The research reported here is a valuable contribution to the small number of cohort studies of changes over time in the ways that Jews think of themselves and act. It is particularly important as a detailed examination of a small sample, an interwoven series of related case studies. The study is rich in its account of how people see the world and account for their behaviors. It uses theoretical concepts that add to the repertoire for understanding Jewish identity and argues for a research focus on the role of family systems in identity.(Contemporary Jewry)