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Was the Jewish Bronx the ‘paradise’ that it seemed?

JL;DR SUMMARY In his book "Paradise Bronx," Ian Frazier offers a nuanced history of the Bronx's Jewish community, exploring its rise and decline during the 20th century. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish CommunityBronxChangeJewish IdentityNostalgiaJewish MigrationUrban DeclineUrban HistoryIan FrazierCross Bronx Expressway

Places mentioned

Bronx, New York, United States
"In 1930, the Bronx was 50% Jewish."
New York, United States
"but rather, from the insular, oppressive Jewishness he knew at home to the smart-ass, funny, wise-guy Jewishness he found in Manhattan."
Brooklyn, New York, United States
"Lower East Side and Brooklyn, there are many fewer Jews still living there"
Teaneck, New Jersey, United States
"and Teaneck, New Jersey, and intensely inward-looking (and ever-growing) shtetls like Brooklyns Borough Park and exurban New Yorks Kiryas Joel."
Riverdale, New York, United States
"New kinds of Jewish neighborhoods include tight-knit Modern Orthodox enclaves like the Bronxs Riverdale section"
Kiryas Joel, New York, United States
"and intensely inward-looking (and ever-growing) shtetls like Brooklyns Borough Park and exurban New Yorks Kiryas Joel."
Los Angeles, California, United States
"Russian Jews in Brighton Beach and Persian Jews in Los Angeles made something new."

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