Description
You may know their names–Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, and Lepke Buchalter—or the crimes that they committed. But do you know what motivated Jewish individuals to pursue a life of crime? Why did the phenomena of Jewish gangsters typically last for one generation? Naomi Sandweiss introduces the Jewish underworld and the social forces that led Jews into the mob. Sandweiss introduces a family member, Sammy the Mustache, and describes his experiences as part of Detroit’s Purple Gang.
Naomi Sandweiss is a New Mexican and author of Jewish Albuquerque 1860-1960, in addition to other articles and book chapters. She is past-president of the New Mexico Jewish Historical Society and holds an MA in history from Arizona State University.