This book consists of a series of investigations into the cultural and behavioral patterns of east European immigrant Jews known to promote health and prevent disease beginning in the late 19th and into the 20th centuries. Drawing on data pointing to health as an economic commodity, leading to economic strength and social development, the author suggests that the high value accorded to health played a role in the relative economic prosperity of American Jews. The book explores the implications of good health as a source of human capital worthy of investment and its significance for recent immigrants.
