Divided into three sections this work explains how the concepts and practices of traditional European Judaism were adapted to North American culture beginning in the late nineteenth century Part I focuses on the ideas and activities of Cyrus Adler 1863 1940 one of the most prominent leaders of the traditionalist United States Jewish community in his era The issues in these essays include the origins of American Jewish history as a field of study the Kehilla experiments of the early twentieth century and the relationship between the Jewish Theological Seminary and Orthodox Judaism Part II deals with the beginnings of Hasidic Judaism in North America prior to the Second World War It also includes several studies investigating the shaping of the worldview of Orthodox Judaism in contemporary North America Part III examines the issue of contemporary American Jewish attitudes toward evolution and intelligent design