The gathering of 75,000 Jewish people in West Philadelphia during the 20th century qualified the area known as a city within a city as a second settlement area. The East European immigrants who came to Philadelphia spilled over into West Philadelphia after South Philadelphia and Strawberry Mansion in the early 20th century became too saturated and housing opportunities ceased to exist in those communities. Excellent public transportation included the famed Market Street Elevated which sped passengers to the downtown district within 20 minutes was fed by more than 20 trolley car lines made West Philadelphia a premier community to live in. The West Philadelphia Jews flourished and supported 67 synagogues, 131 Kosher Butcher shops and 31 Jewish bakeries at its height in the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's.
The West Philadelphia experience unique from South Philadelphia or Strawberry Mansion encompassed an upwardly mobile first generation immigrant group in American society. A strong foundation was built on traditional Jewish values and the immigrants envisioned their offspring having a secondary education, right in their own neighborhoods as a way to achieve assimilation into the general community at large.
The gathering of 75,000 Jewish people in West Philadelphia during the 20th century qualified the area known as a city within a city as a second settlement area. The East European immigrants who came to Philadelphia spilled over into West Philadelphia after South Philadelphia and Strawberry Mansion in the early 20th century became too saturated and housing opportunities ceased to exist in those communities. Excellent public transportation included the famed Market Street Elevated which sped passengers to the downtown district within 20 minutes was fed by more than 20 trolley car lines made West Philadelphia a premier community to live in. The West Philadelphia Jews flourished and supported 67 synagogues, 131 Kosher Butcher shops and 31 Jewish bakeries at its height in the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's. 
