Jewish Immigrants to America

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

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ys be responsible for the loss of Jewish identification and the loss of influence of these leadership elites. Gartner's argument is supported by the activities of Jewish immigrants in the United States, in particular. Generally, almost all Jewish emigrants settled in English-speaking countries and began a process of large-scale assimilation in their new societies and cultures. Because the majority of the emigrants were not the leadership in their native lands, world Jewry became more homogeneous than it had ever been. For example, mass migration emphasized the minority position of groups such the as Sefardi and Oriental Jewry because although these groups only constituted 10 per cent of world Jewry, they constituted a large portion of the emigrants. Thus, their position became more diffuse and relevant than it could have been in their native lands. Jewish economic behavior in the United States also represented a loosening of ties to the traditional economic structure. Immigrant economic behavior reflected a blend of traditional modes as well as innovation according to the place of settlement. Further, many of the working class Jews who emigrated were used to making the best of a difficult situation and were not above peddling a

Category: History - J