Becoming American Jews

From its beginning in 1854 as a traditional German shul to its current status as the largest Reform synagogue in New England, Temple Israel has been an important force in Boston and American Jewish life. The congregation's ongoing efforts to adapt to changes in American society while preserving balance--between tradition and innovation, between acculturation and distinctiveness--exemplify the transformations in religious worship practices, education, and social justice that mark modern American Reform Judaism. This volume, based on hundreds of archival documents, demographic data, and oral histories, and illustrated with more than 200 images, brings to life the stories of the men, women, and children who have built and maintained this vital Jewish community for more than 150 years.

MEAGHAN DWYER-RYANIS a Ph.D. candidate in American ethnic and immigration history at Boston College. SUSAN L. PORTER is a historian and scholar at the Brandeis University Women's Studies Research Center, and a research consultant and lecturer in museum studies at the Harvard University Extension School. LISA FAGIN DAVIS is an independent scholar and manuscript consultant in the Boston area.