Between the wars – due mainly to Prohibition – crime flourished in America and Jews were not immune to the effects.
Gangs of irreligious working class Jews, made their fortunes and met their untimely ends during the 20s & 30s. But the narrative is not without a number of surprising twists, particularly in Chicago – the home of Al Capone.
And why did one notorious thief do Teshuva?
Chapters
00:00 The Rise of Jewish Gangsters in America
20:51 Prohibition: A Catalyst for Crime
24:00 The Interplay of Politics and Crime in Chicago
26:12 The Role of Jewish Gangsters in Chicago’s Community
28:36 Protection and Power: The Duality of Gangster Generosity
29:12 Violence and Rivalry: The Miller Brothers’ Story
31:51 The Rise and Fall of Jewish Organized Crime
34:15 Max Friedman: From Thief to Notorious Criminal
39:21 Rudensky’s Escapes and Criminal Career
44:15 Transformation: From Criminal to Consultant
52:40 Legacy of Change: The Life of Red Rudensky