The evolution of American suburbs into places with a "naked public square" is partly a result of the post-WWII move of Jews from cities to suburbs.
In "From Jewish Street to Public Square," author Alan Mittleman explores the "great suburban migration to the newer suburbs," detailing the complex ways in which the suburbs changed Jewish life, but also how Jews influenced the suburbs. In particular, Mittleman says, Jewish groups participated in the lawsuits that sought to remove religious symbols from the public square. The author concludes: "If suburban communities are to be humanized and renewed they must become places where religiously serious people can live. ... The public square must not remain a sanitized and artificial space where an illusion of social homogeneity dominates."
Thanks to Dateline APA
FULL STORY: From Jewish Street to Public Square
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