Originally published in 1911, The Jews: A Study of Race and the Environment, presents the results of anthropological, demographic, pathological and sociological investigations of people who identify themselves as Jews. At the time Fishberg wrote this book, there was widespread interest in the idea of Jews as a race and the ethnic relationship of Jews to each other. The early twentieth century was a period of heavy eastern European immigration to the United States. Many questioned if it were possible for Jews to assimilate into American culture, particularly into what was termed the body politic of Anglo-Saxon communities. Fishberg addresses these questions in this classic study.