The ghetto

More about the book

When it first appeared seventy years ago, this work was praised in the New York Times as the most informative account of the cultural background and psychological development of American Jews. It remains a significant contribution to ethnic studies, with Hasia Diner's new introduction highlighting its unique scholarly value from the early twentieth century. The book traces the history of Jewish immigrant colonies from the medieval era, illustrating how they have largely vanished from modern cities, replaced by other forms of ghetto life. It combines analytical and historical perspectives to reveal the complex inner life of the ghetto, detailing the physical, social, and psychological impacts on Jewish communities. The author shows how the economic experiences of modern Jews are shaped by the legacy of social isolation originally self-imposed and later enforced through extralegal means. Robert E. Park's foreword emphasizes that cities are living organisms, growing in uncontrolled ways that reflect their functional demands. This work is essential for scholars in Jewish studies, sociology, American ethnic history, and social history. It is the second volume in a series on ethnicity edited by Ronald H. Bayor from the Georgia Institute of Technology.