The Jews of Chicago: Fron Shtetl to Suburb (Ethnic History of Chicago) [Hardcover]

Irving Cutler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1996

 

Vividly told and richly illustrated with more than 160 photographs, The Jews of Chicago is the fascinating story of the cultural, religious, fraternal, economic, and everyday life of Chicago's Jews. This edition of Irving Cutler's definitive historical volume also includes a new foreword written by the author.

 

The first comprehensive history of Chicago's Jewish population in eighty years, The Jews of Chicago brings to life the people, events, neighborhoods, and institutions that helped shape today's Jewish community. Cutler intertwines neighborhood histories with representative biographical vignettes of some of Chicago's best known figures, such as Edna Ferber, Saul Bellow, Benny Goodman, Mel Tormé, Studs Terkel, Paul Muni, Mandy Patinkin, Emil G. Hirsch, Julius Rosenwald, Dankmar Adler, Arthur Goldberg, Philip Klutznick, and many others. From their roots in the Old Country to their present-day communities, Cutler captures in extraordinary detail the remarkable saga of the Jews of Chicago.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The latest volume in the University of Illinois Press' Ethnic History of Chicago series offers a colorful picture of the growth and development of the Chicago Jewish community from its Old World roots to the present. Cutler begins with a section entitled "The First Wave," covering the Civil War period and the great Chicago fire and its aftermath. In "The Second Wave," Cutler focuses on eastern European Jewish emigrants and their role as Maxwell Street merchants, their benevolent societies, and the Yiddish theater. He also explores the Zionist and labor movements, Chicago's literary and music scenes, and changing neighborhoods and lifestyles in the last 50 years. George Cohen

Review

 

"Deserves a space not only on every Chicagoan's shelf, but on anyone's who is interested in the rich ethnic heritage of the Windy City."--West Coast Jewish News

 

"A splendid study. . . . Presents the story with marvelous visual evidence, photo documentation, and superb ethnographic mapping of Jewish institutions in Chicago."--American Jewish History

 

"Concise and thoughtfully written, The Jews of Chicago extends Chicago Jewish history . . . beyond any comparable history. It is a testament not merely to the impressive work that Cutler himself has done, but also to the community he chronicles."--Chicago Jewish History

 

"A thought provoking history of the Jewish community's development in Chicago and its contribution to our city."--Chicago Tribune

 

“Cutler does a masterful job of tracing the history of Chicago’s Jews from the German Jews who came in the 1830s and 1840s to the East European Jews who arrived in large numbers from 1880 to 1925.”--Jerusalem Post

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252021851
• ISBN-13: 978-0252021855
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #640,158 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jewish Chicago-a Historical Insight, January 16, 2001

By 

Adina Trattner Appel (Ra'anana Israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jews of Chicago: Fron Shtetl to Suburb (Ethnic History of Chicago) (Hardcover)

As a former Chicagoan, I found the book to be most informative as well as interesting. The book was thoroughly researched and well presented. Although I grew up in the Jewish community of Chicago, there were many historical facts that I had no prior knowledge of. One story that I found particularly interesting involved the Great Chicago Fire. The fire actually started on the eve of the Jewish Holiday of Simchat Torah. During this holiday, the Torah scrolls are danced with in the streets. The fact that the scrolls were outside when the fire broke out may have actually saved many lives, as well as the Torah scrolls. Cutler's book made me aware of the rich cultural tapestry that formed Chicago's Jewish community. Even non- Chicagoans will find this book enlightening.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Home Town, December 13, 2009

By 

E. Weissler - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Jews of Chicago: FROM SHTETL TO SUBURB (Ethnic History of Chicago) (Paperback)

Great description of when I grew up in Chicago (1932-1952), which I left for the Air Force in 1952. Rarely visited after that, but found great changes when I did visit. I enjoyed particulary the maps and pictures of how the city was while I was maturing and going to school. I recommend this book for anyone living there now or in the past.

5.0 out of 5 stars A welcome trip down memory lane., December 4, 2011

By 

College Prof (Chicago, IL, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Jews of Chicago: FROM SHTETL TO SUBURB (Ethnic History of Chicago) (Paperback)

I am a native Jewish Chicagoan with a fascination for history. After my wife attended a lecture by Irving Cutler, she bought me this book as a birthday present. I must say I enjoyed reading The Jews of Chicago enormously.

My family has a long history in the Chicago area. My dad settled in the Maxwell Street area in 1921, then moved to Lawndale with his family in the '30's. My mom's family came from Motele, a town in the Pale of Settlement and lived in the Austin neigborhood. They married and lived in Austin until after World War II, when they moved to Chicago Lawn on the Southwest Side. Mr. Cutler has skillfully traced the history of my family in his book, to the point of even mentioning those of us who are now living in the Northwest Suburbs. If you live in Chicago, and you are Jewish, this is a must read.
I am sending my sister in St. Louis a copy of this book, because I know she will love it as much as I did.