ABSTRACT
The great Chicago fire of 1871 marks not only a turning-point in the history of the city of Chicago, but also in the development of the Jewish community. The Jews on the South and the North Side were becoming conscious of the growth of a ghetto on the West Side, which, though removed from their own residential districts by considerable distance, would be regarded by Gentiles as an integral part of the Jewish community. The East European Jews, who had lost their homes and synagogues east of the river, now crossed to the West Side. In its initial stages the Jewish community is scarcely distinguishable from the rest of the city. As the numbers increase, however, the typical communal organization of the European ghetto gradually emerges. The addition of diverse elements to the population results in diversification and differentiation, and finally in disintegration.
