In Jewish Metropolis, historian Daniel Soyer presents a sweeping and richly detailed chronicle of New York City as the capital of American Jewish life. Spanning four centuries, this authoritative work traces the growth of the Jewish community from its modest 17th-century beginnings in New Amsterdam to its emergence as a dynamic force in the cultural, political, religious, and economic life of the city and the nation.

Drawing on archival sources, demographic studies, and cultural analysis, Soyer explores key themes including immigration, assimilation, labor activism, religious innovation, and the shifting centers of Jewish life—from the Lower East Side to the suburbs. He highlights the contributions of both well-known and everyday Jews in shaping not only their own community but the broader identity of New York as a metropolis of diversity and resilience.