American Jewish History in the 20th Century
Between 1881 and 1914 approximately two and a half million Jews crossed national borders. Generally, Jews migrated in search of economic betterment and escape from political oppression and they immigrated primarily to liberal countries undergoing large-scale economic development. Once there, Jewish communities were able to use the lessons they had learned under the political and economic oppression of their native lands to employ basic entrepreneurial activities that would eventually bring many of them economic success. However, this period would also begin the process of Jewish assimilation and acculturation that would force the Jewish community to later take deliberate steps to ensure the continuity of its Jewish ethnicity.
The majority of Jews leaving Europe migrated to the United States. They envisioned the U.S. as a place free of the restrictive class structures of their native lands. It was also easier to get to the U.S. with the event of the steamship. In fact, steam lines hired agents to encourage people to buy tickets. And in the initial stages, the U.S. placed no restrictions on the admission of European immigrants. Rather, many states published brochures to encourage emigration.
Life for the Jewish populations in European countries in the latter half of the nineteenth century was undesirable for several reasons. For example, Russian and Romanian Jews were restricted by the state in their choice of residence. They were restricted in their ability to settle in rural areas and, except for a privileged few, they were forbidden to settle in the growing Russian cities. Gartner argues that by preventing Jews from participating in Russian economic growth and hobbling their efforts to develop an economic structure adequate to their increasing numbers, the Russian regime effectively forced the Jews to emigrate. Romanian and other European Jews also faced similar restrictio...