Von der Gemeinde zur "Community": Judische Einwanderung in Chicago 1840-1900 (review)

It is somewhat difficult to translate the German title of Tobias Brinkmann's book, based on his Ph.D. dissertation at the Technical University of Berlin, into English. Basically his work is a history of the Chicago Jewish immigrant community, 1840-1900. However, the English language provides only one word "community" for the German Gemeinde, which may mean community, congregation, or the European-style incorporated Jewish community. From Gemeinde to "Community" both describes the transformation of the old world model of a separateJewish community tothe openmodel of an American-style ethnic community and examines the structural transformations within the immigrant community in America from a "synagogue community" to a "community of synagogues," as characterized by Jonathan Sarna. ¹

Brinkmann describes the ongoing effort of Chicago Jewry to maintain a platform for Jewish solidarity and community outside traditional boundaries in a changing and highly diverse urban immigrant setting. In addition, he explains how traditional forms of Jewish cohesion were increasingly supplemented by secular and civic American Jewish forms of organization that are still significant for American Jewish identity today.

Herein lies Brinkmann's great achievement. Unlike many other studies, his book differentiates among inter-ethnic cultural and religious sub-groups and explains their goals and interests in the new world within the dynamics of identity formation and acculturation in America. Therefore, his book addresses two crucial historiographical aspects. First, it reminds European historians of the complexities and importance of Jewish issues in the history of European immigration to America. Secondly, it demonstrates how different the picture of local histories appear if we go beyond simplistic definitions of ethnic identities, such as "German" or "Russian" Jews, that ignore inter-ethnic group identities and animosities for reasons often rooted in the immigrants' old world experience.

Brinkmann gives a very detailed depiction of the social and ethnic composition, religious and communal identification, acculturation and social stratification of the Chicago Jewish community from its early days to 1900. He provides us with a new understanding of the heterogeneity of the so-called German Jews, and also of the changing definition and utilization of this term within the American community. This suggests that more local studies such as this might challenge some of the images around such static definitions.

Brinkmann's chronologically arranged work begins with a detailed overview of Jewish immigration from Central Europe to America. He traces the immigrants' gradual migration, explains their motivations for leaving Europe, and follows their passage from the eastern U.S. seaports to Chicago via other urban centers such as Cincinnati and Cleveland. He identifies lasting personal or business relationships that evolved from this migration and helped establish important networks when a large number of immigrants reached Chicago as the city turned into a bustling metropolis in the wake of industrialization and immigration.

The following chapter traces Chicago's early Jewish life starting in 1845 and gives detailed insight into how the local Reform movement developed. The immigrants, whocame mainly from Bavaria, expressed their desire to become Americans by an urge to build Jewish institutions that fit the American environment. In this endeavour they were trying to meet the challenges of American liberty, particularly those of American congregationalism. While liberty of conscience was one of the main achievements America had to offer, Chicago Jews did not find community in the traditional European sense.Rather it was a growing diversity of congregations that separated the local Jews by ethnic and religious feelings and affiliation that were intensified by the emerging Reform movement and its challenges to traditional forms of Jewish community. Consequently, the growing world of voluntary associationsoutside the synagogue, like the United Hebrew Relief Association, helped Chicago Jews maintain a common Jewish identity, redefine a basis for communal cooperation in Jewish social work, and pioneer new roles as American Jews and citizens. The Civil War years served as a...