#160 - Mavericks I: Crime in the USA

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