The concrete wall before you is a symbol of how history and politics can create a seemingly insurmountable barrier. This is the infamous Hammond Barrier. Built in 1981 by the city council of Hammond, Indiana, it was intended to be a temporary solution to a major flood. The flood brought toxic water from two industrial landfills in nearby Gary, Indiana, overwhelming residential neighborhoods in Hammond. The wall was built to keep the contaminated water out. It may have been intended to be temporary, the barrier became a permanent fixture. It was a dividing line between the mostly white city of Hammond and the primarily black city of Gary. Hammond residents saw the barrier as a way to keep crime and traffic out while Gary residents saw it as a symbol of racism. The controversy over the wall continued for years with attempts by both cities and the federal government to find a solution that never materialized. The Hammond Barrier, built as a temporary measure to protect Hammond from contamination remains a testament to the complexity of urban problems and how historical tensions can leave their mark on the landscape.
Congregation Or Torah
Rabbi Zvi Engel’s leadership guides Congregation Or Torah. This impressive Modern Orthodox Synagogue stands proudly in Skokie Illinois. It’s one