Since 1841, when the first Jew was elected to Congress, 179 Jewish men and women have served in either the House or Senate. Some were unrecognizable as Jews; others were steeped in Jewish religious customs and traditions. Among them have been Harvard-trained doctors and self-taught lawyers, journalists, and high-school teachers, businessmen--and even a few Jewish farmers. From Bela Abzug to Edward Zorinsky, the Jewish members of Congress, though overlooked in standard American history texts, have played a role in shaping some of America's most significant legislation. The Congressional Minyan is an encyclopedic look at their family histories, idiosyncrasies, and accomplishments. Exhaustively researched and lavishly illustrated, it is a groundbreaking work of political biography. An essential addition to synagogue libraries.