Immigration of the Jewish people to the USA essay

The United States of America is known as a country of immigrants. USA from its first days attracted immigrants from around the world as the country with political and religious freedom (religious factor initially was particularly important), and economic opportunities (as the absence of feudal land tenure, and many legal barriers to social and territorial mobility). The first immigrants were mostly Protestants, who came in the first half of the XVII and XVIII centuries from Western and Northern Europe to escape from religious persecution.

Since the XIX century, the structure of immigration flows began to change. Revolution and the emergence of independent states in Latin America (which got into the economic and political influence of the United States), the progress of transport and communications, political changes in many parts of the world –these processes has led to an intensification of immigration, changes in territorial orientation and ethno-national structure of migration flows. In the middle of the XIX century began an intensive immigration from Catholic countries of the Mediterranean region and Ireland, and at the end of the XIX century there were significant migration flows from Central and Eastern Europe, including Jewish immigration. The Jews today are the most affluent ethnic and religious group of the United States – they account for 2% of the population.

In this paper it is necessary to consider the immigration of Jews to the United States in the XXth century, historical complex of factors and “push factors”, which compel out migration. It is also necessary to consider what “niche” was occupied by Jews in the U.S., their way of life, work, social status and more.

Immigration of the Jewish people to the USA

The first wave of migration of the Jews took place at the end of the XIXth – early XXth century from Europe and Russia. The mass migration of Jews from Russia and Europe has become an important component of the flow of immigration waves, rushing to the shores of America from Eastern and Southern Europe and known as the “new immigration”. Jews, along with the Italians and Slavs, belonged to one of the largest ethnic group in the “new” immigration. According to historians, the main motive of emigration of the Jews was the lack of guarantees of their rights to life and property, and “anti-Jewish pogroms.” The second wave was in 1945 – 1947 and included mainly those who survived after the Second World War and went through the hell of the ghetto and concentration camps. The third wave of emigration has risen in the second half of the 1970s and continued until the early 1980s. A “fourth wave” of emigration took place in 1988-1993 during the collapse of the Soviet Union. (Diner, 2003)

The reason for emigration was the lack of personal and religious freedom, as well as the harsh economic conditions that led people to starvation. The Jews went to America to find better future for their children, and only the liberalization of domestic policies towards Jewish minority could stop the flow of immigration. Of course, the dynamics of the migration process was influenced by bursts of anti-Semitism in Russia and Europe.

After the First World War, the United States of America became the country with the largest Jewish population in the world. The immigrants, mostly poor, arrived in the United States by ships. According to Diner H. (2003), before the First World War, 80% of the Jewish immigrants were employees in the industry, mainly in the textile industry.  The Jews chose to settle in the cities of East Coast, primarily in New York, which was destined to become a major center of Jewish emigration. Jews from Eastern Europe have created in New York the world’s largest Jewish ghetto. They lived in difficult living conditions. They had to work very hard, the most common occupations were: tailors, shopkeepers, watchmakers, clerks, house painters, carpenters and others. In addition to the New York, many Jews settled in Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, Cleveland. (Diner, 2003)

According to Takaki R., during the World War II Jews around the world were victims of persecution, and the terrible word “Holocaust” was known to every Jew. In the USA some Jews tried to encourage the US government to help victims of Nazi genocide. For example, in 1943 400 rabbis marched in Washington to draw attention to the Holocaust victims (known as “The Day the Rabbis Marched”). (Takaki 2008, p. 373-376)

It is worth mentioning that the Jews in the biggest cities of the East Coast had a very active intellectual life: they studied, visited libraries, theaters. Yiddish was their language of communication, it was used at Jewish schools, in the newspapers, Jewish theaters and concert halls, public libraries. In addition, synagogue remained the social center of the community.  A characteristic feature of the Jewish community was the desire of its people to study, that was why many Jews attended evening schools. Children from 6 years began to attend American schools, where they were taught the basics of English and American citizenship. In the evening they attended Jewish schools (Bet-madrash), where they studied Hebrew and Jewish religious texts.  Jewish children had very good abilities and then went to study in colleges: boys were physicians, pharmacists and lawyers, and girls were stenographers, secretaries, teachers.

It is also known that many Jews were active in the trade union movement and left wing political parties (Samuel Hopkins was the founder of the largest trade union AFL).  Due to the activities of human rights defenders and civic activists, many of whom were Jews, in 1964 the U.S. passed the Civil Rights Act, which prohibited racial discrimination and anti-Semitism. (Diner, 2006)

In 1930 approximately 20 percent of Jews were representatives of liberal professions, and they faster than other immigrant groups managed to overcome poverty.  In 1957, about 75 percent of Jews were “white collars”, while other white Americans – only 35 percent. In 1970 the U.S. about 42 percent of the population was involved in the office work, and among the Jews this figure was higher – 87 percent. In general, Jews earned 72 percent more than other Americans.  (Diner, 2006)

Successful Jews were gradually integrated into American society. They moved from the slums to the suburbs, spoke not Yiddish but English and adopted a style of life of the American elite. Having immigrated to the U.S., many Jews (whose ancestors in Eastern Europe had strictly orthodox way of life) have ceased to follow religious traditions.

So, we can conclude that the Jews in America have taken an important niche in the society. They were able to adapt to a new country and new conditions, to adopt the lifestyle of Americans. Hard work, education and other factors led to the fact that Jews have occupied the honorable niche in the society, many of them have become successful and respected by the American population. In addition to the Jews, millions of immigrants from dozens of countries came to the United States, though the greatest success achieved the Jews. Why? The reason, above all, was in their education, desire to work and succeed. In addition, among the Jews there was a persistent tradition of doing business, the Jews were active and initiative.