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A New Beginning: The Jews of Historic Lowell, Massachusetts explores the experiences of Jews in Lowell from the mid-19th century to the present. Using in-depth case studies over generations of representative Jewish families, this book examines the settlement patterns of Jews, their occupational roles from mill workers to pedlars to entrepreneurs, as well as the founding of synagogues and self-help organizations. It also documents the adjustment of Jews to the industrial city of Lowell, as well as to the larger society. Striving to maintain their cultural and religious identity, Jews sought acceptance from the wider society.
About the author
The Author: Shirley Kolack was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She is professor of sociology and former chairperson of the department of sociology at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Professor Kolack received her Ph.D. in Sociology and Anthropology from Boston University. She is the co-author of the book
Technology, Values and Society and has published several articles on historic Lowell, Massachusetts. She has also written on racial, religious and ethnic groups in the United States and other countries. She received two cultural grants from the Lowell Historic Preservation Commission-U.S. Department of the Interior, to prepare an exhibit on Jewish life in Lowell and to write this book.
