A History of Jewish Immigration to New York

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Although the main wave of Jewish immigration came to the U.S. after many other large groups, a trickle of Jewish immigrants arrived in New York very early on, even before it was known as New York. Jews originally from Portugal (Sephardim) came by way of Brazil to New Amsterdam when it was still under the control of the Dutch West India Company. They founded the country's first synagogue, Shearith Israel ("Remnant of Israel"), which is still in operation today, although not in it's original location. As New York and the United States at large developed, more and more Jews saw America as an alternative to their lives in Europe. First the wealthier Jews came, mostly from Germany, escaping political unrest (1840's). Poorer Jews would have to weather the storm until forced out by mounting anti-Semitism in the late nineteenth century (1880–1920). (Jews from Germany and Eastern Europe are know as Ashkenazim; from biblical Hebrew Ashkenaz, Germany.) With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the late twentieth century, Russian Jews who were forbidden from leaving the country under the USSR were finally able to escape to the Land of Opportunity.

Timeline

Congregation Shearith Israel, known as the Spanish-Portuguese synagogue. The oldest congregation in America, founded 1654.
Congregation Shearith Israel, known as the Spanish-Portuguese synagogue. The oldest congregation in America, founded 1654.
Touro Synagogue, the oldest synagogue building in America.
Touro Synagogue, the oldest synagogue building in America.

Colonial Immigration, 1654—A group of 23 Jews arrive from Brazil (originally from Portugal), face discrimination, Dutch West India Company forces government in New Amsterdam to accept Jews as they need as many settlers as possible for economic purposes. These Sephardim (from Hebrew Sepharad, Spain), started Congregation Shearith Israel (aka Spanish-Portuguese Synagogue), oldest congregation in the country, now on the West Side. The oldest synagogue building is the Touro Synagogue in Newport, RI. [1]

1776—Jewish population in the United States numbers about 2,500.

1826—Jewish population numbers about 6,000.

1840-1850—Ashkenazi Jews from Germany, mostly well-to-do, branch into Reform and Conservative Judaism. American Jewish population jumps above 50,000.

1880-1924—Eastern European Jews (Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine) arrive, forced to flee from massacres called pogroms. Thousands of Jews were killed and entire villages wiped out during the most intense pogroms of 1881 and 1882. Eastern European immigrants were mostly poor, and looked down upon by earlier immigrants. American Jewish population rises sharply to 4.5 million, about half of whom live in New York. Lower East Side is crowded, with about 500,000 Jews in tenements within 1.5 square miles. The Immigration Restriction Act of 1924 decreased Jewish immigration from over 100,000 yearly to about 10,000.[2] [3]

Late 20th century—End of the Cold War, Russian and Bukharian Jews immigrate to America with the collapse of the USSR.


The Bigger Picture

Did not go back to the old country like other groups—less than 8% between 1905 and 1920, compared with 30% average for other groups. [4]

In 1880 there were 80,000 Jews in NY, close to two million by 1924. A quarter of New York's population was Jewish in 1970, greater NY area contained half the U.S. Jews. [5]






References

  1. ↑ Glazer, N., & Moynihan, D. (1970). Beyond the Melting Pot. Cambridge: M.I.T. Press.
  2. ↑ http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Ha-La/Jewish-Americans.html
  3. ↑ Daniels, R., (2002). Coming to America. New York: Perennial.
  4. ↑ Binder, F., & Reimers, D. (1996). All the Nations under Heaven. New York: Columbia University Press.
  5. ↑ Glazer, N., & Moynihan, D. (1970). Beyond the Melting Pot. Cambridge: M.I.T. Press.
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