups.
This sounds like a most fascinating read. I’ve recently become acquainted with an Amish family in the Belfast, NY, area. They are lovely people, and I would love to learn more about their way of life because I think it would really add to our relationship. Thanks!
Nice article, I wasn’t aware of any Amish living in New York. I know very little about the Swartzentruber Ordnungs. I can’t wait to learn more. Thanks!
Wow, that’s quite alot of comments. It really shows how popular this blog is. Guess I’ll throw my name in the hat for the book contest also. Thanks!
What a fascinating article. I look forward to Part 2 of this interview and learning more about the New York Amish as well as the differences in the different sects.
Fascinating! We’ve enjoyed driving through the communities in western New York and along the Southern Tier near Friendship. Please enter me in the contest. Thank you!
What an interesting article. I would love to read the book!
I would LOVE to win this book! I grew up in WNY, and was raised seeing Amish all the time – Some of my favorite memories are driving through Amish country when I was in college and seeing the blue doors, and the shoes all lined up outside of the school house. Thanks for doing this giveaway!!!
I would like to read and house the book. Thanks for this book giveaway!
I was a truck driver in upstate NY and delivered to an Amish family. They were the nicest people and willing to help load their freight onto the truck. Would love to win this book to read more about them.
This sounds like a very interesting book. As a New Yorker who is truly distressed at the direction the state has taken, especially regarding its lack of moral clarity, the idea of the Amish populating from the west, and, from the other end of the religious spectrum, the booming Hasidic population, offers hope. Both uncompromising philosophies might just influence NY for the good. I would love to win it. Thank you.
I live near the Amish community in western NY and would dearly love to win a copy of this book.
This sounds like a very informative and interesting book. I would love to win this book as well, Lord willing.
I had heard that there were Amish communities in upstate New York, and I enjoyed this interview. Would love the book to learn more!
Count me in for a chance to win the book. Great interview, Erik. Much of Karen’s research on reasons that the Amish have chosen to come to New York also corroborates reasons that OO Mennonites have come there in droves, also. It’s all about farming and space.
Fascinating article – I’d love to read the book and learn more!
nblexp at gmail dot com
Wow, this was an interesting interview. And this is my favorite site for Amish things. Keep up the good work.
Eddy, Monica, and all, thanks! And thanks everyone for commenting. It is a very interesting piece and Karen was kind to take the time to share.
We’ll have the New York Amish book winner tomorrow, along with a short excerpt from the book.
I enjoy reading about the Amish sect. I especially love reading their cookbooks.
The drawing is tomorrow for this highly interesting book. What a wonderful way for those that write to learn new facts and ideas for their story telling. I just want to say one more time how much I appreciate this giveaway and the opportunity to win. I surely hope I do!
I grew up in Wayne County, Ohio, and while I knew there were different types of Amish, the only distinction I was clearly aware of was between Old Order and Beachy Amish. The different groups are fascinating. I wonder whether the New Order is growing, despite losing members to “the world”. I guess my question is, are the New Order Amish growing or declining in numbers overall? Are they able to add new members to replace the relatively high percentage who leave?
Baptism rates-New Order Amish
Matthew that is a good question on New Order Amish. The numbers of New Order youth baptisms are really only low relative to the quite high retention rate of Old Order Amish and other affiliations. Since roughly 2/3 of New Order youth do join the Amish church, they do continue to grow, though at a slower rate than most other affiliations. Converts are only a very minor contribution to growth across all affiliations.
If you are interested there are a number of articles on Amish diversity and affiliations in the Amish Online Encyclopedia feature on this blog. You can find the entry for New Order Amish here: https://amishamerica.com/whats-the-difference-between-new-order-and-old-order-amish/
Thanks for your question!
Faye, Barb, thanks for checking in and glad you enjoyed this piece.
Erik,
Thanks for the answer and I will take a look at the entry. Also, thanks for the excellent interview, which I’ve read all of now.
Thanks Matthew, glad if it was of help!
Sounds great! I’d love to win this book.
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New York Amish: Part 2 of Karen Johnson-Weiner interview and book giveaway | Amish America Comment on New York Amish: Book giveaway and interview with Karen Johnson-Weiner (September 14th, 2010 at 03:04)
[…] If you missed the first part of the interview–or would like to know how to enter the book giveaway contest–go here: New York Amish interview, Part 1. […]