Synagogue Architecture in America: Faith, Spirit & Identity »

This beautiful book tells the story of The American Jew, a people whose culture and identity have evolved dramatically over the last four centuries, and whose religious buildings have changed as a result. It takes the reader on a fascinating journey that begins with the earliest inner-city places of worship and refuge for recently arrived and often persecuted immigrants, and chronicles the evolution of the synagogue into the thriving suburban neighborhood center of today. The challenge for architects has been to find designs that represent both Jewish and American cultures and reflect the differences of sacred vs. secular and modern vs. traditional.The superb illustrations in this book display the many incarnations of the American synagogue, from the oldest existing synagogue, to the present day, from such architectural luminaries as Frank Lloyd Wright.