When first published in 1987, The American Synagogue quickly established itself as the standard work on the subject. The strength of the book lies in its combination of broad overviews of denominational differentiation that took place and case studies drawing from many geographical regions and emphasizing themes ranging from effects of immigration on synagogue life to changing roles of women. The book has become an important comparative resource for students of American religious life, particularly in its examination of how religious communities change over time.

JACK WERTHEIMER is the Provost at the Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, and author of several books about American Judaism, including two published by Brandeis University Press, The American Synagogue: A Sanctuary Transformed (1995) and A People Divided: Judaism in Contemporary America (1999).