Immigration Feild trip reflection

Part 1 from Haven to Home:

In this exhibition I learned many things about the Jewish culture and how it came to America. Jews have been in America for 350 years. The first group of Jewish immigrants, approximately twenty, arrived in New Amsterdam in 1654. Many of these people had been pushed out of there home lands and wanted to start over in a clean, new, safe life. They were the first group of Jews in America. By the 1740 there were more Jews in America. Establishing there lives. In 1776 many Jews fought for America in the revolutionary war. Many more Jews and other immigrants came to America all for different reasons. Though America was safer and better than there previous home land they still had to deal with Anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism started in America in 1920. Martin Luther king fought against Anti-Semitism. Many Jews after they came to America started changing.

They went from conservative to reform to humanist and so on. America had started to Americanize its people, there started to be free English classes for anyone that wanted to attend. Even though many Jews had become full Americans more still kept to there old ways. Many Jews still kept couture. They were not allowed to eat pork and shellfish. They were not allowed to eat beef and milk together on the same plate because they thought it was wrong to eat the meat of the mother with her milk. But in 1902 there was a huge scandal. Many people were charging much more for couture meat then for normal meat. This made them angry. Couture meat is only from a rib bone second to the last and up. This cow is killed swiftly so that it does not suffer. The meat also has to be blessed by a certain type of Rabbi. Many people use the term “Its couture” to mean “It’s clean.”

Soon Jews became very involved with pop culture. Some became movie stars and when the hit Fiddler on the Roof came out many more people stared noticing them. Barbra Streisand in signified was a very famous Jewish actress. Also The first Jewish Ms. New York was Bess Myerson.

Zionism was a belief that many Jews followed. It was created for the Jews. Its belief was that all Jewish people should have a homeland. But not all Jews were good. Benjamin (Bugsy) Sigel was one of the first gangsters in America. He was Jewish. He founded Las Vegas which is a huge hot spot today.

I learned many things that I didn’t know about Jewish history I also learned more things about there religion and how they immigrated here. I am glad that we got to see that exhibition because it really opened my eyes to other people and other religions.

Part 2: The Children of Immigrants:

Photo:

India Independence Day, Chicago 1997

In this picture the main focus in the child. She is a little girl and is about 3 years old. Behind her, her mom looks content she stands proud next to her husband. But the little girl is not sharing there happiness. She is scared, confused. She is no longer in her home. Why did her parents take her to this place? Though her parents had secured her future, she still misses her home. I chose this picture because it made me see that not everyone was pleased with going to America.

Quote:

“The greatest thing in my life is to become a successful person and to have a family and friends to support me, not to be looked at by the color of my skin but who I am inside”

-Samira Duravovic, Yugoslavia

I choose this quote because I really agree with it and I think that, that should be everybody’s motto. I think that it is really touching and I can see that a lot of effort and heart was put into it.