Books Tell You Why, Inc.

A Fine edition with a previous owner's embossed stamping on the front flyleaf housed in a Nearly Fine price-clipped dust-jacket.

New York's Jews were divided into Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform camps. In the early 20th century, the Orthodox community was the largest and most influential. They wanted to maintain their own separate social and religious life, which made them suspicious of outsiders. In 1908, a group of Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn decided to form a communal society, or kehilah. The idea was to create a place where Jews could share their culture and religious beliefs and work together to improve their community. The kehilah was an experiment, and it lasted only six years. But it was an important step in the development of Jewish community in New York.; 8vo; 361 pages.