The Jewish community has long influenced and shaped Chicago, helping the city grow from its humble beginnings to the metropolis it is today. But too often, their contributions are forgotten.
In Remembering Chicago's Jews, author James J. Finn documents the lives and achievements of Chicago Jews from 1832 to 1920. The stories of more than five hundred people are included, complete with their own biographies and explanations of how they contributed to Chicago's Jewish and secular communities. Vital statistics such as date of birth, marriages, children, and date of death are also provided when possible.
Explore the deep relationship between Jewish pioneers and the first days of Illinois settlement, from the establishment of Chicago to the early 1900s-with Prohibition, the Red Scare, and the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan gathering on the horizon.
Supporting this impressive collection are two indexes, the first of which is a list of events by date and topic. The second allows readers to search for influential Jews by their vocations.
Of interest to anyone with a passion for Chicago and Jewish history, Remembering Chicago's Jews is a meticulously researched companion to Hyman Meite's History of the Jews of Chicago.
About the Author: James J. Finn received his bachelor's degree in liberal arts, with a concentration in American history, from the University of Cincinnati. During this time, he also studied at Hebrew Uniob College-an experience that exposed him to valuable knowledge he has carried through the years.
Finn later received a master's degree in accounting from Roosevelt University and became a certified public accountant in 1974. He ran his own accounting firm from 1977 until selling the company in 2006. Since then, he has stayed active in business on a part-time basis, devoting most of his time to researching and compiling Remembering Chicago's Jews.
Finn fills his retirement years volunteering at the Elk Grove Library, Ridge School, and the Ark, an organization assisting the Jewish poor.
